The structure of a computer mouse. Computer mouse – National Library. N. E. Bauman. What is the device of a computer mouse?

The manipulator called “Mouse” has already entered our lives so tightly that we don’t even notice how often we use this device. The mouse allows you to control your computer from maximum comfort. Remove it, and the speed of working with your 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

By design features There are several types of computer mice: mechanical, optical, laser, trackball, induction, gyroscopic and touch. Each type has its own unique characteristics that allow you to successfully use the mouse in a given situation. So which mice are better for computers? Let's try to understand this issue by examining each type separately in detail.

Mechanical mice

This is the same type with which the history of computer mice began. The design of such a mouse involves the presence of a rubberized ball that slides over the surface. He, in turn, makes special rollers move, which transmit the result of the ball’s movement to special sensors. The sensors send a processed signal to the computer itself, causing the cursor to move on the screen. This is the working principle mechanical mouse. This outdated device had two or three buttons and did not differ in any special features. Connection to the computer was carried out with help COM port (in earlier versions) and PS/2 connector (in later models).

The weakest point of the mechanical mouse was precisely the ball that “crawled” along the surface. It became dirty very quickly, as a result of which the accuracy of movement decreased. I had to wipe it with alcohol often. In addition, mechanical ball mice categorically refused to glide normally on a bare table. They always needed a special rug. IN currently Such mice are obsolete and are not used anywhere. The most popular manufacturers of mechanical mice at that time were Genius and Microsoft.

Optical mice

The next stage of evolution computer mice was the emergence of optical models. The operating principle is radically different from mice equipped with balls. The basis of an optical mouse is a sensor that records mouse movements by taking photographs at high speed (about 1000 pictures per second). The sensor then 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 to regular office models up to 14 in serious gaming decisions. Thanks to their technology, optical mice are able to provide highly accurate cursor movement. In addition, they can glide perfectly on any flat surface (except mirrored ones).

Nowadays, optical mice are the most popular among most users. They combine high DPI and an adequate price. Simple optical models are the most cheap mice for computer. They can be very different in shape. 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 communications, which are not always at the proper level.

Laser mice

These mice are an evolutionary continuation 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 successfully even on rough surfaces.

With the highest DPI of any mouse, laser models widely used by gamers. That is why laser manipulators have a wide range of models aimed at game fans. A distinctive feature of this mouse is the presence of a large number of additional programmable buttons. A prerequisite for a good gaming mouse is only a wired connection via USB. Because wireless technology cannot provide adequate accuracy. Gaming laser mice are usually not low in cost. The most expensive mice for computer based on a laser element are produced by Logitech and A4Tech.

Trackball

This device is not at all like a standard computer mouse. At its core, a trackball is a mechanical mouse in reverse. The cursor is controlled using a ball on the top side of the device. But the device’s sensors are still optical. The shape of the trackball does not resemble a classic mouse at all. And you don’t have to move it anywhere in order to move the cursor. The trackball is connected to the computer via USB.

The merits and demerits of a trackball have been debated for quite some time. On the one hand, it reduces the load on the hand and ensures precise cursor movement. On the other hand, it’s a little 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 lack some properties characteristic of “tailless” models. For example, induction mice can only work on a special pad connected to a computer. You won't be able to move the mouse anywhere from the mousepad. However, there are also advantages. High accuracy and no need to change batteries, since these mice do not have them 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 particularly mobile. On the other hand, these are the most original computer mice. Their originality lies in the absence of batteries.

Gyroscopic mice

These mice don't need to glide across surfaces at all. The gyroscopic sensor, which is the basis of such a mouse, reacts to changes in the position of the device in space. Of course it's convenient. But this method of control 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 are the diocese of Apple. It was they who deprived their Magic Mouse of all sorts of buttons and wheels. The basis of this mouse is the touch coating. The mouse is controlled using gestures. The mouse position reading element 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 to a regular computer. However, it is unclear how convenient it will be to use such a mouse under Windows OS, considering that it is “tailored” for MacOS.

Conclusion

All that remains is to choose the option that suits you specifically.

In contact with

A modern computer (which can be assembled) includes a mouse. Now it is difficult to imagine how without it it would be possible to easily and simply “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, 6 years later he received a patent for this invention. On the computer screen, the mouse is displayed as an arrow; by moving it across the table, we control the movement of the arrow on the screen. This way you can select objects on your computer screen and work with them.

The market offers a large number of computer mice, they differ in shape, color and internal structure. How to choose the one that will be the most convenient?

Known today the following types mice: mechanical(ball), optical, trackball mice, laser, gyroscopic.

1. Ball mice- rarity. The technology of their work 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, and the rotation of the vertical roller was 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 a little heavy, they did not work without a mousepad, and my hand got tired. Dust got inside the mouse, which caused bad work, I had to often take out the ball and clean the entire structure.

2.Optical LED mice work without balls. Inside these there is an LED and a sensor. The surface on which the mouse moves is scanned. The LED illuminates, and the camera sensor takes frames at a frequency of 1 kHz. The surface has uneven surfaces, so when moving, the pictures turn out different. The built-in microcircuit analyzes the images, generates a movement signal and transmits it to the computer. No optical mouse pad needed, no cleaning required. The main advantage of an optical mouse is greater accuracy and a decent service life.

3. In a laser mouse Instead of an LED, a laser is used, the accuracy of operation is even higher than that of an LED mouse. Work laser mouse will be on any surface, even smooth ones, such as glass. For a laser beam, any smooth surface will still not be ideal, that is, the frames of the surface when moving the mouse are different.

4. Trackball mice are used less frequently. This device looks like an upside down mouse. The difference from a ball mouse is that the trackball does not move, but the ball, which is located on the side of the device, is rotated with your finger. This design is used to work with graphic programs, with programs computer-aided design and others where it is necessary to control the movement of the cursor more accurately than a regular computer mouse can.

With or without wire

Depending on the type of connection, computer mice can be wired or wireless.
Wired mice can be connected by wire to the computer via two inputs: USB, PS/2. The second option is considered obsolete.

Connection types for wireless mice: radio frequency, infrared, induction, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi. Wireless mice are most often used for laptops. Radio frequency and infrared types are considered yesterday. If it is an infrared mouse, then there should be no obstacles between it and the computer, otherwise the connection will be disrupted. Radio frequency communication between the mouse and 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 connection for wireless mice is Bluetooth. This connection is used for computers and laptops. This device is not big size, can be built-in or can be purchased. There is another type of communication - Wi-Fi.

Infrared and induction communications operate at a short distance from the computer. All other types of communication make it easy to work within the room. We must remember that wireless mice require independent power sources to operate.

The design, the number of buttons, the size of the mouse - everyone can choose it to their liking. Choosing a mouse based on your hand size should probably be put first. You spend a lot of time at the computer and your hand gets less tired if the computer mouse is comfortable and light. Incorrect choice the size of the mouse can lead to diseases of the hand and fingers.

There are mice with two buttons and a scroll wheel, and there may be two additional buttons. Special mice have been developed for gaming. When choosing a mouse, you should not choose multifunctionality, catchy appearance and low cost. Reliability and quality are guaranteed by proven brands Microsoft and Logitech. Genius and Mitsumi mice are a little cheaper.

Types of computer mice. There are all sorts of computer mice. Such diversity can even make your head spin. But just recently there was practically no choice. It would seem, what else can you come up with? But it turns out it is possible. Each company that produces these small and so necessary “animals” finds more and more new designs and functions for them.

Which There are types of computer mice?

There are just not that many species. Here they are:

Mechanical or ball (almost no longer used);
Optical;
Laser;
Trackball mice.
Induction;
Gyroscopic.

Read other articles on computer mice:

Mechanical or can only be found among collectors. Although just seven years ago it was the only species. It was not very comfortable to work with it, but not having any other types, we thought it was a super mouse.

She was a bit heavy in weight and didn’t want to work without a mat. And her positioning left much to be desired. This was especially noticeable in graphics programs and games. And I had to clean it very often. What didn't fit under this ball? And if there were still animals living at home, then this process was repeated at least once a week.

I always had tweezers near my computer, because... my furry friends always tried to sleep near the computer, and their fluff clung to the rug, making it shaggy. Now I no longer have such a problem. The ball-shaped “rodent” was replaced by a more modern mouse – an optical one.

Optical LED mouse- it works on a different principle. It uses an LED and a sensor. It already works like a small camera that scans the surface of the table with its LED and photographs it. An optical mouse can take about a thousand such photos per second, and some types even more.

The data from these images is processed by a special microprocessor and sends a signal to the computer. The advantages of such a mouse are obvious. It doesn't require a mat, is very light in weight and can easily scan almost any surface.

Optical laser mouse- very similar to optical, but its operating principle differs in that instead of a camera with an LED, a laser is already used. That’s why it’s called laser.

This is a more advanced model of an optical mouse. It requires much less energy. The accuracy of reading data from the working surface is much higher than that of an optical mouse. It can even work on glass and mirror surfaces.

Trackball mouse– a device that uses a convex ball (trackball). The trackball is an inverted ball mouse. The ball is on top or side. It can be rotated with your palm or fingers, and the device itself remains in place. The ball causes a pair of rollers to rotate. New trackballs use optical motion sensors.

Induction mice– use a special mat that works on the principle graphics tablet.

Gyroscopic mice– using a gyroscope, it recognizes movement not only on the surface, but also in space. You can take it from the table and control the movement of the brush in the air.

These types of computer mice still exist in our markets.

Nowadays there is a very wide variety of such devices. Some designs deserve special attention. And I will describe them. Follow site updates.

Perhaps everyone has seen a computer mouse. This required device for working at a computer. It is used to click, switch between objects, control movements in games, etc. So, the “mouse” manipulator is. At the moment, there are many different types. Each of them will be discussed in detail in the article.

Direct Drive Mouse

It was in this form that the manipulator was originally invented: 2 wheels protruded from the body, which were directed perpendicular to each other. One was responsible for horizontal movements, the other for vertical movements. They both spun as they moved. Of course, the movement was not very precise, and rotation was often difficult. The very first mouse-type manipulator was created in 1963

Optomechanical mouse

The next stage in the development of the device is a ball pointing device “mouse”. This device is well remembered by those who began to “make friends” with computer technology in the 90s. There was a hole in the lower part of the body through which a rubberized ball looked out. There were sensors inside the mouse that recorded data about the movements of the ball. It worked without problems only on special mats, because... The ball did not rotate on smooth surfaces.

In addition, through a hole in the housing, debris and pet hair constantly got inside, so the roller had to be cleaned periodically, otherwise it would “stick” and would not turn. However for a long time It was the ball computer mouse that was considered the best until it was replaced by more advanced optical devices.

First generation optical mouse

The first competitor to the ball. He was unable to oust it due to some shortcomings, which will be discussed below.

There was a special diode inside the mouse that tracked the movements of the manipulator along the surface. Thanks to this, cursor movements on the monitor have become more accurate. However, the graphical mouse worked only with a special mat on which orienting stripes were applied. The device did not react to other surfaces. Each mouse model had its own mouse pad. When replacing it with another device, it did not read landmarks. The manipulator was very sensitive to contamination. It was also necessary to orient the substrate and the mouse in a certain way, otherwise the latter would not work correctly. This whole kit was quite expensive, so ordinary users preferred a ball pointing device.

Optical LED mouse

This device no longer depended on the mat and could work even without it. The LED perceived monochromatic surfaces best. Therefore, the second generation optical mouse easily supplanted all its predecessors. At the same stage, specialized computer mice began to appear - gaming mice.

The operating principle here is completely different: nothing rotates inside the case, but an LED and a camera are installed. The first illuminates a rug or any other surface, and the second takes microphotos with high speed(up to 1000 per second). The photographs are processed by a microprocessor, which converts them into movements in space.

Laser mouse

A modern, well-known manipulator. It is practically no different from LED, but a laser is used for illumination. Thanks to this, the camera takes clearer pictures. As a result, the accuracy of movements increases. can work on any surface, including mirrored ones. Mat for comfortable work not required. Most gaming computer mice belong to this type.

Trackball

Apparently, the creators of this mouse remembered that the movements of the ball pointing device were much more accurate if you turned the roller with your fingers. So they developed a device where you can rotate the trackball manually. It looks like a ball mouse in reverse: the convex ball is on the outside of the body, and can be rotated with your fingers or palm. There is no need to move the manipulator.

Of course, trackball mice are created using more advanced technologies, in particular, they are much lighter than ball mice, the roller itself rotates easily, but it sits in the socket more tightly and no longer collects as much debris. Again, it uses movements as well as mechanical ones.

Induction mouse

The main difference is that it does not require a separate power source (batteries or wire). The manipulator operates using inductive energy received from the mat. The latter connects to the computer. It works on the principle of a graphics tablet. This connection method provides greater precision of movement, which is especially important when working with graphics. However, induction mice have a big drawback: the induction mouse is a device that is tied to a specific mouse pad. Set elements cannot be replaced. Such a manipulator can only work on a rug, but not on other surfaces.

Gyroscopic mouse

One of the new products modern market. Equipped with a gyroscope that allows you to navigate. In other words, the mouse is no longer tied to any surface in order to correctly read information about its movements. You can pick it up and, without using a table, rug, etc., control the cursor by simply moving the brush in the air. Such a mouse can even be compared in part to a conductor's baton.

Bye this type It has not yet gone on general sale and is not found in every electronics store.

The mouse is a device that still has many prospects and hidden possibilities. Most likely, in 10-15 years their appearance will change beyond recognition. And those mice that most people are used to will go into the archives along with floppy disks and cassettes.

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. There are a huge number of computer mice or mice, as they are called differently. According to their functional purpose, they can be divided into classes: some are intended for games, others are for regular work, the third - for drawing in graphic editors. In this article I will try to talk about the types and design of computer mice.

But first, I propose to go back a few decades, just at the time when this complex device was invented. The first computer mouse appeared back in 1968, and it was invented by an American scientist named Douglas Engelbart. The mouse was developed by the American Space Research Agency (NASA), which gave a patent for the invention to Douglas, but at one point lost all interest in the development. 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 abbreviation. Yeah, now 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 include a number of components: a case, a printed circuit board with contacts, microphones (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, look for yourself:

Mechanical
Optical
Laser
Trackball mice
Induction
Gyroscopic

The fact is that each of the above types of computer mice appeared in different time and uses different laws of physics. Accordingly, each of them has its own disadvantages and advantages, which will certainly be discussed further in the text. It should be noted that only the first three types will be considered in more detail, the rest - not in so much detail, due to 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 to efficient work. Dirt and small particles may become trapped between the rotating ball and the housing and will need to be cleaned. It won't work without the 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 was covered by a rotating plastic ring. Beneath it was a heavy ball. This ball was made of metal and covered with rubber. Under the ball there were two plastic rollers and a roller, which pressed the ball against the rollers. When the mouse moved, the ball rotated the roller. Up or down - one roller rotated, right or left - the other. Since gravity played a crucial role in such models, such a device did not work in zero gravity, so NASA abandoned it.

If the movement was complex, both rollers rotated. At the end of each plastic roller an impeller was installed, like on a mill, only many times smaller. On one side of the impeller there was a light source (LED), on the other there was a photocell. When you move the mouse, the impeller rotates, the photocell reads the number of light pulses that hit it, and then transmits 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 periodically had to be disassembled and cleaned. During operation, the ball dragged all sorts of debris inside the case; often the rubber surface of the ball became so dirty that the movement rollers simply slipped and the mouse malfunctioned.

For the same reason, such a mouse simply needed a mouse pad to work correctly, otherwise the ball would slip and get dirty faster.

Optical and laser mice

There is no need to disassemble or clean anything in optical mice., 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 from 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 mouse pad, it is light in weight and can scan almost any surface. Almost? Yes, everything except glass and mirror surfaces, as well as velvet (velvet absorbs light very strongly).

A laser mouse is very similar to an optical mouse, but its operating principle differs in that Laser is used instead of LED. This is a more advanced model of an optical mouse; it requires much less energy to operate, and the accuracy of reading data from the working surface is much higher than that of an optical mouse. So it can even work on glass and mirror surfaces.

In fact, a laser mouse is a type of optical mouse, since in both cases an LED is used, it’s just that in the second case it emits invisible spectrum.

So, the operating principle of an optical mouse differs from that of a ball mouse. .

The process begins 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 accurate that it can detect even small surface irregularities.

The secret is that precisely the unevenness allow the mouse to notice even the slightest movements. The pictures taken by the camera are compared, the microprocessor compares each subsequent picture with the previous one. If the mouse moves, the difference between the pictures will be noted.

By analyzing these differences, the mouse determines the direction and speed of any movement. If the difference between the pictures is significant, the cursor moves quickly. But even when stationary, the mouse continues to take pictures.

Trackball mice

Trackball mouse is 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 located on top or on the side. The ball can be rotated, but the device itself remains in place. The ball causes a pair of rollers to rotate. 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 1,400 rubles.

Induction mice

Induction models use a special mat that works like a graphics tablet. Induction mice have good accuracy and do not need to be oriented correctly. An induction mouse can be wireless or inductively powered, in which case it does not require a battery like a regular wireless mouse.

I have no idea who might need such devices, which are expensive and difficult to find on the open market. And why, who knows? Maybe there are some advantages compared to ordinary "rodents"?

Gyroscopic mice

Well, we have quietly approached the final type of computer mice- gyroscopic mice. Gyroscopic mice use a gyroscope to recognize movement not only on the surface, but also in space. You can take it from the table and control the movements with your hand. The gyroscopic mouse can be used as a pointer big 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 With a mouse, it is very important that the surface on which it moves is level. Usually, special mats are used for this. An optical mouse is more demanding on the surface; you can use it without a mouse pad, but it will glitch on surfaces with potholes or glass. A laser mouse can work even on your knee or on a mirror.

I think this article helped you understand the device better computer mouse, and also find out what types of computer mice exist.

Today I want to tell you, my dear readers, how I chose a computer mouse for my beloved wife. I hope my train of thought will be interesting to you, and everything that I learned about these “rodents” during my research is useful.

So, computer mouse- what they are, how they differ and which one is better to choose. As always - in detail and in human language...

I'll start with the interface, or more simply put, the way to connect the mouse to the computer...

Wired or wireless mouse?

Here it is very important to decide for what purpose the mouse is chosen and how it will be used. If you like to play computer games (drive cars, shoot, run in the jungle...) and will do this every day, buy a wired mouse.

During dynamic scenes in a wireless controller, the cursor may slow down (radio signal reflections, various interferences...), which will make you very nervous. And in games you need to work the mouse very intensively, which will greatly affect the energy consumption of batteries or accumulators - you will get tired of changing (buying) or charging them.

If you are not interested in games and prefer quiet surfing on the Internet or just working in office applications, then your choice is definitely a wireless computer mouse! This interface is much more convenient, mobile and comfortable than a wired one. The very feeling of “non-attachment” is worth it. You can also use it as a remote control remote control when watching a movie or photos (lying on the couch). Say no to unnecessary wires in the workplace.

Let's summarize the first result. A wired mouse is faster and more trouble-free in games, and also does not require maintenance (replacing batteries or charging batteries) and further investments (buying batteries or accumulators). A wireless mouse is convenient for its portability and practicality.

In terms of price, these two interfaces are practically the same today - you can find wireless or wired mouse for $10, or maybe for $200.

In its turn wireless mice are divided by connection type - radio frequency, infrared, induction, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The most optimal in terms of price, practicality and quality is radio frequency.

My wife doesn't play "Crisis" or "Stalker", we have a great one at home Charger and two sets of batteries, so I chose a wireless interface for her future mouse.

Optical or laser?

These two technologies are very often confused or even combined, but in vain. Optical mouse This is a manipulator equipped with a very small video camera that takes approximately a thousand photographs per second, they are processed by a processor and sent to a computer. This mouse uses a light diode that produces a beam of light in the visible range. These mice are also called LED mice.

Optical mice work worse on glossy or mirrored surfaces, and they are also less sensitive to movement, but more on that below. The optical sensor technology is older and less expensive.

A laser mouse is designed similarly, the only difference being the use of a semiconductor laser instead of a diode. When working with a laser mouse, there is no visible glow from the sensor, it has no visible backlight...

Laser mice have a higher sensor resolution and, accordingly, more accurate cursor movement (players, this is your choice). In the case of using a wireless mouse, laser mice are more energy efficient (they work noticeably longer without replacing batteries).

Computer mouse resolution

How higher resolution, those more sensitive mouse to move. Less movement on the table means more movement on the screen. The maximum resolution of an optical mouse today is 1800 dpi, and for laser mouse maximum resolution— 5700 dpi.

What is it for? high resolution mice? For computer games. High dpi makes it possible to aim with high accuracy, turn faster and make precise jumps. Draw your conclusions, gamers.

At the same time, to ensure that a computer mouse does not cause delays and difficulties in control, 800 dpi is enough (this is exactly the indicator for ball mice). In the majority modern mice this parameter can be toggled.

Mouse resolution is often confused with the mouse sensitivity parameter in the toolbar. operating system. In the mouse settings through the control panel, you artificially change the scale of the surface under the sensor, and the mouse resolution is a real, physical value.

Mouse shape and design

Once upon a time I read about special shape and coating on the handles of weapons, which is given upon request to bandits who have taken hostages. So, they are made uncomfortable, causing inconvenience, due to which the reaction of criminals slows down to two seconds!

What I mean is that you should not neglect the design of the mouse, the build quality and the materials used to cover it. It is very advisable to touch the mouse before purchasing - you will immediately feel your mouse, I assure you.

Additional criteria for choosing a computer mouse

Often, high-quality, branded mice can be adjusted in weight by selecting weights inside the case - some people like light mice, while others like heavy ones. I personally like the latter.

More recently, a new type of computer mouse has appeared - touch...

Their working surface is touch-sensitive and completely smooth (no wheel or buttons). Such mice understand certain gestures with which you can scroll through photos in the graphics viewer or surf in the browser (back and forth across pages). You can also assign an action in the system or program to a specific gesture.

Which There are types of computer mice?

There are just not that many species. Here they are:

Mechanical or ball (almost no longer used);
Optical;
Laser;
Trackball mice.
Induction;
Gyroscopic.

Mechanical or ball mice

Mechanical or ball mice can only be found among collectors. Although just seven years ago it was the only species. It was not very comfortable to work with it, but not having any other types, we thought it was a super mouse.

Optical LED mouse

Optical led mouse - it works on a different principle. It uses an LED and a sensor. It already works like a small camera that scans the surface of the table with its LED and photographs it. An optical mouse can take about a thousand such photos per second, and some types even more.

Optical laser mouse

Optical laser mouse - very similar to optical, but its operating principle differs in that instead of a camera with an LED, a laser is already used. That’s why it’s called laser.

Trackball mouse

Trackball mouse – a device that uses a convex ball (trackball). The trackball is an inverted ball mouse. The ball is on top or side. It can be rotated with your palm or fingers, and the device itself remains in place. The ball causes a pair of rollers to rotate. New trackballs use optical motion sensors.

Induction mice

Induction mice – use a special mat that works on the principle of a graphics tablet.

Gyroscopic mice

Gyroscopic mice – using a gyroscope, it recognizes movement not only on the surface, but also in space. You can take it from the table and control the movement of the brush in the air.

These types of computer mice still exist in our markets.

Nowadays there is a very wide variety of such devices. Some designs deserve special attention. And I will describe them. Follow site updates.

The mouse perceives its movement in the working plane (usually on a section of the table surface) and transmits this information to the computer. A program running on a computer, in response to mouse movement, produces an action on the screen that corresponds to the direction and distance of this movement. In different interfaces (for example, in windowed ones), the user uses the mouse to control a special cursor - pointer - manipulator of interface elements. Sometimes entering commands with the mouse is used without the participation of visible elements of the program interface: by analyzing mouse movements. This method is called “mouse gestures”.

In addition to the motion sensor, the mouse has one or more buttons, as well as additional control parts (scroll wheels, potentiometers, joysticks, trackballs, keys, etc.), the action of which is usually associated with the current position of the cursor (or components of a specific interface) .

The mouse control components are in many ways the embodiment of the intentions of a chord keyboard. The mouse, originally created as a complement to the chord keyboard, actually replaced it.

Some mice have built-in additional independent devices - watches, calculators, phones.

Story

On December 9, 1968, the computer mouse was introduced at the California Interactive Devices Show. Douglas Engelbart received a patent for this gadget in 1970.

The first computer to include a mouse was the Xerox 8010 Star minicomputer. Information System(English), introduced in 1981. The Xerox mouse had three buttons and cost $400, which corresponds to almost $1,000 in 2012 prices adjusted for inflation. In 1983, Apple released its own one-button mouse for the Lisa computer, the cost of which was reduced to $25. The mouse became widely known thanks to its use in Apple Macintosh computers and later in the Windows OS for IBM PC compatible computers.

In the USSR, the “Mouse” manipulator was also called the “Kolobok” manipulator because of the rotating support ball, the “Kolobok” itself. A computer mouse was also produced, called the “Kolobok” Manipulator” in the form of a plastic hemisphere with a heavy metal ball, which was not then covered with rubber.

Motion sensors

During the “evolution” of the computer mouse, the motion sensors have undergone the greatest changes.

Direct drive

The original design of the mouse motion sensor, invented by Douglas Engelbart at the Stanford Research Institute in 1963, consisted of two perpendicular wheels protruding from the body of the device. When moving the mouse, the wheels rotated, each in its own dimension.

This design had many drawbacks and was soon replaced by a ball-drive mouse.

Ball drive

In a ball drive, the movement of the mouse is transmitted to a rubberized steel ball protruding from the body (its weight and rubber coating provide good grip on the working surface). Two rollers pressed to the ball record its movements along each of the measurements and transmit them to rotation angle sensors (incremental encoders), which convert these movements into electrical signals.

The main disadvantage of the ball drive is the contamination of the ball and the removal rollers, which leads to the mouse jamming and the need for periodic cleaning (this problem was partly mitigated by metallization of the rollers). Despite its shortcomings, the ball drive has long dominated, successfully competing with alternative sensor designs. Currently, ball mice have been almost completely replaced by second-generation optical mice.

There were two sensor options for the ball drive.

Contact encoder

The contact sensor is a textolite disk with radial metal tracks and three contacts pressed to it. The ball mouse inherited such a sensor from the direct drive.

The main disadvantages of contact sensors are oxidation of contacts, rapid wear and low accuracy. Therefore, over time, all mice switched to non-contact optocoupler sensors.

Optical encoder

The optical sensor consists of a double optocouplers- an LED and two photodiodes (usually infrared) and a disk with holes or ray-shaped slits that block the light flux as it rotates. When you move the mouse, the disk rotates, and a signal is taken from the photodiodes at a frequency corresponding to the speed of the mouse movement. The difference in illumination phases between the two photodiodes determines the direction of rotation. A similar sensor is located on the scroll wheel.

First generation optical mice

Optical sensors are designed to directly monitor the movement of the working surface relative to the mouse. Elimination of the mechanical component provided more high reliability and made it possible to increase the resolution of the detector.

The first generation of optical sensors was introduced various schemes optocoupler sensors with indirect optical coupling - light-emitting and perceiving reflection from the working surface of photosensitive diodes. Such sensors had one common property - they required special shading (perpendicular or diamond-shaped lines) on the working surface (mouse pad). On some rugs, these shadings were done with paints that were invisible in normal light (such rugs could even have a pattern).

The disadvantages of such sensors are usually called:

the need to use a special mat and the impossibility of replacing it with another. Among other things, the pads of different optical mice were often not interchangeable and were not produced separately;
the need for a certain orientation of the mouse relative to the pad, otherwise the mouse would not work correctly;
sensitivity of the mouse to dirt on the mat (after all, it comes into contact with the user’s hand) - the sensor was uncertain about shading on dirty areas of the mat;
high cost of the device.

Optical mice with matrix sensor

The second generation of optical mice has a more complex design. A special fast video camera is installed at the bottom of the mouse. It continuously takes pictures of the table surface and, by comparing them, determines the direction and amount of mouse movement. Special contrast illumination of the surface with LED or laser facilitates the camera's operation. Second-generation optical mice have a huge advantage over the first: they do not require a special mouse pad and work on almost any surface except mirror or transparent ones; even on fluoroplastic (including black).

Almost the only manufacturer of optical mouse sensors is Avago Technologies. Its sensors have a resolution from 16x16 to 40x40 pixels at several thousand frames per second. A specialized digital signal processor for calculating displacements is integrated on the chip along with the sensor.

It was assumed that such mice would work on any surface, but it soon became clear that many sold models (especially the first widely sold devices) were not so indifferent to the surface texture or patterns on the mouse pad. In some areas of the picture GPU is capable of making significant mistakes, which leads to chaotic movements of the pointer that do not correspond to real movement. For mice prone to such failures, you need to choose a rug with a different pattern. Features of contrast backlighting lead to mouse errors on smooth surfaces such as mirrors.

Dust and lint on the sensor optics also lead to motion errors or the effect of small movements at rest, which is manifested by the pointer on the screen shaking, sometimes with a tendency to slide in one direction or another.

Second-generation sensors are gradually improving and crash-prone mice are much less common these days. In addition to improving sensors, some models are equipped with two displacement sensors at once, which allows, by analyzing changes in two areas of the surface at once, to exclude possible mistakes. These mice are sometimes able to work on glass, plexiglass and mirror surfaces (which other mice do not work on).

There are also mouse pads specifically targeted at optical mice. For example, a rug that has a silicone film on the surface with a suspension of glitter (it is assumed that the optical sensor detects movements on such a surface much more clearly).

Also, some people attribute the glow of such mice even when the computer is turned off to the disadvantages of optical mice. Since most inexpensive optical mice have a translucent body, it allows red LED light to pass through, which can make it difficult to sleep if the computer is in the bedroom. This happens if the voltage to the PS/2 and USB ports is supplied from the standby voltage line; majority motherboards allow you to change this with a +5V jumper<->+5VSB, but in this case it will not be possible to turn on the computer from the keyboard. To fix this problem, you can also buy a mouse with an infrared LED light.

Optical laser mice

In recent years, a new, more advanced type of optical sensor has been developed that uses a semiconductor laser for illumination.

Little is known about the disadvantages of such sensors, but their advantages are known:

Induction mice

Induction mice use a special mouse pad that works like a graphics tablet or are actually included with the graphics tablet. Some tablets include a manipulator similar to a mouse with a glass crosshair, working on the same principle, but with a slightly different implementation, which allows you to achieve increased accuracy positioning by increasing the diameter of the sensitive coil and moving it out of the device into the user’s line of sight.

Induction mice have good accuracy and do not need to be oriented correctly. An induction mouse can be “wireless” (the tablet on which it operates is connected to the computer), and have induction power, therefore, do not require batteries, like conventional ones wireless mice.

The mouse included with the graphics tablet will save some space on the table (provided that the tablet is always on it).

Induction mice are rare, expensive and not always comfortable. It is almost impossible to change a mouse for a graphics tablet to another one (for example, one that better suits your hand, etc.).

Gyroscopic mice

In addition to vertical and horizontal scroll, Mouse joysticks can be used for alternative pointer movement or adjustments, similar to wheels.

Trackballs

The trackball is less suitable for shooters due to the need to actively rotate the wheel, but it works well in strategies; however, the main purpose of this device is to work with application applications. Trackballs with customizable acceleration are suitable for gaming, increasing speed over long periods of scrolling.

Trackballs also have a very significant drawback - the ball and its recess often have to be wiped clean from sweat, dust and grease. Partial solution An electromagnetic trackball could be a problem, but no company has yet offered such a manipulator to the general public.

Touch strips and panels

Touch strips and panels (touchpad) are elements that determine the movement of a finger across a surface. Stripes define movement in one dimension (like wheels), panels - in two (like trackballs).

Touch strips and pads perform the same functions as trackball wheels, but have no moving parts.

Hybrid controls

Hybrid controls combine several principles.

Wheels, joysticks, and trackballs may include a button that is activated by directly pressing the control. Thus, the standard scroll wheel is also the middle mouse button.

The wheel may have joystick elements - freedom of tilt along the axis of rotation. That's how it is rocking Scroll wheel (the tilt of the wheel is used for horizontal scrolling), it is at the same time a wheel, a joystick and a button.

Connection interfaces

The very first mice (ball type) had nothing inside them except sensors and buttons, and were connected to the computer using their adapter ( bus mice English bus mouse) with the ISA bus, in which signals from the sensors were processed.

Later, with the development of miniaturization electronic components, mice began to connect to x86 computers via an RS-232 serial communication interface (serial mice) with a DB25F and, later, DB9F connector. In the 1990s, most mice produced already had serial connection. The serial mouse was powered from the DTR (computer readiness) line of the RS-232 connector.

The majority of modern mice have USB interface, sometimes with an adapter for PS/2. Apple currently only supplies mice with a Bluetooth interface for its computers, although USB mice can also be used.

Wireless mice

The mouse signal wire is sometimes seen as a nuisance and limiting factor. This factor is deprived wireless mice. However, wireless mice have a serious problem - along with the signal cable, they lose stationary power and are forced to be autonomous, from batteries or batteries, which require recharging or replacement, and also increase the weight of the device.

Wireless mouse batteries can be recharged both outside the mouse and inside it (just like batteries in mobile phones). In the latter case, the mouse must be periodically connected to stationary food via cable, docking station or induction power pad.

Optical connection

The first attempts were to introduce infrared communication between the mouse and a special receiving device, which, in turn, was connected to the computer port.

Optical communication showed a major drawback in practice: any obstacle between the mouse and the sensor interfered with work.

Radio communication

Radio communication between the mouse and the receiving device connected to the computer eliminated the shortcomings of infrared communication and replaced it.

There are three generations of wireless mice. The first generation used frequency bands intended for radio-controlled toys (27 MHz). They had low frequency polling (typically 20-50 Hz), unstable connection, mutual influence when located close together. Such mice had a curious problem: since the range of action of these mice was several meters, and organizations, as a rule, purchased the same type of equipment in batches, there were cases when the cursor on the computer screen was controlled by a mouse located even on the next floor. Such mice usually have a switch that allows you to select one of two RF channels; in most cases, switching to another channel solved the problem. Currently, first generation mice are no longer produced.

The second generation of radio mice used free frequency range 2.45 GHz and was built on the basis of highly integrated high-speed radio channels. In such solutions, it was possible to completely get rid of the “childhood diseases” of the first generation. The main disadvantage is the need for a special USB dongle, which contains the mouse receiver. This dongle occupies a USB slot on your computer. Losing the dongle makes the mouse a “dead” hardware due to incompatibility of radio communication methods different manufacturers. The second generation mice are the most popular at present.

The third generation of radio mice uses standard radio interfaces. Typically these are Bluetooth or (much less commonly) other standard personal area network radio interfaces. Mice with Bluetooth do not need a special dongle, since modern computers equipped with this interface. Another advantage of Bluetooth mice is that they do not require special drivers. The disadvantage of Bluetooth is its high price and higher power consumption.

Induction mice

Induction mice most often have induction power from a special working platform (“mat”) or graphics tablet. But such mice are only partly wireless - the tablet or pad is still connected with a cable. Thus, the cable does not interfere with moving the mouse, but also does not allow you to work at a distance from the computer, as with a regular wireless mouse.

Additional functions

Since the end of the 20th century, the production of accessories specifically for computer game lovers has been gaining increasing momentum. This trend has not spared computer mice either. This subtype differs from its regular office counterparts in its greater sensitivity (up to 12,000 dpi for the Logitech G502), the presence of additional, individually customizable buttons, a non-slip outer surface, and design. In gaming mice upper class The weight distribution is adjusted - this is necessary to ensure that all the legs of the mouse are evenly loaded (so the mouse glides more smoothly).

Like any computer element, the mouse has become an object for modding.

Some mouse manufacturers add functions to alert the mouse about any events occurring on the computer. In particular, Genius and Logitech release models that notify about the presence of unread emails in the mailbox by lighting an LED or playing music through the speaker built into the mouse.

There are known cases of placing a fan inside the mouse case to cool the user's hand while the user's hand is working with air flow through special holes. Some mouse models designed for computer gamers have small eccentrics built into the mouse body, which provide a vibration sensation when shooting in computer games. Examples of such models are the Logitech iFeel Mouse line of mice.

In addition, there are mini mice designed for laptop owners that are small in size and weight.

Some wireless mice have the ability to work as a remote control (for example, Logitech MediaPlay). They have a slightly modified shape to work not only on the table, but also when held in the hand.

A mouse has been developed in Japan that can detect stress levels. The device is equipped with special pulse and palm sweat meters, as well as microclimate sensors environment.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

The mouse has become the main point-and-point input device due to the following features:

Very low price compared to other devices like touch screens;
The mouse is suitable for long-term use. In the early days of multimedia, filmmakers liked to show computers of the “future” with a touch interface, but in reality this method of input is quite tedious, since you have to hold your hands in the air;
High accuracy of cursor positioning. With the mouse (with the exception of some “unsuccessful” models) it is easy to hit the desired pixel on the screen;
The mouse allows many different manipulations - double and triple clicks, dragging, gestures, pressing one button while dragging another, etc. Therefore, you can concentrate a large number of controls in one hand - multi-button mice allow you to control, for example, a browser without using the keyboard at all .

Flaws

Supposed danger of carpal tunnel syndrome [ ] ;
For work, a flat, smooth surface of sufficient size is required (with the possible exception of gyroscopic mice);
Instability to vibrations. For this reason, the mouse is practically not used in military devices. The trackball requires less space to operate and does not require moving your hand, cannot get lost, has greater resistance to external influences, and is more reliable.

Ways to grip a mouse

Thanks to this feature, one standard driver included with the OS, and even the computer's BIOS, can work with almost any mouse. Additional software is needed only to support the specific capabilities of the product. Additional features are non-standard and have limited software support.

For Windows, such a mouse comes with a program for binding non-standard mouse components to events in the OS.
The program is available on Linux distributions btnx, which associates (reassigns) mouse manipulations (including standard ones) with a user-specified key combination.

A mouse is one of the tools that can be connected to a computer to operate the cursor. The cursor, a flickering rectangle of light on the screen, shows where the operator's next action will be located. When a letter is typed, it appears on the screen at the location marked by the cursor. Cursor control keys allow the operator to move the cursor along the screen, up and down.

But the rotating mouse on the operator's desk (below) can move the cursor across the screen in any direction at hand speed. Buttons on the mouse allow the operator to select options from the on-screen menu or draw lines on the screen.

There are two types of mice - mechanical and optical; any one can easily fit in the human palm. When a mechanical mouse (right) moves across a surface, its internal mechanism measures distance, direction of movement, and tells the computer to repeat the movement on the monitor. The optical mouse (bottom left) performs this task using light rays to determine the direction of the mouse on the grid. The joystick (bottom right) serves as a control mechanism in many video games.

Mouse movement and cursor

Connected to the keyboard by electrical wires, the mouse forces the cursor to imitate its movements on the screen at any distance and direction. Therefore, while moving the mouse, the operator must look at the screen. Because the mouse can move in any direction, creating curved and diagonal lines, it is an excellent drawing tool.

How an optical mouse “sees”

The optical mouse is built on a special grid. As the mouse moves across the grid, light from the LED - Light Emitting Diode - enters the grid. The lenses and mirror send rays to a sensor, or photodetector, which marks the coordinates of the lines passed.

How does a mechanical mouse work?

On inside A mechanical mouse has a braking ball connected to slotted disks (brown), which rotates as the mouse moves. An LED on each disk emits light, and a photodiode opposite counts the pulses of light passing through slits in the spinning disk. These impulses are converted into cursor movement on the screen.

Inside the joystick

Like a mouse, a joystick detects movements in two directions and coordinates signals. The handle passes through the moving axle (center) and fits into the right corner of the lever (bottom). Two electronic devices called variable resistors send signals that change the positions of the axle and arm and cause the cursor to move.