Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

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Introduction to How Computer Mice Work
Evolution
Inside a Mouse
Data Interface

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Mice first broke onto the public stage with the introduction of the Apple Related Content:
Macintosh in 1984, and since then they have helped to completely
redefine the way we use computers.
● Learn More:
Every day of your computing life, you reach out for your mouse ❍ How PCs Work
whenever you want to move your cursor or activate something. Your ❍ How USB Ports Work
mouse senses your motion and your clicks and sends them to the ❍ Keyboards and Mice
computer so it can respond appropriately. Buying Guide

● Advice from the

Experts:
❍ Keyboards & Mice

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Reviews
❍ Graphics & Writing
Tablet Reviews

● What do you think:

What's the best mouse on
the market, and why do you
like it?
Post your response now.

● Go Shopping:
❍ Logitech Cordless
Desktop® S 510
(9675550403)
❍ Logitech MX 1000
(931175)
❍ Logitech G7
This Microsoft Intellimouse uses optical technology.
(9313750403)

In this article we'll take the cover off of this important part of the
human-machine interface and see exactly what makes it tick.
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> Internet Keyboard and Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless,
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Wireless Technology: RF, Mouse Motion Type: ...
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> Browse the Computer Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless, Wireless
Library Technology: RF, Mouse Motion Type: Laser,
Platform(s): PC, Mac from 13 stores

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$60 - $90
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Table of Contents:
› Introduction to How Computer Mice Work
› Evolution
› Inside a Mouse
› Data Interface
› Optical Mice
› Accuracy
› Wireless Mice
› Bluetooth Mice
› RF Mice
› Mouse Innovations
› Biometric Mice
› Tilting Scroll Wheel
› Lots More Information
› Compare Prices for Computer Mice

Rate this Article!

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© 1998 - 2006 HowStuffWorks, Inc.

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

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Evolution
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Data Interface

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Evolution

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

It is amazing how simple and effective a mouse is, and it is also Related Content:
amazing how long it took mice to become a part of everyday life.
Given that people naturally point at things -- usually before they speak
-- it is surprising that it took so long for a good pointing device to ● Learn More:
develop. Although originally conceived in the 1960s, a couple of ❍ How PCs Work
decades passed before mice became mainstream. ❍ How USB Ports Work
❍ Keyboards and Mice
In the beginning, there was no need to point because computers used Buying Guide
crude interfaces like teletype machines or punch cards for data entry.
The early text terminals did nothing more than emulate a teletype
(using the screen to replace paper), so it was many years (well into ● Advice from the
the 1960s and early 1970s) before arrow keys were found on most Experts:
❍ Keyboards & Mice
terminals. Full screen editors were the first things to take real
advantage of the cursor keys, and they offered humans the first way Reviews
❍ Graphics & Writing
to point.
Tablet Reviews

Light pens were used on a variety of machines as a pointing device

for many years, and graphics tablets, joy sticks and various other
● What do you think:
devices were also popular in the 1970s. None of these really took off
What's the best mouse on
as the pointing device of choice, however. the market, and why do you
like it?
When the mouse hit the scene -- attached to the Mac, it was an Post your response now.
immediate success. There is something about it that is completely
natural. Compared to a graphics tablet, mice are extremely
● Go Shopping:
inexpensive and they take up very little desk space. In the PC world,
❍ Logitech Cordless
mice took longer to gain ground, mainly because of a lack of support
Desktop® S 510
in the operating system. Once Windows 3.1 made Graphical User (9675550403)
Interfaces (GUIs) a standard, the mouse became the PC-human ❍ Logitech MX 1000
interface of choice very quickly. (931175)
❍ Logitech G7
(9313750403)

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Top Selling Mice
Logitech Cordless Desktop® S 510
$45 - $80
(9675550403)
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from 11 stores
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Logitech MX? 1000 (931175) $60 - $82

Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless, Wireless
Technology: RF, Mouse Motion Type: Laser,
Platform(s): PC, Mac from 13 stores

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Logitech G7 (9313750403)
$60 - $90
Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless, Mouse Motion
Type: Laser, Platform(s): PC
from 14 stores

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Table of Contents:
› Introduction to How Computer Mice Work
› Evolution
› Inside a Mouse
› Data Interface
› Optical Mice
› Accuracy
› Wireless Mice
› Bluetooth Mice
› RF Mice
› Mouse Innovations
› Biometric Mice
› Tilting Scroll Wheel
› Lots More Information
› Compare Prices for Computer Mice

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

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Data Interface

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Inside a Mouse

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

The main goal of any mouse is to translate the motion of your hand into Related Content:
signals that the computer can use. Let's take a look inside a track-ball
mouse to see how it works:
● Learn More:
❍ How PCs Work
❍ How USB Ports Work
❍ Keyboards and Mice
Buying Guide

● Advice from the

Experts:
❍ Keyboards & Mice

Reviews
❍ Graphics & Writing

Tablet Reviews

● What do you think:

The guts of a mouse What's the best mouse on
the market, and why do you
like it?
1. A ball inside the mouse touches the desktop and rolls when the Post your response now.
mouse moves.

● Go Shopping:
❍ Logitech Cordless
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(9675550403)
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The underside of the mouse's logic board: The exposed portion

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

> BitTorrent of the ball touches the desktop. Ads by Google

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Computer Mice
> Search HSW and the Web The rollers that touch the ball and detect X and Y motion

3. The rollers each connect to a shaft, and the shaft spins a disk with
holes in it. When a roller rolls, its shaft and disk spin. The following
image shows the disk:

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

A typical optical encoding disk: This disk has 36 holes around

its outer edge.

4. On either side of the disk there is an infrared LED and an infrared

sensor. The holes in the disk break the beam of light coming from
the LED so that the infrared sensor sees pulses of light. The rate of
the pulsing is directly related to the speed of the mouse and the
distance it travels.

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

A close-up of one of the optical encoders that track mouse

motion: There is an infrared LED (clear) on one side of the disk
and an infrared sensor (red) on the other.

5. An on-board processor chip reads the pulses from the infrared

sensors and turns them into binary data that the computer can
understand. The chip sends the binary data to the computer
through the mouse's cord.

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

The logic section of a mouse is dominated by an encoder chip,

a small processor that reads the pulses coming from the
infrared sensors and turns them into bytes sent to the
computer. You can also see the two buttons that detect clicks
(on either side of the wire connector).

In this optomechanical arrangement, the disk moves mechanically, and

an optical system counts pulses of light. On this mouse, the ball is 21 mm
in diameter. The roller is 7 mm in diameter. The encoding disk has 36
holes. So if the mouse moves 25.4 mm (1 inch), the encoder chip detects
41 pulses of light.

You might have noticed that each encoder disk has two infrared LEDs and
two infrared sensors, one on each side of the disk (so there are four LED/
sensor pairs inside a mouse). This arrangement allows the processor to
detect the disk's direction of rotation. There is a piece of plastic with a
small, precisely located hole that sits between the encoder disk and each
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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

infrared sensor. It is visible in this photo:

A close-up of one of the optical encoders that track mouse

motion: Note the piece of plastic between the infrared sensor
(red) and the encoding disk.

This piece of plastic provides a window through which the infrared sensor
can "see." The window on one side of the disk is located slightly higher
than it is on the other -- one-half the height of one of the holes in the
encoder disk, to be exact. That difference causes the two infrared sensors
to see pulses of light at slightly different times. There are times when one
of the sensors will see a pulse of light when the other does not, and vice
versa. This page offers a nice explanation of how direction is determined.

Next Page >>

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Top Selling Mice

Logitech Cordless Desktop® S 510
$45 - $80
(9675550403)
Remote Control, Multimedia Control Panel,
Keyboard and Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless,
from 11 stores
Wireless Technology: RF, Mouse Motion Type: ...

Logitech MX? 1000 (931175) $60 - $82

Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless, Wireless
Technology: RF, Mouse Motion Type: Laser,
Platform(s): PC, Mac from 13 stores

Logitech G7 (9313750403)
$60 - $90
Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless, Mouse Motion
Type: Laser, Platform(s): PC
from 14 stores

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Table of Contents:
› Introduction to How Computer Mice Work
› Evolution
› Inside a Mouse
› Data Interface
› Optical Mice
› Accuracy
› Wireless Mice
› Bluetooth Mice
› RF Mice
› Mouse Innovations
› Biometric Mice
› Tilting Scroll Wheel
› Lots More Information
› Compare Prices for Computer Mice

Rate this Article!

Home Store Newsletter Search Advertising Privacy Terms and Conditions Contact About Help
© 1998 - 2006 HowStuffWorks, Inc.

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Data Interface
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Data Interface

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Most mice on the market today use Related Content:

a USB connector to attach to your
computer. USB is a standard way to
connect all kinds of peripherals to ● Learn More:
your computer, including printers, ❍ How PCs Work
digital cameras, keyboards and ❍ How USB Ports Work
mice. See How USB Ports Work for ❍ Keyboards and Mice
more information about this Buying Guide
technology.

Some older mice, many of which are still in use today, have a PS/2 ● Advice from the
Experts:
type connector, as shown here:
❍ Keyboards & Mice

Reviews
❍ Graphics & Writing

Tablet Reviews

● What do you think:

What's the best mouse on
the market, and why do you
like it?
Post your response now.

● Go Shopping:
❍ Logitech Cordless
Desktop® S 510
(9675550403)
A typical PS/2 connector. ❍ Logitech MX 1000
(931175)
❍ Logitech G7
Instead of a PS/2 connector, a few other older mice use a serial type (9313750403)
of connector to attach to a computer. See How Serial Ports Work for
more information.

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Library

Explore Stuff
Next Page >>
> Big List of Articles
> Get the Newsletter
> Shop for Top Products
> Compare Prices for
Computer Mice
> Search HSW and the Web
Top Selling Mice
Logitech Cordless Desktop® S 510
$45 - $80
(9675550403)
Remote Control, Multimedia Control Panel,
Keyboard and Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless,
from 11 stores
Wireless Technology: RF, Mouse Motion Type: ...

Logitech MX? 1000 (931175) $60 - $82

Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless, Wireless
Technology: RF, Mouse Motion Type: Laser,
Platform(s): PC, Mac from 13 stores

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Logitech G7 (9313750403)
$60 - $90
Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless, Mouse Motion
Type: Laser, Platform(s): PC
from 14 stores

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Post and read comments >>

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<< Prev Page Intro Next Page >>

HSW Home

Table of Contents:
› Introduction to How Computer Mice Work
› Evolution
› Inside a Mouse
› Data Interface
› Optical Mice
› Accuracy
› Wireless Mice
› Bluetooth Mice
› RF Mice
› Mouse Innovations
› Biometric Mice
› Tilting Scroll Wheel
› Lots More Information
› Compare Prices for Computer Mice

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

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© 1998 - 2006 HowStuffWorks, Inc.

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> Wireless Mice by Marshall Brain and Carmen Carmack
> Keyboard Mice
> Trackball Optical
> Logitech Optical Mouse

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Data Interface
Optical Mice
Accuracy

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Optical Mice

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Developed by Agilent Technologies and introduced to the world in late Related Content:
1999, the optical mouse actually uses a tiny camera to take thousands
of pictures every second.
● Learn More:
Able to work on almost any surface without a mouse pad, most optical ❍ How PCs Work
mice use a small, red light-emitting diode (LED) that bounces light off ❍ How USB Ports Work
that surface onto a complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor ❍ Keyboards and Mice
(CMOS) sensor. In addition to LEDs, a recent innovation are laser- Buying Guide
based optical mice that detect more surface details compared to LED
technology. This results in the ability to use a laser-based optical
mouse on even more surfaces than an LED mouse. ● Advice from the
Experts:
❍ Keyboards & Mice
Here's how the sensor and other parts of an optical mouse work Reviews
together: ❍ Graphics & Writing

Tablet Reviews
● The CMOS sensor sends each image to a digital signal
processor (DSP) for analysis.
● The DSP detects patterns in the images and examines how the ● What do you think:
patterns have moved since the previous image. What's the best mouse on
● Based on the change in patterns over a sequence of images, the market, and why do you
the DSP determines how far the mouse has moved and sends like it?
Post your response now.
the corresponding coordinates to the computer.
● The computer moves the cursor on the screen based on the
coordinates received from the mouse. This happens hundreds ● Go Shopping:
of times each second, making the cursor appear to move very ❍ Logitech Cordless
smoothly. Desktop® S 510
(9675550403)
❍ Logitech MX 1000
(931175)
❍ Logitech G7
(9313750403)

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> Browse the Computer
Library
Optical mice have several benefits over track-ball mice:

Explore Stuff ● No moving parts means less wear and a lower chance of
failure.
> Big List of Articles ● There's no way for dirt to get inside the mouse and interfere
> Get the Newsletter
with the tracking sensors.
> Shop for Top Products
● Increased tracking resolution means a smoother response.
> Compare Prices for
● They don't require a special surface, such as a mouse pad.
Computer Mice
> Search HSW and the Web

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Apple has transformed its optical mouse into a modern work of art.

Back to the Drawing Board

Another type of optical mouse has been around for over a decade.
The original optical-mouse technology bounced a focused beam of
light off a highly-reflective mouse pad onto a sensor. The mouse
pad had a grid of dark lines. Each time the mouse was moved, the
beam of light was interrupted by the grid. Whenever the light was
interrupted, the sensor sent a signal to the computer and the cursor
moved a corresponding amount.

This kind of optical mouse was difficult to use, requiring that you
hold it at precisely the right angle to ensure that the light beam and
sensor aligned. Also, damage to or loss of the mouse pad rendered
the mouse useless until a replacement pad was purchased.
Today's optical mice are far more user-friendly and reliable.

Next Page >>

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Top Selling Mice

Logitech Cordless Desktop® S 510
$45 - $80
(9675550403)
Remote Control, Multimedia Control Panel,
Keyboard and Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless,
from 11 stores
Wireless Technology: RF, Mouse Motion Type: ...

Logitech MX? 1000 (931175) $60 - $82

Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless, Wireless
Technology: RF, Mouse Motion Type: Laser,
Platform(s): PC, Mac from 13 stores

Logitech G7 (9313750403)
$60 - $90
Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless, Mouse Motion
Type: Laser, Platform(s): PC
from 14 stores

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Table of Contents:
› Introduction to How Computer Mice Work
› Evolution
› Inside a Mouse
› Data Interface
› Optical Mice
› Accuracy
› Wireless Mice
› Bluetooth Mice
› RF Mice
› Mouse Innovations
› Biometric Mice
› Tilting Scroll Wheel
› Lots More Information
› Compare Prices for Computer Mice

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

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Data Interface
Optical Mice
Accuracy
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Accuracy

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

A number of factors affect the accuracy of an optical mouse. One of Related Content:
the most important aspects is resolution. The resolution is the
number of pixels per inch that the optical sensor and focusing lens
"see" when you move the mouse. Resolution is expressed as dots per ● Learn More:
inch (dpi). The higher the resolution, the more sensitive the mouse is ❍ How PCs Work
and the less you need to move it to obtain a response. ❍ How USB Ports Work
❍ Keyboards and Mice
Most mice have a resolution of 400 or 800 dpi. However, mice Buying Guide
designed for playing electronic games can offer as much as 1600 dpi
resolution. Some gaming mice also allow you to decrease the dpi on
the fly to make the mouse less sensitive in situations when you need ● Advice from the
to make smaller, slower movements. Experts:
❍ Keyboards & Mice

Reviews
Historically, corded mice have been more responsive than wireless
❍ Graphics & Writing
mice. This fact is changing, however, with the advent of improvements
Tablet Reviews
in wireless technologies and optical sensors. Other factors that affect
quality include:
● What do you think:
● Size of the optical sensor -- larger is generally better, What's the best mouse on
assuming the other mouse components can handle the larger the market, and why do you
size. Sizes range from 16 x 16 pixels to 30 x 30 pixels. like it?
● Refresh rate -- it is how often the sensor samples images as Post your response now.
you move the mouse. Faster is generally better, assuming the
other mouse components can process them. Rates range from
● Go Shopping:
1500 to 6000 samples per second.
❍ Logitech Cordless
● Image processing rate -- is a combination of the size of the
Desktop® S 510
optical sensor and the refresh rate. Again, faster is better and
(9675550403)
rates range from 0.486 to 5.8 megapixels per second.
❍ Logitech MX 1000
● Maximum speed -- is the maximum speed that you can move (931175)
the mouse and obtain accurate tracking. Faster is better and ❍ Logitech G7
rates range from 16 to 40 inches per second. (9313750403)

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Top Selling Mice

Logitech Cordless Desktop® S 510
$45 - $80
(9675550403)
Remote Control, Multimedia Control Panel,
Keyboard and Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless,
from 11 stores
Wireless Technology: RF, Mouse Motion Type: ...

Logitech MX? 1000 (931175) $60 - $82

Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless, Wireless
Technology: RF, Mouse Motion Type: Laser,
Platform(s): PC, Mac from 13 stores

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Logitech G7 (9313750403)
$60 - $90
Mouse, Connectivity: Wireless, Mouse Motion
Type: Laser, Platform(s): PC
from 14 stores

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<< Prev Page Intro Next Page >>

HSW Home

Table of Contents:
› Introduction to How Computer Mice Work
› Evolution
› Inside a Mouse
› Data Interface
› Optical Mice
› Accuracy
› Wireless Mice
› Bluetooth Mice
› RF Mice
› Mouse Innovations
› Biometric Mice
› Tilting Scroll Wheel
› Lots More Information
› Compare Prices for Computer Mice

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Howstuffworks "How Computer Mice Work"

Rate this Article!

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© 1998 - 2006 HowStuffWorks, Inc.

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