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Optical Mouse Saves Space in Cellphones

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the look-at-my-tiny-pointer dept.

Chris writes "Researchers at Philips have integrated a space-saving optical mouse into a mobile phone for the first time. Dutch researchers at the Philips Center for Industrial Technology have developed a compact, optical interface for portable electronic equipment. The team says that its new input gadget can be easily integrated in cellphones, laptops and PDAs, providing an space-efficient alternative to a mechanical trackball or touch-pad for example. The device is made up of a low-power red laser diode and a detector placed beneath a lens. Light from the 650 nm laser is focused on an object, such as a fingertip, creating an external cavity. It is not necessary to touch the lens. A small portion of this light is then reflected back and mixes with the light within the internal laser cavity."

18 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. CellPhone 2003 -- now even MORE Annoying! by JUSTONEMORELATTE · · Score: 2, Funny

    Geez... As if the jerk talking on his phone during lunch wasn't bad enough, now he's gonna be flashing a damn laser pointer around the place too!

    1. Re:CellPhone 2003 -- now even MORE Annoying! by YanceyAI · · Score: 5, Funny

      Heh. But seriously, imagine the jerk driving, talking on his cell, and trying to figure out how the new mouse-optical-thingy works.

      --
      Can I bum a sig?
  2. Reminds me... by ultramk · · Score: 4, Funny

    of this incredibly lame-looking thing.

    -m

    --
    You catch enchiladas by picking them up behind the head and holding them underwater until they don't kick anymore -VeGas
    1. Re:Reminds me... by OxOx · · Score: 2, Funny

      So I'm thinking of a whole new product - take the cellphone optical mouse, add the mousephone and the Cymouse - "Cymouse knows the exact location of your head in a 3-D space. In the Cymouse world, we call this the 'direction'" - and you get a input device that uses lasers to create external cavities, monitors the position of your head, and lets you use the phone and get on the INTERNET at the same time! I'll be rich, damn you!

  3. Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I won't be getting one. The last thing I want to do is be clicking through pr0n-o-rama.com and accidently call my boss.

  4. hmm by Kalewa · · Score: 3, Funny

    When I first read the headline I was invisioning this optical sensor in the back of a phone and you'd move the phone around on a desk to move the pointer. Now that would be funny to watch in a restaurant.

  5. Of course, if this was a Mac ... by burgburgburg · · Score: 5, Funny

    Somebody would complain because it didn't have three buttons.

  6. This is getting complicated... by dmarien · · Score: 5, Funny

    So I have a tooth cell phone, that has an optical laser pointing device, and built in cameras?

    shesh, I dont think anyone needs live feeds of me operating my laser controlled cell phone with my tongue all while making plans for which pubs we'll be visiting that evening. that's too 'geek' for me... but it would be hillarious!

    --
    dmarien
  7. Laser Cavity by EvilBudMan · · Score: 2, Funny

    >>Light from the 650 nm laser is focused on an object, such as a fingertip, creating an external cavity.

    I want one that creates an INTERNAL cavity!

    1. Re:Laser Cavity by dubiousmike · · Score: 2, Funny

      well, mod the phone so that the lazer is at 65000 nm.

      I'll bet you might see an internal cavity then...

      ;^)

  8. About time! by jhampson · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm sick and tired of having to clean out the ball and gears in my cellphone-mouse. I am worried about answering my phone and lasering my brain though. I'd prefer long-term radiation to instant death.

  9. If only they'd up the power on that laser by Sagarian · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now a combination death ray and cell phone -- THAT would be something!

  10. Imagine the possibilities!!! by delphin42 · · Score: 4, Funny

    With an optical mouse and web access, how long will it be before I can punch the monkey and win on my cellphone?

    --
    -- Adam
  11. that's a stupid gadget by DrSkwid · · Score: 2, Funny

    incredible

    how do such devices get past a certain stage.

    inventor : "Hi, I've had this great idea for a new mouse, it's got a phone handset built into it"
    vc : "Really, let's do it, I can't imagine anyone not wanting one of those"

    --
    There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
  12. The hillarity of combo devices... by Navius+Eurisko · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is it just me or did anyone else envision a businessman rubbing a cellphone back and forth on the side of his head to use their laptops while talking on the phone? :)

  13. Not in *this* world by TrumpetPower! · · Score: 3, Funny

    "The demonstrators were sized some 15 x 10 x 8 mm^3," says Duijve.

    That's what, 1200 mm^27? I don't know about you, but I have problems with just four spatial dimensions, and they expect us to do this with 27?

    "Within Philips, technology is available to integrate the device down to a few mm^3."

    I'll wait for this Euclidian version, thankyouverymuch.

    b&

    --
    All but God can prove this sentence true.
  14. Dear Sirs, by mekkab · · Score: 4, Funny

    The other day when I was forced to surf the web on my phone since my wireless PDA was being used to open a bottle of Corona Extra (la cerveza mas fina) I came upon your idea on slashdot where you proposed a spider-web launching add on. Needless to say, I was shocked! So once the beer was opened I used my Handspring PDA as a telephone and called my VC buddy immediately (though he didn't answer- after he installed that Golf Tee extension to his Nokia we can't get him off the links!)

    Nonetheless I know he would be interested in funding such a usefull gizmo as he has a successful track record of supporting innovation.

    If you are interested I can use my wristwatch to take a digital picture of the contract and fax it to your blue tooth enabled microwave ASAP.

    Things are heating up!

    Mekka Berzerkor, C.E.O.

    --
    In the future, I would want to not be isolated from my friends in the Space Station.
  15. Re:Scraping things across holes... by Ctrl-Z · · Score: 4, Funny

    "I hope they put a little glass window over these rather than leaving it exposed like the bottom of my optical mouse - human hands are just too oily for this kind of thing..."

    Uh, dude, I think you're using your mouse upside down. The optical sensor is supposed to be on the bottom of the mouse.

    --
    www.timcoleman.com is a total waste of your time. Never go there.