- Cordless (Wireless)
- Footmouse
- IntelliMouse (Wheel mouse)
- J mouse
- Joystick
- Mechanical
- Optical
- Touchpad (Glidepoint)
- Trackball
- TrackPoint
Cordless
Alternatively referred to as wireless, cordless is the ability to operate a device without any wires that may cause constricted movement. Cordless computer hardware devices commonly utilize such Infrared or Bluetooth. Cordless networks, more commonly known as a Wi-Fi network, utilize one of the IEEE 802.11 wireless standards for wireless communication.
Although cordless devices requires no wires, they do require some device to broadcast a signal; for example, a Bluetooth mouse may require a USB Bluetooth transceiver to send and receive signals from the mouse. In addition to this, all wireless hardware devices require batteries.
Footmouse
Footmouse is a type of computer mouse that allows a user to control the mouse cursor with their feet. The idea behind this technology is to allow a user to keep their hands on their keyboard and still be able to use a mouse. An example of a company who develops this is Hunter Digital.
IntelliMouse
Alternatively referred to as the Microsoft mouse, wheel mouse or scroll mouse, the IntelliMouse is a mouse brand first developed by Microsoft in 1996. It has a wheel between the left and right buttons that enable the user to scroll up and down a web page; as opposed to using the vertical scroll bar. The picture below shows an example of what the original Microsoft IntelliMouse looked like.
In addition to being able to scroll, the mouse wheel acts as a button when depressed. For example, if you hover over a link and press down on the mouse wheel, it opens that link in a new tab.
Due to the wide popularity of this mouse, it has become the standard mouse model used with most computers. Although "IntelliMouse" is a Microsoft Trademark, wheel mice are developed by every mouse manufacturer today.
J-Mouse
Alternatively referred to as a JMouse or J Mouse, a J-Mouse is a mouse solution used with older portable computers that utilized the "J" key on the keyboard and commonly had two separate buttons for the left and right-click below the space bar. As can be seen in the picture, theZenith or ZDS Z-Star EX keyboard the J-mouse is uniquely identified with a picture of a mouse and an indented circle, so it can be identified visually and physically from the other keys on the keyboard. Below is an example of the left and right mouse buttons found on the laptop.
Because of its difficulty to use and better technologies that were later introduced, this mouse is no longer used. A big thanks to Chris with ZDSParts for supplying us with a clear picture of the Z-Star EX laptop.
Joystick
An input device that allows the user to control a character or machine in a computer program. They look similar to the control device you would find on an arcade game.
For example, a joystick allows an individual to move an object in a game; such as navigating a plane in a flight simulator. The picture shows the LogitechFreedom 2.4, an example of a Joystick.
Mechanical mouse
A mechanical mouse is a computer mouse that contains a metal or rubber ball on its under side. When the ball is rolled in any direction, sensors inside the mouse detect this motion and move the on-screen mouse pointer in the same direction. The picture is an example of the bottom of a mechanical mouse with the ball removed.
Today, this mouse has been replaced by the optical mouse.
Optical mouse
The optical mouse is a computer mouse first introduced by Microsoft on April 19, 1999 that utilizes light-emitting diodes (LED) or laser to help track movement. These mice are identified by examining the bottom of the mouse. As seen in the picture the optical-mechanical mouse has a ball, and the optical mouse has a light emitting from the bottom.
Drawbacks of some optical mice include working properly in rooms with bright lights and on some surfaces such as a glass table. However, in comparison to optical-mechanical mice, optical mice are a much better solution.
How does an optical mouse work?
In addition to having either a LED or laser, an optical mouse also has a tiny low-resolution camera that takes a thousand or more pictures every second. In the camera the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor sends a signal to a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). The DSP can analyze each picture for pattern and light changes and then based off those changes moves the mouse cursor on your screen.
Why is the mouse light red?
Although not all optical mice use red, red is the most common LED used with an optical mouse because it is typically one of the cheaper diodes and because the photo detectors are more sensitive to red light.
Further optical mouse history
Before Microsoft introduced their mouse in 1999, there were many different companies and inventors who had earlier styles of optical mice. In the 1980s Richard Lyon andSteve Kirsch both independently created their own versions of an optical mouse that required a special surface in order to move the cursor.
Touchpad
Alternatively referred to as a glide pad, glide point, pressure sensitive tablet, or trackpad, a touchpad is aninput device found on the majority of portable computers, and now also available with some external keyboards, that allow you to move the mouse cursor without the need of an external mouse.
A touchpad is operated by using your finger and dragging it across a flat surface; as you move your finger on the surface, the mouse cursor will move in that same direction, and like most computer mice, the touchpad also has two buttons below the touch surface that enables you to click like a standard mouse.
Trackball
An input device that looks like an upside-down mouse. The onscreen pointer is moved by the trackball with a thumb or finger.
A trackball requires less arm and wrist motion that a regular mouse takes and therefore is often less stressful for the user to use, helping to prevent RSI. The picture of the Logitech Cordless Trackball mouse is an example of what a trackball mouse may look like.
TrackPoint
Alternatively referred to as a pointing stick, style pointer, or nub, TrackPoint is a mouse solution used with portable computers that was first introduced by IBM in 1992. It is a small, isometric joystick that resembles a pencil's eraser head, located between the "G," "H," and "B" keys on the keyboard.
This technology enables the user to keep their hands on the keyboard and still be able to control the mouse. The left and right buttons for this mouse are commonly located under the space bar. The picture shows an example of the TrackPoint.
