Computer mouse device. Types of computer mice

In previous articles we started telling you about computer peripherals. We started with the keyboard. Next in line is the mouse. In this article we will tell you about what a computer mouse is, what types there are and the main characteristics.

What is a computer mouse

Computer mouse - an integral part of the computer. It allows the user to control the cursor, which is displayed on the screen, by moving the mouse itself across the table surface.

To put it simply, a computer mouse is a tool with which we can select and manipulate objects on the computer screen. Such actions include: copying, opening documents, selecting text, and much more. When using a computer, a person practically does not let go of the device, which proves the importance of this device.

What does a computer mouse consist of?

Computer mice, if you do not pay attention to the features of some types, consist of a scroll wheel, with which you can move (scroll information) on the computer screen, and keys that are used for such actions as, for example: activate context menu, activate or open an object, grab and move it, etc.

On the underside of the mouse there is a sensor for tracking the movement of the manipulator on the surface. Depending on the type (will be discussed below), it can be a ball (almost not used in our time) or a laser scanner.

The mouse also has either a cord (with a USB or PS/2 interface) with which it connects to the PC, or, in the case of wireless mice, a compartment for installing batteries.

Types of computer mice

The computer mouse has come a long way in evolution and today we know the following types:

• Mechanical - a type of mouse that is practically not used today. A device made of a rubberized steel ball, rollers and rotation angle sensors is used as a motion tracking sensor. As the mouse moves, the steel ball rotates; rollers are pressed against it, which record this and transmit information to the rotation angle sensors. The sensors, in turn, convert the received data into electrical signals. The disadvantages of such mice are their relatively large size and the need for periodic cleaning to work well. It also definitely needs a mat; without it it will be impossible to operate the manipulator;
• Optical - differ from mechanical ones in that instead of a ball, to track movement, a “camera” is used, which photographs the surface on which the mouse moves at a frequency of several hundred frames per second. Analyzing the captured images, the cursor moves on the screen. In order to better highlight all surface irregularities, and therefore improve the quality of mouse positioning, a bright LED is used which is installed into the device at a slight angle;
• Laser – an excellent alternative to the previous type of mouse. The principle of operation can be called identical to optical, only in this type, instead of an LED, infrared is used for illumination laser diode. Thanks to this decision the accuracy of device positioning increases. Another advantage is that for correct operation With a laser mouse, the type of surface is practically unimportant;
• Sensory - here the name speaks for itself. This mouse has no buttons or scroll wheel; all commands can be set using gestures. Touch mice– this is the latest type, which is easy to use and amazing in appearance;
• Induction - mice that work by using inductive energy. A mat that serves as a so-called graphics tablet is required;
• Trackball mice - devices without buttons, which are controlled by an inverted ball called a trackball;
• Gyroscopic — positioning of the cursor with such a mouse occurs thanks to a gyroscope. For these mice to work correctly, the surface is not important; they read information about movement not only from it, but from space.

Another way to classify computer mice is to separate them by connection method. This is how mice are:

• Wired — connect to a PC using a cable via USB or PS/2;
• Wireless — connection occurs using the Bluetooth protocol.

Characteristics of computer mice

Main characteristics of computer mice:

1. Type (type) . As mentioned above, this affects the operation of the mouse itself, convenience and practicality. Each user chooses an item of use individually, since it is based on its purpose: there are those who actively play computer games - a gaming mouse is ideal for them, since it is equipped with additional keys for easy navigation. For others, a regular laser will be enough, with the help of which they will perform all the operations necessary for the average user.
2. Size and shape . These characteristics primarily affect its practicality in use: the choice, in most cases, is determined by the size of the hand - girls love small and beautiful mice, men are accustomed to feeling in their hands a weighty and rather large mouse, which will be convenient to control.
3. Sensitivity . This criterion affects the accuracy of the cursor movement on the screen. More experienced users pay great attention to sensitivity, because, in addition to standard settings, in some types of their activities maximum precision and balance of movements is required, which can affect the result of the work.

Conclusions

To date large number The presented types of computer mice enable each person to make an informed choice based on individual requirements. I hope that the article helped you learn a lot about such an irreplaceable subject. computer user like a mouse.

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In order to fully illuminate the issue of types computer mice, and also give you advice on how to choose the best one for yourself, you must first talk about the history of the creation of the first computer mouse, show what it looked like, who and when was its inventor

The history of the creation of the first computer mouse and who is its inventor?

Douglas Engelbar He is considered the inventor of the first computer mouse; he began working on it in 1964. It got its name from the wire, which, according to the inventor, looked like a mouse's tail. The computer mouse was first presented to the public on December 9, 1968 in California at a show of interactive devices. Frame first computer mouse was handmade and made of wood. There was one single button at the top, and two disks at the bottom, one moved when the mouse moved vertically, the other, respectively, horizontally.

In 1970, Douglas Engelbar received a patent for his invention.

In 1981, Xerox, which now specializes in the production of printers and cartridges, introduced the computer mouse as part of personal computer Xerox 8010 Star Information System. The manipulator already had three buttons, and the disks were replaced with a ball and rollers. The cost of this device reached $500.

In 1983 Apple company introduced its own version of a computer mouse for their Lisa computer. They managed to create a convenient and cheap device that costs $20. In many ways, this determined such a stunning success.

In the USSR, a computer mouse was produced, the Kolobok Manipulator, which had a heavy metal ball.

Types of computer mice

There are the following types computer mice:

• mechanical
• optical
• laser
• trackball
• induction
• hydroscopically
• sensory

Mechanical computer mice or ball mice are practically no longer used. Their distinctive characteristic are the size and presence of a heavy rubber ball, as well as the mandatory presence of a mat, which is designed to improve positioning, which in mechanical mice leaves much to be desired, especially in fast computer games. Another disadvantage is the need to constantly clean the ball from dirt and small particles.

In optical mice Instead of a rotating ball, an LED and a sensor are used, which improves positioning and reduces the size of the device. Such manipulators work like cameras, scanning the surface along which they move. Some models take several thousand pictures per second, which are processed by the mouse microprocessor and sends information to the computer. This mouse can work without a mousepad, but not as well as a laser mouse.

Laser computer The mouse does not differ in appearance from an optical one, but instead of an LED and a sensor, it uses a laser. This allows you to significantly increase its accuracy and reduce energy consumption. In addition, it can work on almost any surface (glass, carpet, etc.)

Trackball has a convex ball and resembles an inverted mechanical computer mouse. By rotating this ball, you move the cursor around the screen; you do not need to move the mouse itself. This is where its advantage comes from: it requires less space to operate than a classic computer mouse. In addition, it has significantly higher ergonomic indicators, as studies have shown that after 4 hours active use computer mouse, the hand becomes 60% weaker due to fatigue, while using a trackball negative influence does not provide.

Induction mice work by using inductive energy. For their functioning, a special mat is required, which works on the principle of a graphic tablet. These mice have good accuracy, but they are very impractical and expensive. Gyroscopic mice- a new generation of devices that recognize movement not only in the plane, but also in space, i.e. it can be removed from the table altogether.

Touch mice. Latest models these manipulators have neither buttons nor a wheel, and support technology touch touchpad. This allows you to use various gestures to press, scroll in any direction, zoom, and customize the execution of the commands you need. They are distinguished by their amazing appearance and compactness.

How to choose the best computer mouse for yourself?

• buy touch (see description above) or laser optical models
• wireless mice are much more convenient than wired ones
• ergonomics, the computer mouse should fit comfortably in your hand
• Battery life in operating and standby mode
• dpi indicator (the higher, the more accurate the mouse will be)
• pay attention to the company, the most popular now are Razer, Microsoft, A4Tech, Genius, Logitech, Defender
• if it is a button mouse, pay attention to mice that do not have audible button presses, convenient if you use a computer at home at night
• additional software that allows you to set programmable buttons and gestures

In this article, we will look at the principles of operation of optical mouse sensors, shed light on the history of their technological development, and also debunk some myths associated with optical “rodents”.

Who invented you...

Optical mice that are familiar to us today trace their origins back to 1999, when the first copies of such manipulators from Microsoft, and after some time from other manufacturers, appeared on mass sale. Before the appearance of these mice, and for a long time after that, most of the mass-produced computer “rodents” were optomechanical (the movements of the manipulator were tracked optical system, associated with the mechanical part - two rollers responsible for tracking the movement of the mouse along the × and Y axes; these rollers, in turn, were rotated by a ball that rolled as the user moved the mouse). Although there were also purely optical mouse models that required a special mouse pad for their operation. However, such devices were not encountered often, and the very idea of ​​developing such manipulators gradually faded away.

The “type” of mass-produced optical mice familiar to us today, based on general operating principles, was “developed” in the research laboratories of the world-famous Hewlett-Packard corporation. More precisely, in its division Agilent Technologies, which only relatively recently was completely separated into a separate company within the structure of HP Corporation. Today, Agilent Technologies, Inc. - a monopolist in the market of optical sensors for mice; no other companies develop such sensors, no matter who tells you about the exclusive technologies IntelliEye or MX Optical Engine. However, enterprising Chinese have already learned to “clone” Agilent Technologies sensors, so by buying an inexpensive optical mouse, you may well become the owner of a “left-handed” sensor.

We will find out where the visible differences in the operation of the manipulators come from a little later, but for now let us begin to consider the basic principles of the operation of optical mice, or more precisely, their movement tracking systems.

How computer mice “see”

In this section, we will study the basic principles of operation of optical motion tracking systems that are used in modern mouse-type manipulators.

So, an optical computer mouse gains “vision” through the following process. Using an LED and a system of lenses that focus its light, an area of ​​the surface under the mouse is illuminated. The light reflected from this surface, in turn, is collected by another lens and hits the receiving sensor of the microcircuit - the image processor. This chip, in turn, takes pictures of the surface under the mouse with high frequency(kHz). Moreover, the microcircuit (let's call it an optical sensor) not only takes pictures, but also processes them, since it contains two key parts: the Image Acquisition System (IAS) and the integrated DSP processor image processing.

Based on the analysis of a series of consecutive images (representing a square matrix of pixels of different brightness), the integrated DSP processor calculates the resulting indicators indicating the direction of mouse movement along the × and Y axes, and transmits the results of its work externally via the serial port.

If we look at the block diagram of one of the optical sensors, we will see that the chip consists of several blocks, namely:

• the main block is, of course, ImageProcessor- image processor (DSP) with built-in receiver light signal(IAS);
• Voltage Regulator And Power Control- voltage regulation and energy consumption control unit (power is supplied to this unit and an additional external voltage filter is connected to it);
• Oscillator- an external signal is supplied to this chip block from a master quartz oscillator, the frequency of the incoming signal is about a couple of tens of MHz;
• Led Control- this is an LED control unit that illuminates the surface under the mouse;
• Serial Port- a block that transmits data about the direction of mouse movement outside the chip.

Some details of the chip's operation optical sensor We will look a little further when we get to the most advanced of modern sensors, but for now we will return to the basic principles of operation of optical systems for tracking the movement of manipulators.

It should be clarified that the optical sensor chip does not transmit information about mouse movement via the Serial Port directly to the computer. The data goes to another controller chip installed in the mouse. This second “main” chip in the device is responsible for responding to mouse button presses, scroll wheel rotation, etc. This chip, among other things, directly transmits information about the direction of mouse movement to the PC, converting data coming from the optical sensor into signals transmitted via PS/2 or USB interfaces. And the computer, using the mouse driver, based on the information received via these interfaces, moves the pointer across the monitor screen.

It is precisely because of the presence of this “second” controller chip, or rather thanks to different types such microcircuits, already the first models of optical mice differed quite noticeably from each other. If I can’t speak too badly about expensive devices from Microsoft and Logitech (although they were not at all “sinless”), then the mass of inexpensive manipulators that appeared after them did not behave quite adequately. When these mice moved on ordinary mouse pads, the cursors on the screen made strange somersaults, jumped almost to the floor of the Desktop, and sometimes... sometimes they even went on an independent journey across the screen when the user did not touch the mouse at all. It even got to the point that the mouse could easily wake up the computer from standby mode, erroneously registering a movement when no one was actually touching the manipulator.

By the way, if you are still struggling with a similar problem, then it can be solved in one fell swoop like this: select My Computer > Properties > Hardware > Device Manager > select installed mouse> go to its “Properties” > in the window that appears, go to the “Power Management” tab and uncheck the box “Allow the device to wake the computer from standby mode” (Fig. 4). After this, the mouse will no longer be able to wake up the computer from standby mode under any pretext, even if you kick it :)

So, the reason for such a striking difference in the behavior of optical mice was not at all the “bad” or “good” installed sensors, as many still think. Don't believe it, this is nothing more than a myth. Or fantasy, if you prefer :) Mice that behaved completely differently often had exactly the same optical sensor chips installed (fortunately, there were not so many models of these chips, as we will see later). However, thanks to imperfect controller chips installed in optical mice, we had the opportunity to strongly criticize the first generations of optical rodents.

However, we are somewhat distracted from the topic. Let's go back. In general, the mouse optical tracking system, in addition to the sensor chip, includes several more basic elements. The design includes a holder (Clip) in which the LED and the sensor chip itself are installed. This system of elements is attached to printed circuit board(PCB), between which and the bottom surface of the mouse (Base Plate) a plastic element (Lens) is fixed, containing two lenses (the purpose of which was described above).

When assembled, the optical tracking element looks like the one shown above. The operating diagram of the optics of this system is presented below.

The optimal distance from the Lens element to the reflective surface under the mouse should be in the range from 2.3 to 2.5 mm. These are the recommendations of the sensor manufacturer. Here is the first reason why optical mice don’t feel good when “crawling” on plexiglass on a table, all sorts of “translucent” rugs, etc. And you shouldn’t glue “thick” legs to optical mice when the old ones fall off or wear off. Due to excessive “elevation” above the surface, the mouse can fall into a state of stupor, when “moving” the cursor after the mouse is at rest becomes quite problematic. This is not theoretical speculation, this is personal experience :)

By the way, about the problem of durability of optical mice. I remember that some of their manufacturers claimed that, they say, “they will last forever.” Yes, the reliability of the optical tracking system is high, it cannot be compared with the optomechanical one. At the same time, in optical mice there are many purely mechanical elements that are subject to wear in the same way as under the dominance of the good old “opto-mechanics”. For example, the legs of my old optical mouse were worn out and fell off, the scroll wheel broke (twice, the last time irrevocably :()), the wire in the connecting cable frayed, the housing cover peeled off the manipulator... but the optical sensor works normally, as if nothing was wrong happened. Based on this, we can safely state that the rumors about the supposedly impressive durability of optical mice have not been confirmed in practice. And why, pray tell, do optical mice “live” for too long? After all, new, longer ones are constantly appearing on the market? perfect models created on a new element base. They are obviously more advanced and easier to use. Progress, you know, is a continuous thing. Let's see what it was like in the field of evolution of the optical sensors that interest us.

From the history of mouse vision

Development engineers at Agilent Technologies, Inc. No wonder they eat their bread. Over the past five years, this company's optical sensors have undergone significant technological improvements and their latest models have very impressive characteristics.

But let's talk about everything in order. Microcircuits became the first mass-produced optical sensors HDNS-2000(Fig. 8). These sensors had a resolution of 400 cpi (counts per inch), that is, dots (pixels) per inch, and were designed for a maximum mouse movement speed of 12 inches/s (about 30 cm/s) with an optical sensor image rate of 1500 frames in a second. Acceptable (while maintaining stable operation of the sensor) acceleration when moving the mouse “in a jerk” for the HDNS-2000 chip is no more than 0.15 g (approximately 1.5 m/s2).

Then optical sensor chips appeared on the market ADNS-2610 And ADNS-2620. The ADNS-2620 optical sensor already supported a programmable frequency of “capturing” the surface under the mouse, with a frequency of 1500 or 2300 images/s. Each photo was taken with a resolution of 18x18 pixels. For the sensor, the maximum operating speed of movement was still limited to 12 inches per second, but the limit on permissible acceleration increased to 0.25 g, with a frequency of “photographing” the surface of 1500 frames/s. This chip (ADNS-2620) also had only 8 legs, which made it possible to significantly reduce its size compared to the ADNS-2610 chip (16 pins), which was similar in appearance to the HDNS-2000. At Agilent Technologies, Inc. set out to “minimize” their microcircuits, wanting to make them more compact, more energy-efficient, and therefore more convenient for installation in “mobile” and wireless manipulators.

The ADNS-2610 chip, although it was a “large” analogue of the 2620, was deprived of support for the “advanced” mode of 2300 pictures/s. In addition, this option required 5V power, while the ADNS-2620 chip required only 3.3V.

Coming soon chip ADNS-2051 was a much more powerful solution than the HDNS-2000 or ADNS-2610 chips, although it was also similar in appearance (packaging). This sensor already made it possible to programmably control the “resolution” of the optical sensor, changing it from 400 to 800 cpi. The chip version also allowed for adjusting the frequency of surface images, and allowed it to be changed in a very wide range: 500, 1000, 1500, 2000 or 2300 images/s. But the size of these same pictures was only 16x16 pixels. At 1500 shots/s, the maximum permissible acceleration of the mouse during a “jerk” was still 0.15 g, the maximum possible movement speed was 14 inches/s (i.e. 35.5 cm/s). This chip was designed for a supply voltage of 5 V.

Sensor ADNS-2030 developed for wireless devices, and therefore had low power consumption, requiring only 3.3 V power. The chip also supported energy-saving functions, such as the function of reducing energy consumption when the mouse is at rest (power conservation mode during times of no movement), switching to sleep mode, including when the mouse is connected via a USB interface, etc. . The mouse, however, could work not in energy saving mode: a value of “1” in the Sleep bit of one of the chip’s registers caused the sensor to “always be awake”, and the default value of “0” corresponded to the chip’s operating mode when, after one second, if the mouse did not move (more precisely, after receiving 1500 completely identical images of the surface ) the sensor, together with the mouse, went into energy saving mode. As for the rest key characteristics sensor, they were no different from those of the ADNS-2051: the same 16-pin housing, travel speed up to 14 inches/s at maximum acceleration 0.15 g, programmable resolution 400 and 800 cpi, respectively, the frequency of taking pictures could be exactly the same as that of the above-considered version of the microcircuit.

These were the first optical sensors. Unfortunately, they were characterized by shortcomings. Big problem The problem that occurred when moving an optical mouse over surfaces, especially those with a repeating small pattern, was that the image processor sometimes confused individual similar areas of the monochrome image received by the sensor and incorrectly determined the direction of mouse movement.

As a result, the cursor on the screen did not move as required. The pointer on the screen even became capable of impromptu :) - unpredictable movements in any direction. In addition, it is easy to guess that when too fast movement mouse sensor could completely lose any “connection” between several subsequent images of the surface. Which gave rise to another problem: when the mouse moved too sharply, the cursor either twitched in one place, or even “supernatural” phenomena occurred, for example, with the rapid rotation of the surrounding world in toys. It was absolutely clear that for the human hand, the limitations of 12-14 inches/s on the maximum speed of mouse movement were clearly not enough. There was also no doubt that 0.24 s (almost a quarter of a second) allotted for accelerating the mouse from 0 to 35.5 cm/s (14 inches/s - maximum speed) is a very long period of time; a person is able to move the hand much faster. And therefore, with sudden movements of the mouse in dynamic gaming applications with an optical manipulator, it can be difficult...

Agilent Technologies also understood this. The developers realized that the characteristics of the sensors needed to be radically improved. In their research, they adhered to a simple but correct axiom: the more pictures per second the sensor takes, the less likely it is that it will lose the “trace” of the mouse movement while the computer user makes sudden body movements :)

Although, as we see from the above, optical sensors have been developing, new solutions are constantly being released, but development in this area can safely be called “very gradual.” By and large, there have been no fundamental changes in the properties of the sensors. But technical progress In any area, sharp jumps are sometimes characteristic. There was such a “breakthrough” in the field of creating optical sensors for mice. The advent of the ADNS-3060 optical sensor can be considered truly revolutionary!

Best of

Optical sensor ADNS-3060, in comparison with its “ancestors”, has a truly impressive set of characteristics. The use of this chip, packaged in a 20-pin package, provides optical mice with unprecedented capabilities. Acceptable maximum speed the movement of the manipulator increased to 40 inches/s (that is, almost 3 times!), i.e. reached a “signature” speed of 1 m/s. This is already very good - hardly at least one user moves the mouse with more than this limitation speed so often that you constantly feel discomfort from using the optical manipulator, including gaming applications. The permissible acceleration has increased, scary to say, a hundred times (!), and reached a value of 15 g (almost 150 m/s2). Now the user is given 7 hundredths of a second to accelerate the mouse from 0 to the maximum 1 m/s - I think that very few people will now be able to exceed this limitation, and even then, probably in their dreams :) The programmable speed of taking pictures of the surface with the optical sensor of the new chip model exceeds 6400 fps, i.e. "beats" the previous "record" almost three times. Moreover, the ADNS-3060 chip can itself adjust the image repetition rate to achieve the most optimal parameters work, depending on the surface over which the mouse moves. The “resolution” of the optical sensor can still be 400 or 800 cpi. Let's look at the ADNS-3060 chip as an example. general principles the operation of optical sensor chips.

The general scheme for analyzing mouse movements has not changed compared to earlier models - micrographs of the surface under the mouse obtained by the IAS sensor block are then processed by a DSP (processor) integrated in the same chip, which determines the direction and distance of movement of the manipulator. The DSP calculates the relative magnitudes of the × and Y coordinates relative to the mouse's home position. Then the external microcircuit of the mouse controller (what it is needed for, we said earlier) reads information about the movement of the manipulator from serial port optical sensor chips. Then this external controller translates the received data about the direction and speed of mouse movement into signals transmitted via standard PS/2 or USB interfaces, which are then sent to the computer.

But let’s delve a little deeper into the features of the sensor. The block diagram of the ADNS-3060 chip is shown above. As we can see, its structure has not fundamentally changed compared to its distant “ancestors”. 3.3 Power is supplied to the sensor through the Voltage Regulator And Power Control block; the same block is charged with voltage filtering functions, for which a connection to an external capacitor is used. The signal coming from an external quartz resonator to the Oscillator block (the nominal frequency of which is 24 MHz; lower frequency master oscillators were used for previous models of microcircuits) serves to synchronize all computational processes occurring inside the optical sensor chip. For example, the frequency of images of an optical sensor is tied to the frequency of this external generator (by the way, the latter is not subject to very strict restrictions on permissible deviations from the nominal frequency - up to +/- 1 MHz). Depending on the value entered at a specific address (register) of the chip’s memory, the following operating frequencies for taking pictures with the ADNS-3060 sensor are possible.

As you might guess, based on the data in the table, the frequency of sensor snapshots is determined using a simple formula: Frame rate = (Setting generator frequency (24 MHz)/Value of the register responsible for the frame rate).

Surface images (frames) taken by the ADNS-3060 sensor have a resolution of 30x30 and represent the same matrix of pixels, the color of each of which is encoded with 8 bits, i.e. one byte (corresponding to 256 shades of gray for each pixel). Thus, each frame (frame) arriving at the DSP processor is a sequence of 900 bytes of data. But the “cunning” processor does not process these 900 bytes of the frame immediately upon arrival; it waits until 1536 bytes of information about pixels are accumulated in the corresponding buffer (memory) (that is, information about another 2/3 of the subsequent frame is added). And only after this the chip begins to analyze information about the movement of the manipulator, by comparing changes in successive images of the surface.

With a resolution of 400 or 800 pixels per inch, their implementation is indicated in the RES bit of the microcontroller memory registers. A zero value of this bit corresponds to 400 cpi, and a logical one in RES sets the sensor to 800 cpi mode.

After the integrated DSP processor processes the image data, it calculates the relative displacement values ​​​​of the manipulator along the × and Y axes, entering specific data about this into the memory of the ADNS-3060 chip. In turn, the microcircuit external controller(mouse) via Serial Port can “draw” this information from the memory of the optical sensor approximately once every millisecond. Note that only an external microcontroller can initiate the transfer of such data; the optical sensor itself never initiates such a transfer. Therefore, the issue of efficiency (frequency) of tracking mouse movement largely lies on the “shoulders” of the external controller chip. Data from the optical sensor is transmitted in 56-bit packets.

Well, the Led Control block with which the sensor is equipped is responsible for controlling the backlight diode - by changing the value of bit 6 (LED_MODE) at address 0x0a, the optosensor microprocessor can switch the LED to two operating modes: logical “0” corresponds to the “diode is always on” state, logical “1” switches the diode to the “on only when necessary” mode. This is important, say, when operating wireless mice, as it allows you to save the power of their autonomous power supplies. In addition, the diode itself can have several brightness modes.

That's all there is to it, actually. basic principles operation of the optical sensor. What else can you add? Recommended operating temperature ADNS-3060 chips, as well as all other chips of this kind, - from 0 0C to +40 0C. Although Agilent Technologies guarantees the preservation of the operating properties of its chips in the temperature range from -40 to +85 ° C.

Laser future?

Recently, the Internet was filled with praising articles about the Logitech MX1000 Laser Cordless Mouse, which used an infrared laser to illuminate the surface under the mouse. Almost a revolution in the field of optical mice was promised. Alas, having personally used this mouse, I was convinced that the revolution did not happen. But that's not what this is about.

I have not disassembled the Logitech MX1000 mouse (did not have the opportunity), but I am sure that behind the “new revolutionary laser technology"is our old friend - the ADNS-3060 sensor. Because, according to the information I have, the sensor characteristics of this mouse are no different from those of, say, the Logitech MX510 model. All the “hype” arose around the statement on the Logitech website that using a laser optical tracking system, twenty times (!) more details are detected than using LED technology. On this basis, even some respected sites have published photographs of certain surfaces, they say, how ordinary LED and laser mice see them :)

Of course, these photos (and thank you for that) were not the multi-colored bright flowers with which the Logitech website tried to convince us of the superiority of the laser illumination of the optical tracking system. No, of course, optical mice did not begin to “see” anything similar to the above color photographs with varying degrees of detail - the sensors still “photograph” nothing more than a square matrix of gray pixels, differing from each other only in different brightness (processing information about extended color palette of pixels would place an enormous burden on the DSP).

Let's estimate that to get a 20 times more detailed picture, you need, excuse the tautology, twenty times more details, which can only be conveyed by additional pixels of the image, and nothing else. It is known that the Logitech MX 1000 Laser Cordless Mouse takes pictures of 30x30 pixels and has a maximum resolution of 800 cpi. Consequently, there can be no talk of any twenty-fold increase in the detail of images. Where did the dog dig :), and aren’t such statements generally unfounded? Let's try to figure out what caused this kind of information to appear.

As is known, a laser emits a narrowly directed (small divergence) beam of light. Consequently, the illumination of the surface under the mouse when using a laser is much better than when using an LED. A laser operating in the infrared range was chosen, probably, so as not to dazzle the eyes due to the possible reflection of light from under the mouse in the visible spectrum. The fact that the optical sensor works normally in the infrared range should not be surprising - from the red range of the spectrum, in which most LED optical mice operate, to the infrared - “at your fingertips”, and it is unlikely that the transition to a new optical range was difficult for the sensor. For example, the Logitech MediaPlay controller uses an LED, but also provides infrared illumination. Current sensors work without problems even with blue light (there are manipulators with such illumination), so the spectrum of the illumination area is not a problem for sensors. So, due to the stronger illumination of the surface under the mouse, we have the right to assume that the difference between the places that absorb radiation (dark) and reflect the rays (light) will be more significant than when using a conventional LED - i.e. the image will be more contrasty.

And indeed, if we look at real photographs of a surface taken by a conventional LED optical system and a system using a laser, we will see that the “laser” version is much more contrasty - the differences between the dark and bright areas of the image are more significant. Of course, this can significantly facilitate the work of the optical sensor and, perhaps, the future lies with mice with a laser backlight system. But such “laser” images can hardly be called twenty times more detailed. So this is another “newborn” myth.

What will the optical sensors of the near future be like? It's hard to say. They will probably switch to laser illumination, and there are already rumors on the Internet about a sensor being developed with a “resolution” of 1600 cpi. We can only wait.

Since its invention, the laser mouse type computer manipulator has gone through a huge evolutionary path from a wooden box on two wheels to a device with an electromagnetic ball and rollers inside. The mechanism was then replaced with an optical sensor and LED. And finally, the latter was replaced by a more accurate and less energy-intensive laser.

To top it all off, her tail was taken away and replaced with a Bluetooth connection. This is how the wireless laser mouse was born. Now it is a miniature ergonomic design, with attractive shapes and colors, light weight, extraordinary sensitivity and indispensable when working with a computer or laptop.

Laser mouse device

The design of a laser mouse resembles an optical design. The main work element consists of three parts:

• miniature;
• optical sensor in the form of a flat matrix;
• a signal microprocessor capable of recognizing changes in images.

A laser mouse differs from an optical mouse in the following characteristics:

• Accuracy. Laser device capable of producing up to 20 times more data in a surface scanning area.
• It has low power consumption and saves batteries during wireless connections.
• Doesn't glow in the dark. Maybe this is not so important, but sometimes additional lighting allows you to judge the operating status of the device.
• Thanks to the properties of the laser, it allows you to work even on a mirror surface.

The main and main disadvantage of laser mice is their high cost. An alternative solution when calculating the benefits of purchasing a wireless version of the device can be made by calculating the savings on batteries.

Features when choosing a mouse

Arriving at a computer store, many buyers are faced with a wide variety of manufacturers and models. electronic devices. It will be much easier to decide on a purchase if you decide in advance what characteristics a laser mouse should have. First of all, these are the technical characteristics:

• Case materials. Plastic, metal, rubber, or combinations of these materials can be used here.
• Mouse type. Wired or wireless - the solution is ease of use additional food devices.
• Sensor resolution. On average, a sensor resolution of 2000 dpi should ensure comfortable use of the mouse. For gaming computers You can purchase a device with higher specifications for this parameter.
• Number of buttons. Here the choice depends on the user. If he intends to use a keyboard along with the mouse, then he can choose fewer buttons. And if it is assumed that a laser mouse can completely replace others, then there are 7-8 button options.
• Possibility to select the sensor operating mode. Allows you to work at your own speed modes various applications or quickly reconfigure if the computer user changes.
• Availability of additional software. Modern manipulator devices generally do not require driver installation. However, some manufacturers, along with their product, offer a set of programs and utilities to facilitate mouse settings or additional bonuses.
• Interface for connecting to a computer and the availability of adapters. Currently, equipment is focused primarily on USB 2.0 connectivity. But you may come across cheaper, outdated models with other plug connection options.

Except technical characteristics, a laser mouse may differ in size, design, and ergonomics. Here the best option will try it on the spot, feel how it fits in the palm of your hand, whether it moves freely, whether all the buttons are easily accessible, how they move double clicks or how the wheel rotates. Examples of high-quality laser mouse models include the A4Tech X-750F, OClick 765L, Logitech MX400, Genius Ergo555, Genius Ergo525 and Lexma AM530(MPE).

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 work in office applications, then your choice is a wireless computer mouse, definitely! 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 when watching a movie or photos (lying on the sofa). 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 a wireless or wired mouse for $10, or even for $200.

In 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. An optical mouse is a manipulator equipped with a very small video camera that takes approximately a thousand photographs per second, they are processed by the processor and sent to the 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 differ more high resolution sensor and, accordingly, the accuracy of cursor movement (players, this is your choice). In case of use wireless mouse, laser ones are more energy efficient (they work noticeably longer without replacing batteries).

Computer mouse resolution

The higher the resolution, the more sensitive the mouse is to movement. Less movement on the table means more movement on the screen. Maximum resolution optical mouse today 1800 dpi, and for a laser mouse the maximum resolution is 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 most modern mice this parameter can be switched.

Mouse resolution is often confused with the mouse sensitivity setting in the operating system toolbar. 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.

This is exactly what I gave to my wife, by the way. Model Logitech Touch Mouse M600 (there is also a Logitech Touch Mouse T620), for those interested - all its characteristics can be easily found on the Internet. It works both on two batteries and on one - this changes the weight of the mouse. She also has Unifying receiver, allowing you to simultaneously connect up to six devices to your computer (future new keyboard will not take up an extra USB port).