Optical Mouse
An optical mouse is a kind of computer mouse that is designed to detect movements with the use of light. The mouse contains a light-emitting diode (LED) that is visible at the bottom of the device which helps to highlight patterns and differences in the surface underneath the mouse. It also contains a tiny camera inside that captures multiple snapshots every second. When the patterns which are highlighted with the LED have reflected back to the camera, the digital signal processing (DSP) will then analyze the images and determine the direction of the movement.
The optical mice have number of benefits. One of the common advantages of them is they don’t contain a trackball. Trackball mouse are much prone to dirt as it has the ability to gather dust whenever it is rolled up to the mousepad. Due to this, you need to frequently clean them to maintain the smooth movement of the mouse. Since optical mouse doesn’t contain any moving parts, there’s no maintenance or cleaning required. It can also last for years without repairing or malfunctioning. Another benefit is that the user can move the mouse smoother and more accurate compared to the early model. Since it doesn’t contain a ball underneath, it can even be used without a mousepad. However, this mouse can’t work well on specular surfaces, such as on a glass table, mirror or transparent surfaces.
When compared to a laser mouse, they are most likely similar to each other. Both of them don’t contain trackballs which make them easy to maintain and not require frequent cleaning. They also operate with accuracy and smooth movement. However, laser mouse is more sensitive as it can track signal resolutions up to 2000 dpi while the optical only tracks 800 dpi. But aside from that, the only difference is that laser mouse don’t emit light, instead, it contain an invisible light to process signal and detect movements.
Today, the optical mouse is the one mostly used in offices and homes. Because of the ease and accuracy, no wonder why people tend to choose this over the trackball mouse which is now obsolete. Because there are already lots of manufacturers releasing optical mice, the prices have dropped down ranging $15-50. There’s no special requirement on PC to be able to use this. In fact, you can simply install it by just plugging it on the computer. There are wide variety of styles and sizes that are available in the market. They can be used in computers, laptops and notebooks. They also come with either PS/2 or USB plugs, perfect in any type of computer device. If you desired, you can also find a wireless mouse for more convenient movement.
Generally, optical mice are the one recommended for most home applications. Not just because they are more affordable but their tracking resolution is not too low or high, making them perfect for an average computer user. You can purchase an optical mouse to any computer shops, gadget stores, and online distributors.