Gentle Computing Introduces GentleMouse, a New Software Program that Eliminates Clicking

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA (PRWeb) December 6, 2006 -- Gentle Computing, LLC today announced the recent release of GentleMouse, a software program that eliminates the need to click the mouse. GentleMouse introduces a novel computer input method that replaces physical clicking, pressing and scrolling of mouse buttons with a gentle movement of the mouse pointer into a small, transparent Trigger Window that briefly becomes visible whenever you move and stop the mouse. In addition, GentleMouse enables a user to perform many common commands such as cut, copy, and paste by moving the mouse pointer into the corresponding Trigger Window.

GentleMouse can be of great benefit to users suffering from repetitive strain Injuries such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, arthritis or other physical disabilities. GentleMouse may also help prevent clicking related injuries.

What's wrong with clicking?

According to a 2003 Forrester Research study, The Wide Range of Abilities and Its Impact on Computer Technology, commissioned by Microsoft, more than one quarter (43.7 million) of working-age adults have a mild to severe dexterity difficulty or impairment, defined as having pain in the hands, arm or wrist some or most of the time. The Forrester report also states that the U.S. population is aging, and as the number of older PC users increases, so will the number of impairments.

Using mouse-clicks for input has become ingrained into the way we interact with computers. There are estimates that a user may click the mouse thousands of times every day. But for users with hand, wrist or arm impairments, the action of clicking the mouse can be difficult, painful, or impossible. These conditions include arthritis, complications resulting from stroke, Parkinson's disease, other musculoskeletal conditions, and repetitive strain injuries such as Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.

Mouse clicking itself is believed to be associated with the onset of repetitive strain injuries (RSI) such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Clicking-related pain is a common complaint among PC users, and a new study by the Mayo Clinic released November 9th for the first time points to a potential link between repetitive trauma and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

The broader economic cost of RSI is telling: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that data-entry workers missed an average of five days of work due to repetitive strain injury in 2002, the most recent year statistics were available.

Hadi Qassoudi, CEO of Gentle Computing and inventor of GentleMouse said, "Given the vast number of people who find clicking painful or who are unable to click due to a physical disability, we saw the need for a new system that would provide users with a simple and gentle way to perform mouse actions without physically clicking the buttons. We also wanted the solution to be simple, affordable and compatible with most pointing devices. We believe that GentleMouse provides this solution."

How GentleMouse Works:

Whenever the mouse pointer is paused, the program displays a small transparent window called a Trigger Window next to the pointer. To click, instead of physically pressing a button, the user moves and pauses the pointer over the Trigger Window and GentleMouse performs the click automatically. After moving into the main Trigger Window, there are additional Trigger Windows that become visible corresponding to each mouse action: right click, double click, drag/select text, and middle click/scroll.

How is GentleMouse different from other auto-clicking software programs?

There are several software applications that offer an auto-clicking solution as an alternative to manually clicking the mouse. These programs automatically perform a click whenever the mouse is paused for a pre-defined time span, often referred to as "dwell clicking". One of the primary drawbacks to dwell clicking is unintended clicks. GentleMouse solves this problem through the use of Trigger Windows: because you first must move the pointer over the Trigger Window to trigger a click, unintended clicks are highly unlikely. Other differences include the ability with GentleMouse to easily and naturally transition between mouse actions (dwell clicking-based programs typically require the user to travel to a toolbar to change the setting before a new type of mouse action can be performed) as well as the ability to easily select text and drag objects, currently difficult to achieve with dwell clicking.

With this announcement Gentle Computing enters the marketplace as a pioneering maker of assistive technology and ergonomic solutions.

About Gentle Computing, LLC
GentleMouse was invented by Hadi Qassoudi, a software engineer, as a solution to his wife's severe case of repetitive strain injury. After trying multiple ergonomic products, Qassoudi became frustrated at the lack of adequate solutions to the constant clicking required by the mouse. Qassoudi conceived of GentleMouse and spent the past 18 months developing, testing and refining the software.

Pricing & Availability
GentleMouse has a suggested retail price of $39.95 and is available for download on www.gentlemouse.com and various online stores. There is currently a free 15-day trial of the software.

Requirements
Hardware Requirements:
GentleMouse is compatible with most pointing devices such as ergonomic or standard computer mice, trackballs, and touch pads as well as head-tracking devices.

System Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 2000 / Windows XP Home and Professional
Hardware: 16 MB of hard-disk space for program installation; 256 MB RAM

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