Computer Mouse

The mouse is one of the most important functional devices in a personal computer (PC). Basically a pointing device, the mouse operates by identifying two-dimensional motion which is relative to its surface. The motion of the mouse converts into the motion of the pointer in the computer display. This enables the computer user to control the Graphical User Interface in a rather effective manner. The device may have two or more functional buttons. In recent times, a number of modifications have turned the mouse into a more user-friendly device allowing users to make use of it in a number of ways.

As a result, there are many varieties of mouse available in the market these days. The name of the device has an interesting background to it. It owes its origin to the early prototypes of the mouse that had a conspicuous resemblance with the nocturnal animal. In the subsequent decades, the mouse became an important aspect of the entire computing experience and people began using it more frequently than ever. Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of mouse. These are optical mouse and mechanical mouse. In a mechanical mouse a ball is used along with rollers that gauge the mouse’s movement.

On the other hand, in an optical mouse light rays and a sensor are used for measuring the movement of the mouse. This type of mouse detects the movement of the mouse using photosensitive diodes and a light emitting diode. In the range of optical mouse, there are several different kinds of mouse readily available in the market. For example, there is the infrared optical mouse that has replaced the light emitting diode with an infrared diode to cut down on power usage and provide more accuracy to the user. Alternately, in the laser mouse in place of the LED a laser diode is used.

The last mentioned mouse provides the maximum accuracy while translating the movement of the mouse to the movement of the pointer on the screen. Keeping in mind the varied requirements of different computer users and the need to cater to them, a wide range of mouse have been launched in recent years. Some of them are unique and user-friendly. The footmouse, for instance, allows the user to manage the mouse using his or her feet. However, of all the modern modifications that have taken place with regards to the mouse, the touchpad has undoubtedly been the most successful one and has found acceptance among a growing number of computer users.

Designed initially for the portable computers, the touchpad is nowadays being used with external keyboards. The touchpad negates the necessity to use an external mouse and enables the user to control the on screen pointer through their fingers. Another popular version of the mouse is the intellimouse which is also known as a scroll mouse or a wheel mouse. In this type of mouse, a wheel is designed in the middle of the left and right mouse buttons. Using this wheel, users can scroll up or down the pages effortlessly.