3D 'SpaceExplorer' awarded for new dimension

(Credit: 3Dconnexion)

That's a relief. It turns out that fellow Craver Josh Lowensohn really did have a legitimate reason for all those sudden gestures at his desk.

As it turns out, it was all born from an enthusiasm for virtual-reality gear made by 3Dconnexion that's apparently well founded: A higher-end version of the mouse he wrote about last May has been awarded this year's iF Product Design Award at the CeBit trade show in Hanover, Germany, "in recognition for its ergonomic and innovative design." The manufacturer, which is a subsidiary of Logitech, says the "SpaceExplorer" 3D motion controller was developed to be used with a conventional mouse and keyboard "for professional designers, allowing them to simultaneously pan, zoom, and rotate three-dimensional objects."

We haven't tried it out ourselves, but it seems preferable to throwing punches in the air, especially when there's expensive computer equipment within reach.