Monday, May 14, 2001		On Hardware

This mouse uses sensors
 By Naveen S.Garewal

THE future is already here or so it seems going by the kind of futuristic peripherals that are already available in the market. From intelligent mouse to force feedback joysticks and steering wheels, there are several devices in the market that have replaced a conventional mouse, keyboard or even a monitor for that matter. The graphic sketching tablets have turned simple graphic artists into designers and equipment like Trackman live has brought Star Trek at your desktop by replacing the conventional monitor.

Placed in an affordable range, these futuristic devices as we term them, can bring in a lot more excitement into various multimedia applications. For example when an "I-feel mouse" passes over an icon, the mouse gives a tactile feedback enhancing the feeling of realism in an application. The same goes for force feedback joysticks and steering wheels that simulate a real life experience.

While the mouse and joysticks have been redefined, the conventional speakers and monitors too have come a long way. Sony has come out with a wearable screen that is nothing but a device like glasses that can be put on for a 3D effect in gaming and other multimedia applications. Similarly Creative has developed what can be called "surround ears." These are stub-like micro speakers that are placed close to the shoulders of a person working on a workstation and give a sound effect that has never been heard on a PC before.

Surprisingly all these futuristic peripherals are now easily available in India at a price that is quite affordable to begin with. Let us see the options that are available today when you go out to buy a mouse, which became a mandatory peripheral after the introduction Graphical User Interface (GUI) in most operating systems. Microsoft that developed Windows has come up with at least half a dozen options to choose from. The IntelliMouse Explorer, IntelliMouse Optical, Wheel Mouse Optical, Cordless Wheel Mouse, Trackball Explorer, Trackball Optical are just a few that range from two to five buttons in the corded and cordless range.

Apart from adopting a forced feedback technology, most modern mouse employ the optical technology wherein the mouse use sensors and has no moving parts. So the movement of the mouse is smooth and precise. In short, it is a hassle-free mouse with an eye for precision that can detect motion on any surface like wood, plastic or even concrete eliminating the need to use a mouse-pad. It does not skip and jam. The conventional mouse-ball has been replaced with an IntelliEye optical sensor that tracks movement 1,500 times per second providing smooth and precise motion. The optical sensor is sealed that keeps out the dirt and lint that causes a traditional mouse to skip or jam. This mouse allows you to easily move through documents by simply rolling the wheel forward or backward instead of clicking on a scroll-bar and the wheel can be used to zoom in or out of pictures without having to use menus or toolbars. By using the side button, you can browse the Web. The buttons on either side can even be customised to execute routine actions in many favorites programs.

In gaming devices too, the Force Feedback technology adds tactile sensations to the gaming experience. Such gaming devices employ high-precision mechanisms, sophisticated electrical and optical components, digital-optical tracking technology and come bundled with easy-to -use software. These gaming devices have tiny infra-red sensor that detect the hand that grips them and in turns activate the force effects. You can maintain as light or heavy a grip as you like but the handle will not move unless you’re holding it, making it much superior to the conventional joysticks.

In some joysticks that employ the latest technology including Microsoft’s SideWinder, tiny infra-red cameras detects handle and throttle motion to within 2/100ths of a degree without any wear or calibration. This camera relays to the joystick microprocessor the exact position of the handle giving a high accuracy of force feedback and thereby eliminating slop and oscillation.

Graphic tablets are yet another peripheral, which can be termed, lifesaver for artists, architects, designers and inventors. It combines a pen mouse with a conventional mouse. It allows writing directly by hand into a computer, sketching, illustrations, etc. These include Intuos, Graphire and Pl-Series from companies such as Wacom.

There is a tremendous variety available today while choosing a graphics tablet, joystick, steering wheel, mouse, multimedia speakers and even monitors.