21-09-2017, 12:38 PM
An optical mouse is a computer mouse which uses a light source, typically a light emitting diode (LED), and a light detector, such as a photodiode array, for detecting movement relative to a surface. It is an alternative to the mechanical mouse, which uses moving parts to detect movement.
The first optical mice detected movement on pre-printed mousepad surfaces. While modern optical mice work on most diffuse opaque reflective surfaces such as paper, they are often not able to detect motion on specularly reflective surfaces such as polished stone; mice with coherent lighting (laser) can work even on shiny surfaces, but do not work well on transparent surfaces; dark field illumination allows mice to function reliably even in glass. Laser diodes are also used for better resolution and accuracy. Battery Powered Wireless Optical Mice illuminate the LED intermittently to save energy and only glow when motion is detected.
Although not commonly known as optical mice, almost all mechanical mice tracked the movement using LEDs and photodiodes to detect when infrared light beams did and did not pass through holes in an incremental rotating coding wheel. Therefore, the primary distinction of "optical mice" is not their use of optics, but their complete lack of moving parts to track mouse movement, rather than a completely solid system.
The first optical mice detected movement on pre-printed mousepad surfaces. While modern optical mice work on most diffuse opaque reflective surfaces such as paper, they are often not able to detect motion on specularly reflective surfaces such as polished stone; mice with coherent lighting (laser) can work even on shiny surfaces, but do not work well on transparent surfaces; dark field illumination allows mice to function reliably even in glass. Laser diodes are also used for better resolution and accuracy. Battery Powered Wireless Optical Mice illuminate the LED intermittently to save energy and only glow when motion is detected.
Although not commonly known as optical mice, almost all mechanical mice tracked the movement using LEDs and photodiodes to detect when infrared light beams did and did not pass through holes in an incremental rotating coding wheel. Therefore, the primary distinction of "optical mice" is not their use of optics, but their complete lack of moving parts to track mouse movement, rather than a completely solid system.