A 3D mouse allows users to move a cursor in three dimensions within an application, and can vary in design. It is used for designing and manipulating 3D objects in modeling, engineering, or scientific visualization programs. It solves the problem of maneuvering within a virtual 3D environment, and can work through activating 2D keyboard and mouse macros or by plugging special movements and functionality directly into a 3D application. The design of a 3D mouse can vary greatly.
A three-dimensional (3D) mouse is a variant of the traditional two-dimensional (2D) mouse designed to allow the user to move a cursor in three dimensions within an application. The actual design of a 3D mouse can vary from one manufacturer to another, with some models being nothing more than a 2D mouse with additional buttons arranged on the unit so that when pressed, the mouse changes the axis it is checking. Another style of 3D mouse is used by holding the device in the air and moving and rotating it as if it were a 3D model or camera within your application. One of the problems you may encounter when using a 3D mouse is the problem of resolution, where the movements of the mouse relative to the cursor in the application are not coordinated well, making it difficult to control. Most often, a 3D mouse is used for designing and manipulating 3D objects in a modeling, engineering, or scientific visualization program.
The problem that a 3D mouse is supposed to solve is the problem of maneuvering within a virtual 3D environment. This traditionally happens through a combination of keystrokes and the movements of a normal mouse. This can be troublesome and slow, sometimes requiring a designer to constantly rotate a model’s view to access certain faces, or to keep multiple separate windows open at the same time to work efficiently.
A 3D mouse can work in several ways, but the most common are two. The first is that whatever mechanism the mouse is using to provide free movement activates a series of 2D keyboard and mouse macros within the 3D program in use. In this case, the mouse is a convenient way to activate normal rotations, selections, and other movements without requiring multiple keystrokes or a sequence of disparate steps. This has the advantage that it works well with almost all existing programs, because it only activates existing features.
Another method that can be used is to plug the special movements and functionality of the 3D mouse directly into a 3D application, so that manipulating an object is unique from using a 2D keyboard and mouse. This can greatly increase the efficiency of using a 3D application. One drawback is that the application will need to support advanced plug-ins or have a way to integrate mouse movement into the program.
In real design, a 3D mouse can look like a sphere elevated on a platform, a cylindrical dial, a standard mouse with multiple buttons, or even a pen attached to a mechanical arm. Mice that are held and moved through the air can appear as a magic wand or a curved boomerang-like shape studded with buttons. A unique design places most of the mouse circuitry on a ring that is worn on one hand with a small set of buttons accessible in the palm of the hand, allowing the user to manipulate objects with hand movements.
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