Mice are getting smaller and smarter, thanks to a group of humans in Fort Collins.
Computer mice, the oft-neglected peripheral, are getting renewed interest as people opt for laptops and a separate mouse over the touchpad on the keyboard. Users also are looking for a mouse that comfortably lets them flip through PowerPoint presentations or play video games.
Most are cordless, operating via Bluetooth or wireless USB technology. The trackball on the bottom has been replaced with a laser or optical lens, so it can be used on several surfaces.
A team of 11 Microsoft engineers in Fort Collins is assigned to making breakthroughs for the company’s line of 25 mice. Their work enables the optical and laser capabilities of the mouse and the way it communicates with the computer.
The team’s latest creation is the Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000, which fits into the palm of the hand.
The bottom of the mouse contains buttons to control computer volume, play or pause a slide show and flip through a presentation. There’s also a button that activates a red laser pointer.
“That presenter mouse was our most challenging product in terms of putting everything in it, (such as) the optics for the pointer,” said David Bohn, principal hardware developer for Microsoft. “The chip (we designed for it) had a longer development cycle, about two years. It was a very challenging mechanical design. A lot of mice have additional features, and the place where it makes the most sense is the bottom.”
