If you’ve never heard of a space mouse, the term probably elicited a giggle. A space mouse is an input device like a mouse, but instead of sliding it over a surface, it works more like a 3d point in space. You would typically use it in a 3D program, like CAD. This allows you to rotate, tilt, and lift things in 3d space. It really is difficult to explain, but you’ll see it in action in the video.
If you think for a moment about how the heck you would measure all these different 3D angles, it might seem like you’d need an overwhelming amount of buttons and sensors in there. Luckily, Salim Benbouziyane shows us that all you actually need are a stack of magnets, a 3 axis magnetometer, the rp2040, and a healthy amount of engineering skills.
Not only did he make this device fully functional, a feat in itself, he made it look good.
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