A MOUSE YOU CONTROL WITH YOUR LIPS, FOR PEOPLE WHO CANNOT USE THEIR HANDS
A small mouthpiece on a sensor board that moves a cursor and clicks with lip movement and breath, presenting to any computer as an ordinary USB mouse.
Open-hardwareHealth
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- a weekend
- license
- CERN-OHL-S-2.0 (hardware), GPL-3.0 (firmware), CC-BY-SA-4.0 (docs)
- repo
- repo ACTIVE43 stars
●●●○○ · a weekend · CERN-OHL-S-2.0 (hardware), GPL-3.0 (firmware), CC-BY-SA-4.0 (docs) · 43 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
- Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
- Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
FLipMouse is a genuine assistive device that replaces a mouse and keyboard entirely, designed for people with no hand function. Lip movement drives the cursor in all directions, and a light sip or puff of air clicks. It presents itself to the computer as an ordinary USB mouse and keyboard, so there is no software to install and it works with any operating system. The AsTeRICS Foundation made this specifically to be reproducible at home: the repository has complete KiCad schematic and PCB source files, STL files for the 3D-printed mouthpiece and enclosure, a full BOM with part numbers, and an assembly guide that photographs every single step. The firmware is Arduino-based and the board uses an Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect, so someone comfortable with basic electronics and 3D printing can build one. The single hardest part is not the assembly — it is the calibration, because the pressure sensor and force-sensing resistor readings need tuning to each person's range of movement, and that process is not as clearly documented as the build itself. If you are building this for someone else, plan time to sit with them and adjust the sensitivity curves. The licence explicitly covers hardware, firmware, documentation and images, and all three permit commercial use. There is a companion FLipPad for people who can still use a finger but not a standard mouse, in a separate repository with the same documentation quality.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —Complete 3D printable STL files, Gerber PCB files, and Arduino firmware in the repository.
- —Step-by-step assembly guide with a photograph of every stage.
- —BOM lists every component with supplier part numbers and alternatives.
- —Licence is CERN-OHL-S v2 for hardware, GPL v3 for firmware, and CC BY-SA 4.0 for documentation and images — all explicitly stated and all permit commercial use.
- —The FLipPad touch version is in a separate repository with the same structure.
- —No driver installation on the host computer — presents as a standard USB HID mouse and keyboard.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Partner · KickstarterHeyGears G1: 10M+ colors and transparent parts in one print, plus UV printing on flat objects. Figures, parts and labels — no painting.
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the complete assembly guide in the Documentation folder (Every assembly step is photographed — start here to see what the build actually involves)
- 2.Order the PCB using the KiCad PCB source files in the Hardware folder (Upload the KiCad files to JLCPCB or PCBWay, minimum quantity is usually 5 boards)
- 3.Order components from the BOM(Part numbers for Digi-Key and Mouser are listed, plus alternatives — the force-sensing resistor is the most important to get right)
- 4.Print the mouthpiece and enclosure parts(PLA or PETG, no supports needed for most parts, print the mouthpiece in food-safe filament if possible)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
Partner · KickstarterCORE POWER BANK S: 0.2" thin, 2.8 oz, 5000 mAh with 22.5W fast charging. Semi-solid battery, carbon fiber, IPX7 waterproof.
KNOWN ISSUES
- The calibration step is harder than the assembly — plan to spend an evening adjusting sensor sensitivity curves for the actual user, and the documentation for that process is thinner than the build guide itself.
- The force-sensing resistor (FSR) is the most failure-prone component — buy two, because a cracked sensor will give erratic readings and waste a weekend of debugging.
- The mouthpiece must be cleaned regularly and may need reprinting after extended use — if building for someone else, print two and include cleaning instructions.
- The pressure sensor tubing must remain unobstructed or the sip-and-puff click will not register — test it before final assembly.
- PCB minimum order quantity is usually 5 boards, so the per-unit cost drops sharply if building multiples or sharing an order.
- The firmware must be flashed before the first use and the Arduino IDE setup is not documented in the assembly guide — assume you will need to install RP2040 board support and libraries.
Does this need special software on the computer it plugs into?
No. It presents itself as a standard USB HID mouse and keyboard, so any operating system recognises it immediately with no drivers.
Can I build the FLipPad touch version instead?
Yes, it is in a separate repository with the same documentation structure. The FLipPad is for people who can still use a finger but not a standard mouse.
How do I calibrate the sensors for a specific person?
The firmware has a configuration mode accessible over USB serial, but the documentation for that process is less detailed than the assembly guide — expect to experiment with sensitivity values.
Is this a certified medical device?
No. It is an open-source assistive technology project, not a certified medical device, and it carries no regulatory approvals.
Can I sell these?
Yes, the CERN-OHL-S licence permits commercial use as long as you share any hardware modifications under the same licence.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
234 stars and a complete photographic assembly guide — but the calibration process is less documented than the build itself. If you have tuned one of these for an actual user, what sensitivity values worked?
AsTeRICS Foundation
The AsTeRICS Foundation develops open-source assistive technologies for people with disabilities. FLipMouse and FLipPad are part of a broader ecosystem of adaptive input devices, all built to be reproducible at home with standard fabrication tools.
Keep building — related projects
Same category, picked by how close they are to this build.
FULL CADPeople with diabetes built their own artificial pancreas because the approved one was years away
HealthOpen-hardware●●●●○advanced
FULL CADA 3D printed stethoscope that costs 3 dollars matched a 200 dollar Littmann in a peer-reviewed test
HealthOpen-hardware●●○○○starter
FULL CADAn open-source hearing aid you build yourself and program in your own ear
HealthOpen-hardware●●●●○advanced
FULL CADYou can build the vital signs monitor from an ICU bedside - it runs on a Raspberry Pi
HealthOpen-hardware●●●●○advanced
DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM14d agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the repository is actively maintained with the last push in November 2025, the FLipPad companion project is in a separate repository under the same organisation, and the single biggest time sink is not the assembly — it is the sensor calibration, which needs to be tuned to each person's range of movement and is less clearly documented than the build steps. The force-sensing resistor is the component most likely to fail if mishandled, so buying a spare is worth it. No official video walkthroughs exist in the repository; community demonstrations are out there but not linked from the README. Correction 21 August 2026: this page previously said the mainboard uses an ESP32 and that the repository ships Gerber files. The FLipMouse V3 mainboard uses an Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect; an ESP32 appears only as an optional Bluetooth add-on module. The repository contains KiCad schematic and layout sources, not exported Gerbers - you generate those yourself.