With the plethora of mouse alternatives available or in development you'd be forgiven for thinking the humble computer mouse was some kind of torturous device inflicted upon computer users. But despite challengers such as the trackball, the WOW-PEN Joy, the ErgoSlider Plus, the Orbita Mouse and the AirMouse – just to name a few – the mouse has maintained its dominance while remaining largely unchanged since its unveiling in 1968. Now there's another alternative cursor relocation device set to hit the market called the evoMouse that turns just about any flat surface into a virtual trackpad with your finger as the pointer.

Described by its creators Celluon as the next evolution of the mouse, the evoMouse works in a similar way to the Invisible Computer Mouse we looked at last year – but is infinitely cuter. Two infrared sensors that form the eyes of the small animal-shaped device track the user's finger movements to provide the full gamut of mouse functionality such as click and select, double-click, right-click, drag and drop and even multi-touch functionality such as rotate and pinch to zoom.

The evoMouse can even be used for drawing – or is that finger painting? – while a handwriting recognition feature lets you write with your finger or a pen. There's also an optional keymat that allows the evoMouse to be used as a portable, full-sized QWERTY keyboard.

Celluon says that, since you're not pushing around a physical mouse, the evoMouse could also help reduce repetitive stress injuries like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by allowing users to hold their hand in a natural position.

The device works on nearly any flat surface and requires only a small amount of space, with the size of the unit itself also making it a good option for taking on the road. It can be operated wirelessly via a Bluetooth connection or wired via USB, which will also charge the unit's battery to provide around two hours of wireless running time. It is compatible with PCs or laptops running Windows XP, Vista or 7, and Windows Mobile, BlackBerry and Symbian devices.

No word on a release date or pricing as yet so we'll keep you posted.

Via Pocket-lint