Skymouse puts mouse control on your fingertips

The humble mouse may have stood the test of time and remains a staple of most desktop setups, but there are an increasing number of devices looking to relegate the mouse to the bottom drawer. The latest is the Skymouse which, like the Mycestro 3D wearable mouse, Genius wireless Ring Mouseand Leap Motion, shifts cursor control from the desk to your fingertips.

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Designed by Los Angeles-based Eliott Ephrati, the Skymouse uses infrared LEDs and an infrared camera to track the movement of "Skymouse Pointers" that are worn on the user's fingers. An algorithm then translates these hand movements into onscreen movements of the cursor.

The Skymouse is plug and play and can recognize basic pre-programmed commands, such as left click, right click, middle click and scroll. However, a developer kit will also be offered that will allow "hackers and tinkerers" to create custom commands and gestures.

We're guessing that wearing the Skymouse Pointers could pose some problems for typing, but Ephrati says he plans to release a second version that will work with naked fingers.

Ephrati is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to get the Skymouse into production. A minimum pledge of US$70 will score a Skymouse and four Skymouse pointers if the target goal is reached. Other funding tiers are available, including the hacker pack for $180, which comes with the open model for customization. If all goes well, units should be shipped by April 2014.