Wally Hasnat

A Mouse Without a Tail:

The Innovation of Wireless

 

The Wireless Mouse

The computer mouse first came about in the early 1980s. There are a few different types of computer mice on the market. These being the mice that use the traditional tracking ball, the optical mouse and the mouse that has no physical connection to the computer. The wireless mouse was first demonstrated by two independent inventors in 1980s by John Markoff & Sol Sherr. With the idea that the movement from the user’s hand could be turned into signals that the computer could read moving the cursor around, the motion typically translates into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows for fine control of a graphical user interface. It uses an infrared led and a four-quadrant infrared instrument to detect grid lines in pattern with engrossing ink on a special metallic surface. Like any other radio technologies, the wireless mouse consists of a transmitter, receiver, and battery. The receiver is connected to the computer and the transmitter is built into the side of the mouse.

The radio frequency receiver usually connects to the computer’s external mouse input or is already built into the computer. It obtains the radio frequency signals, decodes them, and then communicates these signals to the computer as normal.

A radio frequency transmitter is usually found inside the mouse. The mouse records the movements made and buttons clicked to then send the information via radio signal to the receiver.

The receiver and transmitter use radio frequency to communicate with each other to transfer signals from both sides and it is a continuous process. The connection between these functions are very reliable and in fact, they are capable of transmitting the mouse’s movements from across a room.

Radio frequency devices often use USB ports for the wireless connection but Bluetooth devices have taken over the generation for easier transmission and stronger communication. These devices transmit signals through a technique called frequency hopping, which allows the devices to avoid interferences with other Wi-Fi devices. Bluetooth devices can also have a range going up to 30 feet.

 

Works Cited

 

Brain, M., & Carmack, C. (2000, April 24). How Computer Mice Work.  

 

IMouse S70G – Wireless Optical Neon Mouse – Adesso Inc ::: Your Input Device Specialist :::. (n.d.)

 

Yurtoğlu, N. (2018). An Overview of Wireless Mouse : History, Challenges and Applications. History Studies International Journal of History, 10(7), 241-264. doi:10.9737/hist.2018.658