h a l f b a k e r y"More like a cross between an onion, a golf ball, and a roman multi-tiered arched aquaduct."
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Why can't we have a perfectly spherical mouse (using gyroscope for direction stuff, and dynamo thing for power), a pressure sensitive outer layer would allow detection of a user 'click'.
so really, a bit like a track ball, but with no tail and all the mechanical stuff on the inside
P.S. cedar
park - not round, Spherical
// after anos
I think the drag/drop effect could be happily acheived by applying a slight, constant pressure to the sphere as it's moved
mouse power solved
http://www.halfbake...f_20Powered_20Mouse
power shouldm't be a problem [neilp, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]
(?) SpaceOrb
http://www.3dgw.com...aceorb/spaceorb.htm
You mean like this? [Piquan, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]
Sleeper
http://www.homevide...oscomedy/sleep.jpeg
[thumbwax, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]
Puyocon
http://www.engadget...rown-gyrated-video/
It took them seven years to find my HB entry, but they've built one now. [neilp, Jan 25 2010]
[link]
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Interesting. I'm not sure it's possible to have a pressure sensitive click and a perfectly smooth outer shell. Maybe if you just pick up the sharp vibrations inside? |
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[DC] Sure, just make it out of a flexible material - like rubber. A few strain gage stickers on the inside surface should do the trick. The only problem I can see is how to change the batteries. |
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No batteries, harness the power of a swimming goldfish inside. |
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Alas, when you got up to use the restroom your ball rolled off the desk and accidentally erased your entire morning's work. |
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Some things just weren't meant to be. |
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you could have just said "balls" <g> |
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Note: Do not follow [Piquan]'s link if you have a Java-enabled browser. The "SpaceOrb" home page will attempt to set itself as your homepage. There is no corporate site. |
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I think the link should be deleted. |
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Oops, I hope I don't have Java enabled browser.
<note to self>: Read all annos before scoping links. |
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Apple sold a round mouse. It's the worst idea they ever had. With this design, you never knew what direction was 'up', you either had to look at the mouse, or feel for the button or tail. It wasn't too long before it was replaced with their current optical mouse. |
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Note: 'worst idea ever' comment doesn't include the Lisa or Apple IIc LCD display. |
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I had to do QA work on a Mac, and I wanted to kill the idiot that designed that glazed donut mouse (and the matching glazed keyboard that was made for the hands of a 6-yr old girl). I don't think Mac's were designed to actually be used, just to look cool.
Anyhoo, that six-dimensional space orb [in link] has me confuzzled (if a joystick is fine for Stephen Hawking, it's fine for me!) |
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I'd like to have a go on one of these. It's the kind of thing where you don't know if it's a good idea or not until you actually give them a go, which is probably why no one's had the courage to develop one yet. |
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To solve the problem of it rolling away, perhaps it could have a little docking bay to rest in? |
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The thing is, while they might be accurate for short distance mousework, I'm sure they'd be awful for long distance movements and they'd probably knacker your arm in too! Nethertheless, I still think it's a very cool idea and I'd love to try one out. |
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[adr] // To solve the problem of it rolling away, perhaps it could have a little docking bay to rest in? //
Reminds of those little office putting greens, with the spring loaded ball return. This would make an interesting variation on video golf. |
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How would you click and drag? Seems like by holding your finger down to "click" would make it impossible to move the sphere.... |
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On top of Old Smokey
all covered with cheese,
I lost my poor mouseball
when somebody sneezed. |
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[nihilo], that's lovely, my own poem. |
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[BJS] a trackball is, basically, an upside down mouse, you move the ball directly, and the mouse stays where it is.
and.. err. yeah, this would be wireless. |
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[Like Cedar Park mentioned] How would you know (or the mouse know) which direction is up, down, left, or right? If you rotated the mouse (with a vertical axis), then the movement would be in a different direction when you roll it. |
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Maybe the gyroscopes would eliminate this problem somehow? But if it has gyroscopes, then wouldn't they require more power to spin them, which the dynamo would not be able to produce? |
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