The Mousetrapper Advance 2.0 is an inline / central pointing device that is based around the innovative "steering control pad" that incorporates features and concepts of both a touchpad and a treadmill. The silicone-coated, slip-free steering pad requires only finger-tip pressure to achieve precise cursor movement (up to 2000 DPI), left click activation and vertical scrolling. Unlike traditional touch pads where the finger is moved across a static surface, the fingertips are used to dynamically move the steering pad, sliding it left or right and "running" it up and down in treadmill-like fashion. The fingers can rest on the steering pad between mouse activation tasks, with a left click being activated anywhere on the steering pad by simply pressing down against the pad. Because the fingers are physically moving the steering pad there is a much greater degree of tactile feedback than is provided by traditional touchpads, which in turn facilitates a greater degree of accuracy and control. As well, because the steering pad is not touch-sensitive there is no fear of movement disruption if additional fingers contact the steering pad - in fact, most people will naturally use multiple fingers to move the pad, making it a more natural movement than traditional touchpad control. The two-dimensional steering pad also offers an intuitive interface that for some may be easier to adjust to than rollerbars, touchpads or trackballs.
Six buttons adjacent to the steering pad provide quick access to double click, right click, left click, cruise (scroll)-up, and cruise (scroll)-down functions. All click functions can be re-programmed or customized using the optional MT Keys software which offers a wide range of keyboard short cut or macro options as well as cursor DPI adjustment. An integrated "keyboard support" pad can also be folded out to elevate low profile keyboards or stored below the Mousetrapper when using more traditional keyboards.
The body of the Mousetrapper Advance also serves as a palm support to help minimize the risk of wrist extension with replaceable Lycra-covered pads offering cushioning to reduce pressure points against the palms and wrists. Like most central pointing devices, the Mousetrapper Advance requires no overextension of the shoulder joint, and can significantly reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries to the muscles of the shoulder and upper back.
The Advance 2.0 differs from the Advance (SMT417) cosmetically by being available in two models with stylish accent colours: white (MT112) or turquoise (MT113). Functional differences include six programmable buttons instead of five — the central button on the Advance has been replaced in the 2.0 with two scroll buttons for up and down. In addition, the palm supports on the Advance 2.0 are replaceable (unlike those on the Advance), which makes cleaning the palm supports much easier.
Eliminates Overreaching for a Traditional Mouse, Relieving Neck, Shoulder and Elbow Pain Using conventional keyboards will sometimes result in overreaching for the mouse as one is forced to reach over the arrow keys and numeric keypad to get to the mouse. This can lead to neck, shoulder and elbow pain and discomfort. Asymmetrical reaching with one side of the body and not the other causes muscle groups to compensate for the weight of the extended arm while reaching for a traditional mouse. Repetitive overreaching will often lead to tightness and pain in the neck, shoulder and elbow areas. The Mousetrapper Advance 2.0 allows individuals to keep their elbows comfortably at their sides.Learn More About the Comfort Zone.
Prevents Static Grip of the Mouse The control pad of the Mousetrapper Advance 2.0 is steered with an open relaxed hand and slightly curled fingers - there is no gripping or holding with the hand. The control pad mechanism effectively eliminates static grip forces which accompany most conventional mice. The fingertips are used to move the control pad, sliding it side to side to provide horizontal cursor movement and running the pad up and down for vertical movement. There is little to no friction or resistance associated with this movement, greatly reducing muscle activity and reducing compression through the carpal tunnel. Learn More About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Ambidextrous Cursor Control By centrally locating the cursor control and clicking beneath the keyboard home keys, mouse control is equidistant from either hand. Ambidextrous use is encouraged and easily accomplished with the Mousetrapper Advance 2.0.
Click with Any Finger Any finger can be used to generate left clicks on the control pad, unlike most mice which require the index finger to generate all left clicks. This repetitive activity can lead to trigger finger Learn More About Trigger Finger.
Minimizes Wrist Extension The steering pad is centrally located just below the keyboard, with the side portions of the Mousetrapper acting as additional resting space for the palms and forearms. This helps maintain a more neutral alignment of the wrists, reducing the potential for wrist extension to occur. Learn More About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Tactile Feedback Since the steering pad is being physically moved there is immediate tactile feedback. The silicone-coated ribbed surface communicates this movement to the nerves of the fingers, providing a sense of "control" that is not available through a traditional touchpad or cylindrical mousing device. When clicking on the steering pad there is clear notification when activation has occurred.
Programmable Programmable | Five programmable buttons provide enhanced productivity through advanced programming with the MT Keys software, offering the option of simplifying repetitive keyboard functions to a single click.
Slim, Ergonomic Design: The low profile of the Mousetrapper Advance 2.0, as well as its replaceable palm supports and easy-to-access control pad, make it an ideal ergonomic alternative to traditional mice.
Clickable and Scrollable Control Pad: The control pad pioneered by Mousetrapper is both clickable (left click) and scrollable, so that these common mousing functions can be completed with the touch of a finger. Although it looks like a touchpad, it is more like a treadmill that moves in all directions, not just up and down. Up and down movement is continuous like a treadmill, and left to right movement is set at about 3.5" either way, which is enough to move your cursor across the screen. The fingers do not move on the surface of the control pad (as they would on a touchpad), they move the control pad itself.
Cursor Gliding: When the surface of the steering pad can no longer be moved to either side (due to limited left and right movement), but the cursor is not yet at the edge of the screen, the cursor will automatically move to the screen edge. This automatic gliding motion will "recalibrate" the steering pad so that normal cursor movement can resume. It is a normal part of using the steering pad and does not affect its performance.
6 Non-Tactile Buttons: There are six buttons situated around the control pad. All are non-tactile, which means that there is no noticeable "click" sensation when one presses down on the button. Functions include: (top buttons) double click, right click; (bottom buttons) left click, cruise (scroll)-down, cruise (scroll)-up, and left click. The buttons are also reprogrammable using the software provided for download on the Mousetrapper web site.
Vertical Scrolling: The steering pad also has a scrolling feature, much like the one on many touchpads. To activate this feature, the finger is placed on the rightmost side of the pad and the pad is moved up and down to scroll. This can be combined with a click for advance web browsing; if a click is made while moving up, the "Back" function on the browser will be activated and if clicked while moving down, the "Forward" function will be activated..
Replaceable Palm Supports: On either side of the control pad are soft palm supports which cushion the palms and forearms as one types. These palm supports are replaceable, helping to extend the life of the Mousetrapper Advance 2.0.
Custom Programming: Mousetrapper offers free software called MT Keys which can be downloaded from the manufacturer's Website. This powerful software can be used to check and/or change the assigned functions of all buttons on the Mousetrapper Advance 2.0. Most people have several commands which they access on a repetitive basis. Programming these into a single click can reduce awkward stretches and actually decrease the time required to perform these actions, effectively increasing productivity.
MT Keys also facilitates assignment of specific profiles for unique purposes. By default the program offers a single pre-programmed profile for general computer usage. The default functions for this profile are as described above. Anyone can also create custom profiles specific to their needs. For example, CAD operators can take advantage of the "Enhance Cursor Precision" option to enable accurate pixel-by-pixel control while still retaining rapid movement when necessary. The range of functions available for each button is too extensive to list. See the image gallery to get an idea of what is available.
The Profile Management is also a great solution for multi-user workstations, as each person can assign and quickly select the settings which are most suitable to their work pattern and personal comfort.
High DPI Resolution: For those who require a speedy cursor, the 2000 dpi of the Advance 2.0 will easily meet that need.
Accent Colour Options: The Mousetrapper Advance 2.0 is available in black with either white or turquoise accents.
Folding Non-Slip Surface for Keyboard Adjustment: In order to provide extra elevation for thinner keyboards, the Mousetrapper Advance 2.0 has a folding non-slip grey mat for placing the keyboard on. Simply fold back under the Mousetrapper when not needed or when using a higher profile traditional keyboard.
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To obtain the most benefit from your MouseTrapper make a point of learning to use the Control Pad with both hands. This will let you balance the load across both hands, reducing the risks associated with repetitive actions.
Browse through the many options available on the MT Keys software. You may be surprised at how powerful it is and may find some unique functions that work well for specific applications.
Consider the most common actions that you perform while mousing and program buttons to perform those actions. Reprogram buttons to match your natural movements. The default commands may not necessarily be those that you need, that is why the MT Keys is so useful - you can modify the layout to optimize your work.
