On Wednesday, July 5, 2017 at 7:08:01 AM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:

It can take a long time to notice adverse health effects. For example,
computer mice were not very ergonomical until 10-15 years ago. And they
still sell the old style. Probably the industry didn't react until
enough people developed hardcore carpal tunnel problems.

On B52's the Bomb/Nav system would set the cross-hairs on the target with a "joy stick" which was shaped as the name would imply. You could set the cross hairs on the target and hold them there and the bombing computer would automatically compensate for wind and the effects it was having on the aircraft.

When I designed a robotic chemical placement mechanism with a computer interface I designed a joystick into it. The mechanical engineer constructed this as a light weight plastic structure.

The end result was that you had to hold the base of the joystick in one hand while setting the cross-hairs on each vial to be moved from point A to point B.

This was pretty clumsy so Dr. Michael McCown removed the top of the mechanism so that the gears that moved the variable resisters were showing. He tipped this upside down and would use it just like a mouse.

At this time there were no mice. Not a long time after than mice showed up on the scene. I don't know if it was my and Dr. McCown's cooperation improved or if someone else came up with that independently but I do know that Dr.. McCown most certainly was the first to be using a mouse-like mechanism.