The Mionix Naos QG Mouse And Your Telltale Heart

The gaming community is as eccentric as it is demanding, which is why the Mionix Naos QG gaming mouse exists. The device not only scoots, clicks, and scrolls; it also collects your biometric and “movement” data as you play, overlaying your game with that information.

If you’re the type of person that rolls your eyes at these sorts of “out there” products, you’re not alone, but make no mistake--enough gamers wanted this that Mionix built it. Indeed, the company said that it didn’t created the Naos QG on its own. It was “Developed in collaboration with Kickstarter and the Twitch streaming community.”

“By monitoring heart rate and activity in real time via multiple sensors, the Naos QG provides valuable, interesting and fun insights that create a richer user experience,” said Mionix in a press release.

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Your Sweaty Palm: A Treasure Trove Of Information

The Naos QG appears to have an identical chassis to the existing Naos 7000, but there are two sensors on the palm rest, flanking the illuminated logo. One is a PixArt heart rate sensor, and the other is a galvanic skin response (GSR) sensor. The GSR sensor, basically, measures sweat secretion. Together, the sensors can produce data that shows your heart rate and your state of “arousal.”

The Mionix Hub software that ships with the mouse collects the sensor data and displays it via an in-game overlay, so you can see your own business right there on the screen. This also allows game streamers to show their biometric information to their viewers in real time.

It’s unclear exactly where this data is stored, on the mouse or on your PC (the Naos QG does have 128KB of onboard storage), but in any case, it is saved somewhere and in a way that allows you to share it via social media. If you’re into self-analytics, you can view the data, too. "This makes it easy for users to analyze their behavior over time and identify patterns," said Mionix.

Via the Mionix Hub software, you can customize the Naos QG (to what extent, Mionix did not say), and there are APIs open to developers so they can add new applications or mods.

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A Nicely Appointed Mouse, Too

Lost, perhaps, in the flash and bang of the biometric gadgetry is the fact that the Naos QG also happens to be a well-appointed mouse. It features the popular PixArt PM3360 optical sensor (up to 12,000DPI), seven programmable buttons, LED lighting, and five-step DPI.

Mionix mice have a lovely dark gray matte, soft-touch rubberized finish, and the Naos QG offers RGB options and effects for its two lighting zones.

Aside from the sensor and biometrics, the Naos QG is essentially identical to the original Naos 7000 (which has a PixArt PMW3310 optical sensor that offers up to 7,000DPI).

The Naos QG is quite heavy, at a whopping (for a mouse) 152g. For those more keen on lighter-weight (90-110g or so) gaming mice, you may want to look elsewhere.

Not For Everyone

The Naos QG’s biometric capabilities are not for everyone, and their inclusion comes with a huge price markup: The Naos 7000 costs $70, whereas the QG rings up for $130.

But, obviously, there is a large-enough segment of the gamer population that wants this. If you are one of those people, you can preorder a Naos QG from Mionix’ site now. Worldwide availability is slated for “October 2016.”