Noiseless Mouse
A computer noiseless mouse is a pointing device held under one hand with one or two buttons that doesn’t feature a “clicking” sound when clicked. The latest models also feature a scroll wheel and additional buttons usually with customizable functions. It functions by detecting two-dimensional motion against a surface which it transmits as movement of a cursor on the monitor for better control. The first computer mouse which became available for personal computers came with the Xerox 8010 Star Information System in 1981. It would be until 1984 with the introduction of the Apple Macintosh that the computer mouse comes of age. Today, it comes with most computers available in a wide variety of form and function. As time and technology progressed, the computer mouse has enjoyed a marked improvement. Before discussing the noiseless mouse, this article will take a brief detour in discovering the evolution of computer mouse technology. The first computer mice were mechanical devices. The ball mouse was invented in 1972 which used a single ball that could rotate in any direction. Inside the mouse, chopper wheels chop light beams directed towards light sensors which detect motion. This set up became common for computer mice during the 1980s and 1990s. An opto-mechanical set-up was also available. The main difference is that an optical encoding disk is spun by the ball to convert to cursor movement.
An optical computer mouse does away with all mechanical parts. Instead, it uses light-emitting diodes to detect movement. This has the advantage of less maintenance and cleaning requirements since there are no moving parts. Optical mice often outperform mechanical ones in unconventional surfaces as well as the lack of a mouse pad. However, performance on glossy surfaces can be unpredictable as it may cause the cursor to move uncontrollably. Power consumption may also become an issue especially when used with battery-powered laptop computers.
Other innovations have also improved the computer mouse. Mice are also combined with other computer devices to create and optimize multipurpose devices. Additional buttons are incorporated with a multi-media mouse for controlling other media. These may be for entertainment devices. For serious gamers, high-performance gaming mice are available for personal computers and gaming consoles. These are often wireless and features programmable buttons for the user’s convenience. Motion-based mice integrate miniature gyroscopes to track its motion as you wave it through the air. And of course, a noiseless mouse is now available.
Although the motion-sensing device of the computer mouse has continued evolving, the buttons have remained almost the same. Apart from adding more buttons and a scroll wheel for some computer mice, not much has changed. The clicking noise is made by a strip of metal that bends every time you click. Apparently for some, the clicking noise due to constant clicking can be annoying and even stressful up to a certain point. The noiseless mouse attempts to solve this noise problem.
This can be great for people who have a hard time concentrating because of the noise. Also, you will not attract too much attention at the office or library. The noiseless mouse also provides the same feeling when clicking to your fingertips without the noise.
