The mouse’s ergonomic design hasn’t changed much over the years, driving gamers and people looking for more comfortable grips on the input device to rely on add-on grips. To help fuel more customization in the feel and ergonomics of a mouse, Charlie Pyott has released open-source plans for the Statial.b, a mouse with adjustable surfaces you can position and lock into place to create a mouse grip style entirely your own.
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One mouse, many form factors
Adjustable surface panels allow you to configure the mouse to the shape and comfort of your hand
Since not everyone’s preferences for holding a mouse are the same, the Statial.b is more customizable than anything else you might find. The open-source DIY mouse design allows for adjustable surfaces that you can fine-tune to the shape of your hand.
The design offers the typical button configuration on top, with a right and left button plus a scroll wheel that also acts as a middle mouse button. On the side, you’ll find two additional buttons programmed as forward and back buttons. One beauty of this project is that all button assignments can be adjusted by changing the provided code before uploading it to the Arduino board inside the mouse.
The default build is for a right-handed mouse, but Pyott also includes the files needed for a fully ambidextrous mouse. Mouse configurations include a variable palm rest design, the stub nose claw mouse, a backless finger design for finger grip users, and even an ergonomic vertical mouse.
The mouse’s surfaces can be configured at up to a 40-degree angle. The fixed ends of the rear surface arms can also be extended, or the longer sections of the tube framework can be trimmed for even steeper angles.
Building your own Statial.b mouse
You won't find this mouse at any retailers
Pyott doesn’t have immediate plans to build and sell the Statial.b, but he does provide all the design files, bills of materials for the custom PCB, 3D-printable files for the printable parts, and assembly instructions. You can find it all on Pyott Design’s GitHub repository for the project. You can also see the build on the designer’s YouTube channel.
Pyott has spent many hours refining the Statial.b adjustable mouse design to make building it easier, but this project is still fairly complex. You’ll need knowledge of 3D printing, basic electronics, and soldering skills. You’ll also need to know how to upload supplied code to an Arduino microcontroller.
You will also need to order a custom PCB for the mouse and all the rest of the internal components.
Pyott’s design uses a 16,000 DPI optical sensor within the PMW3389 laser motion sensor. This offers much more precision than most esports players use, but the additional sensitivity could be advantageous for design professionals. The project’s microcontroller is the Arduino Pro Micro.
The mouse’s external surfaces are all 3D-printed. Pyott recommends using “Tough” or “ABS-like” resin for the parts to ensure they withstand normal wear and tear. He also advises that the parts probably won’t work if 3D-printed with an FDM printer.
Pyott notes that the final product is still a functioning prototype that you’ll have to adjust to fit your particular preferences and needs. It’s also more fragile than a commercially produced mouse and heavier than almost any other gaming mouse. Pyott’s build of the mouse weighed around 130 grams, while most gaming mice weigh around 100 grams at most.
Neither a simple nor an inexpensive build
Finally, let’s reiterate that this project will require some relatively advanced DIY skills. You’ll need to be comfortable soldering components and wires into place and reading schematics and wiring diagrams. You’ll also need access to a resin-based 3D printer. Of course, most companies that build custom PCB boards also offer 3D printing services.
Pyott estimates the cost of the build materials to be around $200 at the time of writing. That doesn’t include tools like the required soldering iron, hot glue gun, screwdrivers, and hex drivers. Considering that many gaming mice currently cost above $150 and how much more configurable the Statial.b is, though, that expense might not seem too steep to the dedicated gamer.