How an optical mouse work
With an optical mouse, you can move a cursor on a computer screen by moving the mouse on a surface. In addition, it has buttons that can perform various tasks. It doesn’t matter whether they use LEDs or lasers, almost all mice today are optical, whereas mechanical mice have gone out of fashion. How an optical mouse work is quite simple
A laser or LED light source monitors the movement of a CMOS optical mouse sensor and a digital signal processor monitors the movement of an optical mouse. To begin with, the light source generates light that shines on the surface. A CMOS sensor detects the light reflected from the local surface, forming an image of that surface. CMOS cameras capture thousands of images every second and the DSP analyzes the images. Using these images, the DSP determines if, how, and in what direction the mouse has moved. Computers then receive this information (through wired or wireless receivers) and update the position of the cursor on the screen accordingly.
A certain feature in an image is used as a fingerprint, as shown in Figure 1. Similarly, the DSP compares the location of each fingerprint in the two images (in which direction, by how much, etc. ), and the difference between them corresponds to how the mouse has moved in either direction. Digital image correlation is the process by which an optical mouse captures and compares thousands of images every second, each image is offset by a certain amount of pixels depending on how fast it moves. As the cursor moves on the computer screen, this information is translated into movement.
The optical mouse diagram is as follows;
Optical mouse diagram; How an optical mouse work
Light source
There are two types of an optical mice, the LED mouse, and the optical mouse. They derive their names from the types of light sources they use. The Laser Mouse is better though.
LED mice
LEDs were commonly used to illuminate optical mice when they were first popular. As red LEDs are inexpensive and silicon photodetectors are sensitive to red light, optical mice’s LEDs can vary in color. However, red LEDs are the most common, as red diodes and photodetectors are very sensitive to red light. Other types of LEDs include infrared (IR) LEDs. In addition to blue, other colors may also be used, like in the VM-101 V-Mouse pictured to the right.
Laser mice
Even though this light is invisible to the naked eye, CCDs are sensitive to a broad range of light wavelengths, allowing them to capture purple the light produced by this laser mouse.
A laser mouse illuminates the surface beneath its sensor with an infrared laser diode instead of an LED. The Sun SPARCstation servers and workstations came with a laser mouse as early as 1998.
A team at Agilent Laboratories, Palo Alto, led by Doug Baney, developed a laser mouse based on an 850nm VCSEL (laser) that offered 20X better tracking performance in 2004, however, laser mice did not enter the mainstream consumer market until 2004.
US patents 7,116,427 and 7,321,359 were awarded to Tong Xie, Marshall T. Depue, and Douglas M. Baney in conjunction with their work on VCSEL-based consumer mice with low power consumption.
The new technology was introduced as the MX 1000 laser mouse by Logitech in partnership with Agilent Technologies. Instead of an LED, the mouse’s image is taken by a small infrared laser (VCSEL). Comparatively, laser-illuminated optical mice deliver superior surface tracking.
A glass laser mouse (or Glaser mouse) is a laser mouse with the same functionality, but you can use it much better on glass surfaces than you can with other optical mice. Laser navigation sensors with VCSEL technology were introduced by Avago Technologies in 2008.
Logitech announced in August 2009 that they would be introducing two lasers onto mice for better tracking on glass and glossy surfaces. The mice were dubbed “Darkfield” laser sensors.
Advantages of Optical Mice
In comparison with its predecessor, the trackball, commonly referred to as a manual mouse, an optical mouse has many advantages. Firstly, it does not require moving parts. A LED instead of a tiny rubber ball is used in optical mice, so they won’t stick or get dirty. Consequently, they’re extremely reliable. People often complain about having to constantly repair or maintain their manual mice. In contrast, optical mice often function without issue for years at a time. The LED and LASER mouse sometimes freezes.
Users get a much better response and performance with this new technology since it uses an LED instead of a rubber ball for tracking and uses a CMOS sensor instead of a rubber ball. As a general rule, better tracking means a smoother experience.
It is also a great advantage that optical mice can be used on a wide variety of surfaces, which is another reason why they are the most popular mouse technology. While optical mice can be used on just about any desktop or material, manual mice require a special mouse pad made of special material to function optimally.
Furthermore, optical mice are incredibly cheap. It is possible to buy an optical mouse for less than $30, and some are available for less than $15.
Buy an optical mouse from Amazon
How does an optical wireless mouse work?
RF technology is typically used to transmit information from a wireless mouse to your computer. … Wireless mice contain transmitters. Using electromagnetic waves (radio waves), the mouse tracks your movements as well as the buttons you click.
What makes a mouse optical?
A laser mouse has a different illumination source than an optical mouse. An optical mouse illuminates its surface using an infrared LED light. In contrast, a laser mouse uses a laser beam to illuminate the surface
How do I connect my wireless optical mouse?
You can turn on Bluetooth by choosing the ‘switch on Bluetooth’ option in the Bluetooth menu. The mouse’s sync button must be held down steadily for about five seconds.
In the device list, the mouse now appears. You can connect your mouse to your computer by selecting it from this list
Does an optical mouse need a mousepad?
The low penetration level of optical mice can make them difficult to use on highly reflective surfaces, such as glass. A laser mouse, on the other hand, does not suffer from this issue and can work on virtually any surface, including glass. If your desk or table is reflective or made of glass, then optical mice need a mouse pad, but laser mice don’t.
Check the best mouse pads From Amazon
How do you make a homemade mouse pad?
To create this project, you will need a round piece of corkboard, scrapbook paper, mod podge, ribbon, and paint. Trace the shape on the paper using the corkboard. Afterward, cut the circles out of the paper and stick them to the cork. Finally, glue the ribbon around the perimeter of the paper.