Similarities in what both optical and laser mice do:
- They record a flurry of images, sometimes as many as 1,000 per second.
- The mouse examines one image at a time, trying to detect surface features like textures or scratches.
- The mouse compares back-to-back images, analyzing whether or not those features have changed position.
Mouse types
Movement detection technology
- Optical
- + More acurate
- + don’t work well on highly reflective surfaces
- Laser
- + More sensitive (picks up more details), works more surfaces, good if you move around
- - Jitter
Laser-based mice offer high sensitivity, but they tend to cause jittering.
It is called a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode (or VCSEL) which is used in laser pointers, optical drives, barcode readers, and more.
Optical mice use LED technology with lower sensitivity, allowing for more accurate movement.
Invisible infrared or red LED that projects light onto a surface.
