The old-fashioned mechanical mouse needs to rotate with friction between the roller and the contact surface, so it must be used on a very flat surface to be used well. However, it uses rubber balls as the rolling mechanism, which is easy to wear and has poor dust-proof performance. The positioning accuracy will decrease after a period of use.

 

In order to overcome the shortcomings of the mechanical mouse, people invented the optical mouse. This mouse uses optical signal positioning instead of mechanical analog signal positioning. However, this mouse must be used on a special mouse pad, which has a very neat ability to absorb light. Grid lines, calculate the number of grids passed by the mouse to determine the direction and speed of movement. The advantage of the optical mouse is that its accuracy is relatively improved, but it is still inconvenient to use, especially when the bottom plate is worn or lost, the mouse cannot be used, and this kind of mouse also has very strict requirements for the use environment.

 

In 1982, Logitech developed the world's first P4 mouse specifically for graphics and network workstations. This was also the world's first mechanical optical mouse (optical mouse). It inherits the advantages of mechanical and optical mice and is more accurate than mechanical mice, but does not require a special mouse pad like optical mice. More importantly, the optical mouse has found an optimal balance between performance and price, thus creating the possibility for the large-scale popularization of the mouse.

 

However, it was after Microsoft launched the Windows operating system and multimedia computers became popular that the mouse truly became a standard component of personal computers. On August 24, 1995, Microsoft released the Windows 95 operating system, which allowed many PCs to experience the convenience of a graphical operating system, and also marked the arrival of the multimedia computer era. Since then, the mouse has become one of the standard input devices for computers. As the number of multimedia computers increases exponentially, the small mouse has become a US$1 billion market worldwide.

 

Further reading

 

Becoming more and more like an “elf”

 

The "mouse" that threw off its tail

 

For the mouse, its easy-to-understand name comes from its "tail", and its troubles also come from that "tail."

 

In Apple's Macintosh era, the technical specifications of the mouse have changed a lot: the mouse ball has replaced the inflexible single roller ball, the single button design has been replaced by the more flexible two/three button, and the standard RS232 string can be powered. The line-port design replaced the early independent interface, and the basic structure of the modern mouse has taken shape. But the only thing that's a bit disappointing is the long tail. If you can look at an advertising poster for the Macintosh computer from that year, you will find that the only thing that doesn't make it look cool enough is the long tail. It is said that Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who had strong fetishistic and perfectionist tendencies, has always been worried about this and vowed to develop a wireless mouse. But before this plan could be implemented, he was kicked out of Apple's board of directors.

 

So, this historic opportunity was left to Logitech. In 1984, Logitech developed the world's first infrared wireless mouse. The principle of this kind of mouse is similar to that of a TV remote control. The mouse can only be used normally when it is pointed at the infrared receiver, which greatly restricts the user's freedom of use, so it has not really entered the market.

 

By 1991, Logitech launched the world's first MouseMan Cordless wireless mouse. The price was $149 at the time. This is the first mouse to use radio frequency technology. The mouse does not need to be directly connected to the receiving device to operate. Compared with infrared wireless mice, it can provide users with a more casual use experience.

 

From being handy to doing whatever you want

 

However, the evolution of the mouse does not end here. In 1996, Microsoft invented a wheel mouse that was more suitable for the needs of the Internet era. The wheel mouse mainly adds a wheel to the original two-button mouse. As long as the wheel is moved, the page scrolling function can be automatically realized, making the browsing window easier and more convenient to use! In addition, it also has special amplification and remote control functions. , making surfing the Internet more casual! Therefore, the wheel mouse also got a resounding nickname "Net Mouse"!

 

In 1999, Microsoft cooperated with Agilent to launch Intellimouse Explorer, a new optical mouse. This kind of mouse uses high-energy red light to illuminate the surface of the object, and then collects image data of the object surface at an extremely high frequency. These data are calculated and analyzed by a high-speed DSP (digital signal processor) to obtain the direction and value of the mouse movement, thereby realizing the cursor. position. Most general optical mice return 400 coordinate values to the computer for every inch they move. Therefore, the accuracy of optical mice is beyond the reach of old-fashioned mice. Since movement data is no longer generated through mechanical friction, it is freed from the constraints of the operating surface and can be used on almost all operating surfaces without mechanical wear and tear, and its lifespan is also greatly improved. Currently, the vast majority of mice sold on the market are this new optical mouse.

 

In 2002, Logitech launched the unique double-bald Aurora "Flying Ermine" in the history of optical mice.

 

In 2003, Microsoft launched a mouse that all uses a "Tilt Wheel" wheel. The biggest feature of this wheel is that it can control horizontal movement by tilting left and right...

 

The "mouse" finally became a spirit! But the story of the mouse will continue and is far from over.

 

Future speculation

 

Maybe it will disappear

 

The spirit is always there

 

In a sense, today we have become accustomed to using the mouse on the computer as a matter of course. But in fact, as the "father of the mouse" Doug Engelbart pointed out more than 40 years ago, the mouse is just our human-computer interaction interface - that is, the way people interact with computers has become friendlier and smarter , a way of humanization. The advancement of technology and market demand have allowed the mouse to evolve rapidly, but it may also disappear from our side one day in the future.

 

If, when we were watching science fiction movies that reflected the future world, we would still find it incredible to see those shots of dragging icons out of thin air with both hands, then the ubiquitous smart touch-screen phones and tablets nowadays are undoubtedly playing the role of mouse terminators. The character - the window is still there, but the "mouse" is gone.

 

In fact, the emergence of touch screens is only a small part of the upcoming revolution in human-computer interaction. Nintendo launched the revolutionary Wii game console in 2006, marking the arrival of the era of motion-sensing games. Panasonic has invented a display that can recognize users by their faces, and Accentur Technology Labs is designing a multi-touch interactive display wall. In the near future, even devices that control computer equipment with pure thoughts are expected to enter the consumer electronics market. By then, maybe the mouse will really go into the background of history like those computer devices that we once considered essential.

 

However, the purpose of making machines better serve people represented by the mouse will not change. We may say goodbye to the mouse, but it will be replaced by a new computer that allows us to have a more arbitrary operating experience!