Dynamically balanced, multi-degrees-of-freedom hand controller

A controller displaceable in at least four degrees of freedom for generating control inputs to control a target having at least four degrees of freedom, the controller comprising:

• a first control member shaped for gripping by a user's hand and displaceable relevant to a known frame of reference in least two of the four degrees of freedom;
• a second control member mounted on the first control member in a location for displacement relative to the first control member in one or more of the four degrees of freedom by a digit on the user's hand while gripping the first control member, wherein the digit is the user's thumb or index finger and displacement of the second control member in one of the one or more degrees of freedom requires flexion and extension of the digit;
• a third control member mounted on the first control member for displacement by any one or more of the fingers on the user's hand that are not being used for displacement of the second control member, while the user's hand is gripping the first control member;
• the third control member being coupled with the second control member for displacing of the second control member in the one of the one or more on degree of freedom;
• sensors for measuring an amount of displacement of the first and second control members in each of the at least four degrees of freedom independently of the other of the at least four degrees of freedom;
• and
• at least one processor for receiving from the sensors indications of the measured amounts of displacement of the first and second control members in each of the at least four degrees of freedom and generating at least for control inputs for the target, each control input corresponding to one of the at least four degrees of freedom.