The computer mouse has already become so firmly established in our everyday life that it is simply impossible to imagine working with a computer without it. This manipulator is widespread everywhere - from simple surfing on the Internet to computer games and high-precision design.
By definition, a computer mouse is a mechanical pointing device that converts surface movements into cursor movements on a computer screen. It was first included in the delivery of a Xerox minicomputer (Xerox 8010 Star Information System). This device had three buttons and was quite expensive - $ 400 (taking into account inflation, it corresponds to - $ 900 in our time). The next manipulator was a one-button mouse from Apple, the price of which was significantly reduced - only $ 25 - These were the first devices that only remotely resembled their modern counterparts. The manipulator has changed, evolved, and at the moment there are several of its types, which differ in the way of fixing and transforming movements. The very first mouse was not even a "ball" mouse, as is commonly believed, but rather a "wheeled" one. It consisted of a wooden body and two perpendicular wheels protruding from it. To move the cursor, each of them spun in its own direction. But, this model had many drawbacks and was very quickly replaced by a device with a ball drive, in which all movements are transmitted by means of a rubberized ball protruding from the body to rollers pressed against it. They also "remove" the movement of the mouse. The main disadvantage of such a manipulator is the rapid contamination of the rollers and the ball, due to which the device must be unwound and cleaned frequently. Currently, "ball" manipulators are practically superseded by LED and laser models. They are based on the LED, which illuminates the surface, and the camera, which photographs it more than a thousand times per second, respectively. The photo data is transferred to the processor, which draws conclusions about the movement of the mouse in space and positions the cursor on the screen. Such manipulators have restrictions on the type, quality and color of the plane on which they work. For example, some devices of this design cannot be correctly positioned on a multi-colored or fleecy surface. This problem is partially solved in optical laser mice. They use a more advanced sensor that uses a semiconductor laser for illumination. Due to the wide distribution of computer mice and the variety of products provided, each user can choose a manipulator suitable for him.
