In this article, we will look at ball mice. A computer mouse is one of the most important parts, thanks to which a person contacts directly with the computer itself. That is why it is very important that this contact with the computer is convenient for a person.
To date, the simplest in design and already quite uncommon mice are ball mice. Their technology is very simple and very old: the ball rotates on the surface and spins two more rollers behind it - vertical and horizontal, discs with slots are installed on these rollers, due to which the LED is interrupted. Plus, this type of mouse has only one thing - not a high cost, before they were convenient because there were no various “glitches” when moving fast enough, but now any mice do not face a similar problem.
The mouse is the device that helps people to successfully, conveniently and quickly work with the computer, despite the fact that the mouse as a manipulator has already survived in recent years, the need for it still remains at a high level. It is still difficult for modern people to work without a computer manipulator. Even those who currently buy laptops and touchpads soon begin to understand that it is still not so convenient and not so pleasant to work without a mouse. She, of course, creates unnecessary fuss, but everyone has long been accustomed to it. The full creator and developer of the computer mouse is Douglas Engelbart.
At the moment, the mouse has existed as the third hand of a computer user for more than forty years. Engineer Douglas Engelbart introduced the very first mouse back in 1968 on December 9 at a demonstration of interactive computing. The name "mouse" itself appeared only three years after the appearance of this device, due to the fact that the wire emerging from the structure looked like a mouse tail. In the 1990s, a rubber-coated steel ball was the main moving element of a computer mouse. Unfortunately or fortunately, these mice have already been supplanted by optical manipulators in our time, and the ball mouse is considered an obsolete model. A rubberized steel ball in a ball mouse glided over the surface and thus created movement.
Hello, dear readers of the blog site. Computer mice or mice, they are called differently, there are a huge number. According to their functional purpose, they can be divided into classes: some are designed for games, others are for ordinary work, and others are for drawing in graphic editors. In this article I will try to talk about the types and device computer mice.
But for starters, I propose to go back a few decades, just at the time when they came up with this complex device. First computer mouse appeared back in 1968, and was invented by an American scientist named Douglas Engelbart. The mouse was developed by the American Space Research Agency (NASA), which granted a patent for the invention to Douglas, but at one point lost any interest in developing it. Why - read on.
The world's first mouse was a heavy wooden box with a wire, which, in addition to its weight, was also extremely inconvenient to use. For obvious reasons, they decided to call it "mouse", and a little later they artificially came up with a decoding of this kind of abbreviation. Yep, now the mouse is nothing more than a "Manually Operated User Signal Encoder", that is, a device with which the user can manually encode a signal.
Without exception, all computer mice have a number of components in their composition: a case, a printed circuit board with contacts, mics (buttons), a scroll wheel (s) - all of them are present in one form or another in any modern mouse. But you are probably tormented by the question - what then distinguishes them from each other (besides the fact that there are gaming, non-gaming, office, etc.), why they came up with so many different types, see for yourself:
- Mechanical
- Optical
- Laser
- Trackball mice
- induction
- Gyroscopic
The fact is that each of the above types of computer mice appeared at different times and uses different laws of physics. Accordingly, each of them has its own disadvantages and advantages, which will certainly be discussed later in the text. It should be noted that only the first three types will be considered in most detail, the rest will not be so detailed, in view of the fact that they are less popular.
Mechanical mice
Mechanical mice are traditional ball models, relatively large in size, requiring constant cleaning of the ball for effective operation. Dirt and small particles can get between the rotating ball and the body and need to be cleaned. It won't work without a mat. About 15 years ago it was the only one in the world. I will write about it in the past tense, because it is already a rarity.
At the bottom of the mechanical mouse there was a hole that covered a swivel plastic ring. Under it was a heavy ball. This ball was made of metal and covered with rubber. Under the ball were two plastic rollers and a roller, which pressed the ball against the rollers. When moving the mouse, the ball rotated the roller. Up or down - one roller rotated, to the right or left - the other. Since gravity played a decisive role in such models, such a device did not work in zero gravity, so NASA abandoned it.
If the movement was difficult, both rollers rotated. At the end of each plastic roller, an impeller was installed, like in a mill, only many times smaller. On one side of the impeller was a light source (LED), on the other - a photocell. When moving the mouse, the impeller was spinning, the photocell read the number of light pulses that hit it, and then transmitted this information to the computer.
Since the impeller had many blades, the movement of the pointer on the screen was perceived as smooth. Optical-mechanical mice (they are simply "mechanical") suffered from great inconvenience, the fact is that they had to be disassembled and cleaned periodically. The ball in the process of work dragged any debris into the body, often the rubber surface of the ball became so dirty that the movement rollers simply slipped and the mouse was buggy.
For the same reason, such a mouse simply needed a pad for correct operation, otherwise the ball would slip and get dirty faster.
Optical and laser mice
In optical mice, you do not need to disassemble and clean anything., since they do not have a rotating ball, they work on a different principle. An optical mouse uses an LED sensor. Such a mouse works like a small camera that scans the surface of the table and "photographs" it, the camera manages to take about a thousand such photos per second, and some models even more.
The data of these images is processed by a special microprocessor on the mouse itself and sends a signal to the computer. The advantages are obvious - such a mouse does not need a pad, it is light in weight and can scan almost any surface. Almost? Yes, everything except glass and a mirror surface, as well as velvet (velvet absorbs light very strongly).
A laser mouse is very similar to an optical mouse, but its principle of operation differs in that laser instead of LED. This is a more advanced model of an optical mouse, it requires much less power to work, the accuracy of reading data from the working surface is much higher than that of an optical mouse. Here it can work even on glass and mirror surfaces.
In fact, a laser mouse is a kind of optical mouse, since in both cases an LED is used, just in the second case it emits spectrum invisible to the eye.
So, the principle of operation of an optical mouse differs from that of a ball mouse. .
The process starts with a laser or optical (in the case of an optical mouse) diode. The diode emits invisible light, the lens focuses it to a point equal in thickness to a human hair, the beam is reflected from the surface, then the sensor catches this light. The sensor is so precise that it can pick up even small surface irregularities.
The secret is that precisely the irregularities allow the mouse to notice even the slightest movement. The pictures taken by the camera are compared, the microprocessor compares each subsequent picture with the previous one. If the mouse has moved, the difference between the pictures will be marked.
Analyzing these differences, the mouse determines the direction and speed of any movement. If the difference between shots is significant, the cursor moves quickly. But even when stationary, the mouse continues to take pictures.
Trackball mice
Trackball mouse - a device that uses a convex ball - "Trackball". The trackball device is very similar to the device of a mechanical mouse, only the ball in it is on top or on the side. The ball can be rotated, and the device itself remains in place. The ball causes a pair of rollers to rotate. The new trackballs use optical motion sensors.
Not everyone may need a device called "Trackball", in addition, its cost cannot be called low, it seems that the minimum starts from 1400 rubles.
induction mice
Induction models use a special mat that works on the principle of a graphics tablet. Induction mice have good accuracy and do not need to be properly oriented. An induction mouse can be wireless or inductively powered, in which case it does not require a battery like a conventional wireless mouse.
I have no idea who would need such devices that are expensive and hard to find on the open market. And why, who knows? Maybe there are some advantages over conventional "rodents"?
Gyro mice
Well, we quietly approached the final type of computer mice- gyroscope mice. Gyroscopic mice with the help of a gyroscope recognize movement not only on the surface, but also in space. It can be taken from the table and controlled by the movements of the hand. The gyroscopic mouse can be used as a pointer on a large screen. However, if you put it on the table, it will work like a regular optical one.
But this type of mouse can really be useful and popular in certain situations. For example, at some presentation, it will be very useful.
And finally: For normal operation of the mouse, it is very important that the surface on which it moves is flat. Usually, special mats are used for this. An optical mouse is more demanding on the surface, you can use it without a pad, but on surfaces with potholes or on glass it will fail. A laser mouse can work even on a knee, even on a mirror.
I think this article has helped you better understand the design of a computer mouse, as well as find out what types of computer mice exist.
A manipulator called "Mouse" has already entered our lives so tightly that we do not even notice how often we use this device. The mouse allows you to control your computer with maximum comfort. Remove it, and the speed of working with a PC will decrease several times. But the main thing is to choose the right mouse, based on the types of tasks that will need to be solved with its help. Some situations will require special types of mice.
Types of computer mice
According to the design features, several types of computer mice are distinguished: mechanical, optical, laser, trackball, induction, gyroscopic and sensory. Each type has its own unique characteristics that allow you to successfully use the mouse in a given situation. So what mice are best for pc? Let's try to understand this issue, having examined in detail each type separately.
Mechanical mice
This is the guy that started the story. computer mice. The design of such a mouse assumes the presence of a rubberized ball that glides over the surface. He, in turn, makes special rollers move, which transmit the result of the movement of the ball to special sensors. The sensors send the processed signal to the computer itself, as a result of which the cursor moves on the screen. This is how a mechanical mouse works. This outdated device had two or three buttons and did not differ in any features. Connection to a computer was carried out using a COM port (in earlier versions) and a PS / 2 connector (in later models).
by the most weak point mechanical mouse was exactly the same ball that "crawled" on the surface. It became very dirty very quickly, as a result of which the accuracy of the movement fell. I had to clean it often with alcohol. In addition, mechanical ball mice categorically refused to slide normally on a bare table. They always needed a special rug. At the moment, such mice are obsolete and are not used anywhere. The most popular manufacturers of mechanical mice at the time were Genius and Microsoft.
Optical mice
The next stage in the evolution of computer mice was the emergence of optical models. The principle of operation is fundamentally different from mice equipped with balls. The basis of the optical mouse is a sensor that registers the movement of the mouse by photographing at high speed (about 1000 shots per second). Then the sensor sends information to the sensors and after appropriate processing, the information enters the computer, causing the cursor to move. Optical mice can contain any number of buttons. From two in ordinary office models to 14 in serious gaming solutions. Thanks to their technology, optical mice are able to provide high precision cursor movement. In addition, they can glide perfectly on any flat surface (except for a mirror).
Now optical mice are the most popular among most users. They combine high DPI and an adequate price. Unpretentious optical models are the most cheap computer mice. In form, they can be very different. By the number of buttons too. There are also wired and wireless options. If you need high accuracy and reliability, then your choice is a wired optical mouse. The fact is that wireless technologies make the user dependent on batteries and wireless communication which is not always up to the mark.
Laser mice
These mice are evolutionary continuation of optical mice. The difference is that a laser is used instead of an LED. At the present stage of development, laser mice are the most accurate and provide the highest DPI value. That is why they are so loved by many gamers. Laser mice don't care what surface they "crawl" on. They work well even on rough surfaces.
With the highest DPI of any mouse, laser models are widely used by gamers. That is why laser manipulators have a wide the lineup aimed at game fans. A distinctive feature of this mouse is the presence of a large number of additional programmable buttons. A prerequisite for good gaming mouse– only wired connection via USB. Since wireless technology cannot provide the proper accuracy of work. Gaming laser mice are usually not cheap. Most expensive computer mice based on a laser element are produced by Logitech and A4Tech.
trackball
This device does not look like a standard computer mouse at all. At its core, a trackball is a mechanical mouse in reverse. The cursor is controlled by a ball on the top side of the device. But the sensors of the device are still optical. In its form, the trackball does not resemble a classic mouse at all. And it does not need to be moved anywhere in order to achieve the movement of the cursor. The trackball is connected to the computer via USB.
The advantages and disadvantages of the trackball have been arguing for quite some time. On the one hand, it reduces the load on the hand and ensures the accuracy of cursor movement. On the other hand, it is a bit inconvenient to use the trackball buttons. Such devices are still rare and unfinished.
induction mice
Induction mice are a logical continuation of wireless devices. However, they are devoid of some properties characteristic of "tailless" models. For example, induction mice can only work on a special mat connected to a computer. Carrying the mouse away from the rug will not work. However, there are also pluses. High accuracy and no need to change batteries, since there are no batteries in such mice at all. Induction mice get their energy from the mat.
Such mice are not very common, as they have a high price and are not very mobile. On the other hand, these are the most original computer mice. Their originality lies in the absence of batteries.
Gyro mice
These mice do not need to slide on the surface at all. The gyroscopic sensor, which is the basis of such a mouse, responds to changes in the position of the device in space. Of course it's convenient. But this method of management requires a fair amount of skill. Naturally, such mice are distinguished by the absence of wires, because with their presence it would be inconvenient to control the mouse.
Like induction models, gyroscopic devices are not widely used due to their high cost.
Touch mouse
Touch mice - the diocese of Apple. It was they who deprived their Magic Mouse of all sorts of buttons and wheels. The basis of such a mouse is a touch coating. The mouse is controlled by gestures. The reading element of the mouse position is an optical sensor.
Touch mice are mainly found in Apple products (iMac). You can also purchase a Magic Mouse separately and try connecting it to regular computer. However, it is not clear how convenient it will be to use such a mouse under Windows, given that it is "sharpened" for MacOS.
Conclusion
It remains only to choose the option that is right for you.
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A novice user begins his first steps in the computer space by mastering the mouse and keyboard. If everything is more or less clear with the second, then a computer mouse may raise some questions. What is a mouse? How to use it? What types of computer mice are there? We will consider all these questions in our today's topic.
Although the mouse cannot be called the part that makes up the computer, it is nevertheless an integral part of any modern computer. To get started, here's the scientific definition of a computer mouse:
A computer mouse is a manipulator that converts mechanical movements into cursor movements on a monitor screen.
Simply put, you move the mouse over a rug or other flat surface, and the cursor repeats these movements on the desktop.
The development of mouse manufacturing technology is proceeding quite quickly. The equipment has gone from a wired ball mouse to a wireless laser mouse. Consider all types of peripherals of this type, especially since they all have a place in offices and home computers.
In the 90s, when computers in our country had just begun to appear, ball mice were used. The principle of their work is quite simple. A ball protruded from the bottom of the mouse. Inside, two rollers were pressed against it. They took readings of the movement from the ball and converted them into signals understandable to the computer. Experienced computer scientists remember what was the biggest disadvantage of such a mouse. This is her purge. If the ball was too dirty, the mouse started to get stuck.
Most of us began to feel what a mouse is when we took an optical mouse in our hand. The vast majority of computers still use such manipulators. There are several types of computer mice of this type. They can be divided into optical first and second generation.
First generation optical mice
Optical mice of the first generation used special sensors in their device, which, unlike ball mice, did not read the movement of the mouse itself, but the surface on which it was located. We can say that a powerful leap was made in the development of this component. Her work has become much more reliable. However, the first optical mouse also had its shortcomings, which, in the future, predetermined its further development.
The sensors that were used in it required a special surface. I bet most people don't use rugs at all these days, but in those days it was a technical necessity. The sensor could not work if the mouse was not on a special mat, lined with special lines. Hatching could be invisible, and the rug itself could have a pattern, but it also had one more nuance: the rug was made under the mouse, that is, it was sometimes impossible to replace one rug with another. Now imagine what a mouse of this level at that time was for the wallet of an ordinary user? No doubt a very serious blow. If we add to this malfunctions in the presence of dirt on the mat or the wrong position of the manipulator on it, then you understand that the optical mouse of the first generation was not perfect. This led to the creation of new types of computer mice.
Second generation optical mice
Optical LED mice, both wireless and wired, are known to most of us. Most likely, such a device is currently in your right hand. This classic second-generation optical mouse, which appeared on the market relatively recently, has firmly won its place in the configuration of every new computer.
The equipment uses a more complex principle of operation. At the bottom of the mouse there is a special LED that illuminates the base along which the device moves. A small camera takes a huge number of pictures per second and transmits this information to a special processor. It processes the data and makes inferences about the movement of the mouse, which are converted into signals that allow the cursor to move across the screen in the correct direction. The manipulators had a lot of advantages, among which the main ones were the absence of the need for periodic cleaning and work on a regular rug without special shading and patterns.
However, there were also disadvantages. In a static position, some mice could not read information correctly and the cursor was shaking on the screen. In addition, as it turned out, some rugs, or rather the drawings on them, confused the sensor and it gave out incorrect data, which led to uncontrolled movement of the cursor on the monitor. This pushed the computer components industry even further.
Modern optical mice are no longer as prone to failures. The gradual improvement of sensors has led to the fact that some devices can even work on glass or mirror surfaces. Some modern mice are equipped with two sensors at once, which eliminates any errors in determining the coordinates of the mouse location.
Laser mice
What is a mouse installed in your home or office, we figured it out. Now let's talk about the latest developments - optical laser manipulators.
Such mice saw the light literally in recent years. Their device is different in that the sensor in them uses a semiconductor laser to illuminate. What are the advantages of this technology?
Let's start by remembering if you ever got up in the middle of the night just because the mouse shone in your eyes and prevented you from falling asleep? It would seem that such a trifle, and yet laser mice do not have such a defect. In addition to such trifles, the device has higher reliability and resolution. Recently, energy savings have played an important role. In this indicator, the laser mouse is noticeably superior to other competitors.
Wireless mice
Recently, such handy accessories in everyday life as a wireless computer mouse and keyboard have become popular. What can such a device give us? Firstly, it is very convenient to use a mouse without a wire when the approach to the system unit is difficult. For example, he stands under your table. Secondly, the absence of extra wires is the absence of excess dust.
The device itself works on the principle of a walkie-talkie. The mouse transmitter sends information to the transmitter installed on the system block. The mouse uses autonomous power supply (AA batteries, for example).
What is a mouse cannot be fully understood if we do not understand the purpose of its buttons. Different types computer mice can be equipped with a different number of buttons, but there are certain standards here. Be sure to have two buttons and a wheel on the front of the mouse. The wheel can also work as a third button, it can be pressed.
The left mouse button is for:
- Selection of objects and their movement;
- Selecting lines in menus and other toolbars;
- Opening files and folders (requires two quick clicks at standard settings).
The right mouse button is mainly used to open context menu object. It contains the operations that can be carried out with this object, as well as its properties (usually, the very last line in the menu).
As for the mouse wheel, it is used to scroll through a document or website on the Internet. Each turn of the wheel moves the page down, allowing you to conveniently view its contents. Pressing the wheel will hardly lead to anything, this function is used in rare programs (for example, computer games).
This is all the information that illuminates the question of what a computer mouse is. In the end, I will only add that the most important thing in working with this device is a habit. Teach your hands to use the mouse automatically and do not forget about the rules of working at the computer - this will speed up your work many times over.
A modern computer (which can be assembled and) has a mouse in its kit. Now it is difficult to imagine how without it it would be easy and simple to “communicate” with a computer. There are many mice - good and different. For every taste and color. size and weight...
The computer mouse was created by Douglas Engelbart in 1964, after 6 years he received a patent for this invention. On the computer screen, the mouse is displayed as an arrow, moving it around the table, we control the movement of the arrow on the screen. This way you can select objects on the computer screen and work with them.
The market offers a large number of computer mice, they differ in shape, color and internal device. How to choose the one that will be the most convenient?
The following types of mice are known today: mechanical(ball), optical, trackball mice, laser, gyroscopic.
1. Ball mice- a rarity. Their technology was simple. The ball, moving along the surface inside the mouse, rotated two rollers. The rotation of the horizontal roller was converted into a signal for moving the arrow on the screen horizontally, while the rotation of the vertical roller was converted into a signal for moving vertically. Two signals, acting simultaneously, moved the arrow on the screen in the desired direction. Because of the ball, these mice were heavy, they did not work without a rug, the hand got tired. Dust got inside the mouse, which caused poor performance, we often had to take out the ball and clean the entire structure.
2.Optical LED mice work without balls. Inside these is an LED and a sensor. The surface on which the mouse moves is scanned. The LED lights up, and the sensor-camera shoots frames at a frequency of 1 kHz. The surface is uneven, so when you move the pictures are different. The built-in chip analyzes the images, generates a movement signal and transfers it to the computer. Optical mouse pad is not needed, no need to clean. The main advantage of an optical mouse is greater accuracy and a decent service life.
3. On a laser mouse a laser is used instead of an LED, the accuracy of the work is even higher than that of an LED mouse. The laser mouse will work on any surface, even on a smooth one, such as glass. For a laser beam, any smooth surface will still not be perfect, that is, the frames of the surface when moving the mouse are different.
4. Trackball mice are used less often. This device looks like an inverted mouse. The difference from a ball mouse is that the trackball does not move, and the ball, which is on the side of the device, is rotated with a finger. This design is used for graphic programs, with computer-aided design programs and others, where it is necessary to control the movement of the cursor more precisely than a conventional computer mouse can.
With or without wire
By type of connection, computer mice can be wired and wireless.
Wired mice can be wired to a computer via two inputs: USB, PS / 2. The second option is considered obsolete.
Wireless mouse connection types: RF, infrared, induction, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi. Wireless mice are more commonly used for laptops. Radio frequency and infrared types are considered yesterday. If an infrared mouse, then there should be no obstacles between it and the computer, otherwise the connection will be broken. The radio frequency communication of the mouse with the computer is carried out at a frequency of 27 MHz and 2.4 GHz. The difference in frequencies affects the range and price of the mouse.
Induction mice do not have a "tail", but work on a pad-tablet, which is connected to the computer with a wire.
The most popular wireless mouse connection is Bluetooth. This connection is used for computers and laptops. This device is small in size, it can be built-in or it can be purchased. There is another type of connection - Wi-Fi.
Infrared and inductive communication operate at a short distance from the computer. All other types of communication make it easy to work within the room. It must be remembered that wireless mice They require independent power supplies for their operation.
The design, the number of buttons, the size of the mouse - everyone can choose according to their taste. The choice of a mouse according to the size of the hand, perhaps, should be put in the first place. A lot of time is spent at the computer and the hand gets tired less if the computer mouse is comfortable and light. Choosing the wrong mouse size can lead to disease in the hand and fingers.
There are mice with two buttons and a scroll wheel, there may be two additional buttons. Developed special mice for games. When choosing a mouse, you should not choose multifunctionality, catchy appearance and a small cost. Reliability of work, quality is guaranteed by proven brands Microsoft, Logitech. Genius and Mitsumi mice are a little cheaper.