Along with other new input devices, one that caught attention was a new mouse conceived by Philippe Starck - an interior and industrial designer and architect known worldwide for bringing cutting-edge design to everyday products.

Starck's award-winning work centers around a core philosophy focused on delivering extraordinary design in everyday objects. This vision has changed the way people perceive their juicer, hotel room, toothbrush, chair and even tape dispenser.

"People are doing such amazing things with their computers; however, too often the importance of the link between man and machine is underestimated. The PC and what we use it for is an extension of us. It defines us just as much as the clothes we wear or the music we listen to. With this in mind, I set out to design an artistic bridge that would help people connect with the technology they use every day. The result is modern and refreshingly simple, and will transform the mouse into a badge item that makes a statement about your taste and personality," Philippe Starck on building a better mouse.

"The final design of the mouse is extremely close to the original. According to Starck, the symmetry of the design was inspired by the two hemispheres of the human brain, with the lighted orange or blue strips signifying life flowing down the center. There were a few, very small modifications made to the mouse to ensure it maintained the integrity of his original design while functioning comfortably even after many hours of use," stated Christy Hughes, mouse product manager for Microsoft, in an interview with Microsoft PressPass.

A new Microsoft Optical Mouse by S+ARCK.
Click image for high-res version.