We explain what the mouse is and the main functions of this peripheral device. In addition, as is an optical and mechanical mouse.
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What is the mouse ?
In computer science , it is called mouse (from English: “mouse”), mouse, pointer or pointer to a peripheral input device, of manual use, designed to facilitate user interaction with the graphic environment interfaces of numerous computer systems. Today it is a popular and traditional computer accessory.
The mouse works by capturing through various mechanisms the movement that the user prints when moving it with his hand, and translates it on the screen through the position of a cursor or pointer, usually in the form of an arrow or hand .
To this must transmit signals detected motion to the computer , which can be done via a cable (PS / 2 or USB) or remotely through a variety of wireless devices ( wireless ).
The first versions of the mouse were made of wood and were designed in the 1960s by Douglas Engelbart and Bill English at the Standford Research Institute. Although today they would look rudimentary, their operation and design were basically the same, and although they were called “X and Y axis indicators for visual systems”, they were nicknamed “mouse” due to their resemblance to this animal . Eventually the nickname would remain and the first contemporary mouse model was introduced in 1968.
In many systems this device has been replaced by the touch screen, which allows the user’s own hand, or a special indicator bar, to enter the movement information directly to the system, without the need for additional hardware.
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Mouse functions
The mouse has the task of reflecting the movements of our hand in the virtual graphic environment of the system, that is, to serve as an extension or representation of our will within the computer system .
Thus, we can dictate to the system what applications we want to execute, by pressing the button (or one of them: the Macintosh mouse has a single button, while the IBM mouse has two ) on the icon that represents it, or even where we would like to move it in the folder system, represented by windows that display its content.
Likewise, the mouse can serve as an interface with application software such as video games, spreadsheets and much more.
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Optical mouse
Optical mice are known as those that have a system for tracking the position of the device using a light emitting entity (such as the Laser or LED), instead of the usual rotating ball inside the mechanics. This allows a more fluid, precise and less prone to dirt accumulation. However, it requires more energy consumption.
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Mechanical mouse
This is the name of the classic mouse, whose operation requires a rubber or plastic ball inserted inside to move two fixed wheels or axles, whose movement is transmitted by electronic circuits to the computer.
This mechanism is the traditional and the most economical, but it is much less precise than optical mice and has the tendency to accumulate dirty when traveling on the surface, which leads to obstacles and other deficiencies in its operation.
