A computer mouse is a very common, very well-known peripheral hardware component of a Personal Computer (PC) that lets the user interact with the machine. Ever since it was shipped with the Xerox 8010 Star Information System it has brought to PC users worldwide a hands-on approach to handling the data stored on their computers.

The term of “mouse” was attributed to it in 1965 by Bill English, because of its resemblance with the small mammal, especially due to the cable that connects it to a computer that looks like the tail of a mouse.

So how does a computer mouse work? The first computer mice used a set of two perpendicular wheels that, when they were pressed and moved on a surface, sent electric signals to the computer which translated those signals into X and Y coordinates, thus rendering the pointer on-screen to move accordingly. But the first mouse was bulky and heavy to manipulate and soon fell out of fashion due to invention of the ball mouse.



The ball mouse uses the same principle as the wheel mouse, but instead of two perpendicular wheels, it uses just one ball. This was needed because its predecessor couldn’t move in more then two directions. The ball mouse could now move in any direction – for the wheels that transmitted the electrical impulses generated when they moved were inside, pressed against the ball of the mouse. However, even this mouse had its disadvantages. It needed a rather rough surface, because friction was very important in order to roll the ball – hence the appearance of the mouse pads. Also, its inside wheels were pretty sensitive and the ball itself carried dust from the surface it was used on to the circuits inside, thus soon rendering the mouse nonfunctional.

And this brings us to the present day. The most common mouse used nowadays is the optical mouse. This one uses a light-emitting diode and photo-diodes in the process of detecting movement relative to the surface it’s based upon. The optical mouse has a lot of benefits due to the fact that the inner mechanism has no direct contact with any surface, thus being protected from dust or other residual material that can get caught up in the circuits and affect them. Also, the optical mouse’s precision is far greater then the one of its ancestors. And last, but not least, it can very well function on most surfaces – a regular wooden desk for example – without the need of a mouse pad.

There are a few other models of computer mice that, even though they are not that common as the regular ball mouse or optical mouse, surely they have attracted attention. Probably the most well-known is the Wii Remote. This is just an example from a large array of a newer, less known category of computer mice, also known as 3D mice. They use sensors to detect any movement in a three-dimensional space, thereby demanding a larger implication of the handler in exchange for a full filled sense of control.



Now that you have a better, although still basic understanding of how does a computer mouse work, maybe next time you get a hold of the little mechanical critter, you won’t take it as much for granted.