An optical mouse pad is designed to work well with an optical mouse, which uses a camera to track movement. It does not require a specialized pad, but may have trouble on shiny or transparent surfaces. A good pad is made of durable plastic with a non-slip bottom.
An optical mouse pad is, quite simply, a mouse pad that has been optimized to work well with an optical mouse. The differences between the operation of an optical mouse and a traditional mouse are quite significant. For this reason, they have different demands on the qualities of a mouse pad.
The traditional ball and mouse setup made its appearance in the 1970s. It was introduced as a pointing device for interfacing with computers and is usually represented on the screen as an arrow. It works by sensing movement in a two-dimensional plane when guided across the top of a fabric or plastic mouse pad. The ball is inside the mouse but is partially exposed to make contact with the mouse pad. The mouse houses two perpendicular rollers pressed against the rubber mouse ball. One roll registers vertical movement, the other horizontal. When the reels move in response to the mouse ball, signals are sent to the computer that adjust the position of the arrow on the screen in the X and Y axes.
One of the disadvantages of the mechanical mouse design is that the ball is exposed to dust and dirt on the underside. Lint can be picked up by the ball and prevent the rollers from properly registering mouse movement, which is reflected on the screen by erratic arrow movement. Periodically, users will need to remove the mouse ball and clean it as well as the rollers to restore smooth response.
Heeding to consumer complaints, the optical mouse no longer relied on a ball and rollers to detect motion, instead replacing them with a light-emitting diode or infrared diode and photodiodes. Originally, this new technology needed a specialized optical mouse pad with a reflective face. The grid lines were printed with infrared absorbing ink on a metal surface. The computer could then track the movement by calculating the speed and direction of the mouse on the grid lines.
A modern optical mouse does not require a specialized optical mouse pad. Equipped with an image processing chip, an optical mouse essentially uses a camera to take successive pictures of the surface of the mouse pad. Frame-by-frame edits are processed and translated into motion on the screen. An optical mouse can work even without a mouse pad. In contrast, the friction of a traditional mouse pad is essential for using a mechanical mouse and ball.
While an optical mouse can be used on a wide variety of surfaces, it may have trouble registering movement on shiny or transparent surfaces. Avoid transparent, translucent, or reflective optical mousepads. Some manufacturers claim that a hexagonal pattern improves motion tracking. PC gamers looking for exceptional response time, speed and sensitivity will appreciate an optical mouse pad with a large surface area that offers a smooth glide. A good pad is made of durable plastic with a non-slip rubberized bottom that grips to the desktop. These features can also help extend battery life in wireless optical mice. Cloth pads are not recommended because they can develop snags that can hinder smooth movement.
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