Introduction
A mouse is a pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows for fine control of a graphical user interface.
History
Douglas Engelbart at the Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International) invented his first mouse prototype in the 1960s with the assistance of his lead engineer Bill English. The first mouse, a bulky device (pictured) used two wheels perpendicular to each other: the rotation of each wheel translated into motion along one axis.
On 2 October 1968, just a few months before Engelbart released his demo on 9 December 1968, a mouse device named Rollkugel (German for “rolling ball”) was released that had been developed and published by the German company Telefunken.
Variants
A mouse is a pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows for fine control of a graphical user interface.
History
Douglas Engelbart at the Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International) invented his first mouse prototype in the 1960s with the assistance of his lead engineer Bill English. The first mouse, a bulky device (pictured) used two wheels perpendicular to each other: the rotation of each wheel translated into motion along one axis.
On 2 October 1968, just a few months before Engelbart released his demo on 9 December 1968, a mouse device named Rollkugel (German for “rolling ball”) was released that had been developed and published by the German company Telefunken.
Variants
- Mechanical Mice:
The German company Telefunken published on their early ball mouse on October 2, 1968. Telefunken’s mouse was sold as optional equipment for their computer systems. Bill English, builder of Engelbart’s original mouse, created a ball mouse in 1972 while working for Xerox PARC. The ball mouse replaced the external wheels with a single ball that could rotate in any direction. It came as part of the hardware package of the Xerox Alto computer. Perpendicular chopper wheels housed inside the mouse’s body chopped beams of light on the way to light sensors, thus detecting in their turn the motion of the ball. This variant of the mouse resembled an inverted trackball and became the predominant form used with personal computers throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The Xerox PARC group also settled on the modern technique of using both hands to type on a full-size keyboard and grabbing the mouse when required.
- Optical Mice:
Optical mice make use of one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and an imaging array of photodiodes to detect movement relative to the underlying surface, rather than internal moving parts as does a mechanical mouse. A laser mouse is an optical mouse that uses coherent (laser) light.
The earliest optical mice detected movement on preprinted mousepad surfaces, whereas the modern optical mouse works on most opaque surfaces; it is usually unable to detect movement on specular surfaces like glass. Laser diodes are also used for better resolution and precision. Battery powered, wireless optical mice flash the LED intermittently to save power, and only glow steadily when movement is detected.
- 3D Mouse or Space Mouse:
Also known as bats, flying mice, or wands, these devices generally function through ultrasound and provide at least three degrees of freedom. Probably the best known example would be 3Dconnexion/Logitech’s SpaceMouse from the early 1990s. In the late 1990s Kantek introduced the 3D RingMouse. This wireless mouse was worn on a ring around a finger, which enabled the thumb to access three buttons. The mouse was tracked in three dimensions by a base station. Despite a certain appeal, it was finally discontinued because it did not provide sufficient resolution.
The first Space Mouse was a comic book character published from 1953 to around 1956 by Avon Publications. "Space Mouse" was also the name of a 1959 Universal Studios cartoon featuring two mice and a cat named Hickory, Dickory, and Doc. A second Space Mouse character was published by Dell Comics (and later by Gold Key Comics) from 1960 to around 1965. The Dell Comics version was also featured in a 1960 cartoon produced by Walter Lantz, entitled "The Secret Weapon."
- Evo Mouse:
The evoMouse is the evolution of the computer mouse. With the evoMouse, your finger is your pointer and there is no more pushing around a physical mouse. The evoMouse works on nearly any flat surface and it requires very little space.
We can connect the evoMouse in two ways:
- Bluetooth
- Through USB cable
- Air Mouse:
The AirMouse begins with the human form and build functionality around it. The AirMouse increases your mousing speed accuracy by seamlessly aligning itself with the ligaments of your hand and wrist retaining more of the vector forces you apply to the AirMouse during operation than a regular ergonomic computer mouse. With the AirMouse you can mouse better, faster and longer.
The AirMouse is composed of a lightweight durable fabric that seamlessly aligns itself with ligaments of your hand and wrist assisting them in maintaining a neutral posture during the mouse use and reducing the pain associated with the computer related repetitive stress injuries carpel tunnel syndrome.
The AirMouse is designed to allow the optical tracking laser and the rechargeable battery to be removable from the fabric component so that you can customize the fabric type, color and pattern to your own personal preferences and specific hand size. The AirMouse is a rechargeable wireless device that has an operational run time of 1 week without recharging.
The AirMouse's optical tracking laser and left and right mouse click buttons are positioned in the palm of your hand and adjacent to your fingertips leaving them exposed so that you can interchangeably touch type or use the AirMouse's without having to remove the mousing device from your hand. This device gives you full tactile sensitivity while typing and neutral hand position ergonomics during mouse use.
How it works