Re: Optical mouse for DRO anyone?

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Vaughan" <mark@...> wrote:
>
> I take my old mice out the range and shoot at them with my 44 Colt
Walker,
> clouds of smoke and plastic everywhere when you eventually hit it.
>
> They don't like the 357 either.
>
> Much more satisfying.
>
>
>
> Dr. Mark Vaughan Ph'D. B.Eng. M0VAU
>
> Managing Director
>
> Vaughan Industries Ltd, reg in UK no 2561068
>
> Water Care Technology Ltd, reg in UK no 4129351
>
> Addr Unit3, Sydney House, Blackwater, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 8HH, UK.
> Phone/Fax 44 1872 561288
>
> RSGB DRM111(Cornwall)
>
> _____
>
> From: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tony Smith
> Sent: 16 April 2007 13:23
> To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Optical mouse for DRO anyone?
>
>
>
> > Has anyone had success using an optical mouse or it's
> > components to make a DRO or an accurately reading scale? If
> > so, can you share any tips, links, or other info?
> >
> > TIA, Chris
>
> Do you want the good news or the bad news? Well, it's mostly bad news.
>
> I do recall people dismantling the old ball mice (usually serial), and
> hacking up something to turn the wheels in those. This fact that
everyone
> isn't hacking up their old mice, coupled by the fact that digital
calipers
> are dirt cheap probably means their success rate isn't high, or it's
just
> not worth the effort.
>
> Have a rummage around for Honeywell mice; instead of a ball, they
had two
> wheels on the bottom of the mouse, directly driving the slotted wheels
> inside. Worked well, no ball de-junking sessions, bit of flop
commercially.
> I think they figured it out just as optical mice came out.
>
> The resolution of most mice sucks. A typical mouse is supposed to be
1/100"
> - 1/400" resolution, and 'gamer' mice have higher resolution, up to
1/4000".
> That doesn't sound too bad, except I think there's a bit of
marketing plus
> 'that number doesn't mean what you think' in there. The newer mice take
> more readings per second, but that doesn't mean they can detect a
movement
> as small as 1/4000". It just means that when you do move the mouse
in order
> to shoot something, it reacts faster. Then again, who knows?
>
> The real downside is that mice are USB these days, and good luck
building an
> interface for that. You're stuck with having to plug your mouse into
a PC
> (although you might be happy with that). There are serial port optical
> mice.
>
> On top of that you get to deal with everyones favorite, dirt.
>
> Tony
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>