Mouse

Product Innovation of the computer mouse

By charlie_dunivan

  • First

    First
    Why: Part of a post-World War II-era fire-control radar plotting system called Comprehensive Display System (CDS). It used analog computers to calculate the future position of target aircraft based on several initial input points provided by a user with a joystick.
    Who: Ralph Benjamin
    What was used: A metal ball rolling on two rubber-coated wheels

  • Second

    Second
    Why: To develop both hardware and software computer technology to "augment" human intelligence
    Who: Douglas Engelbart
    What was used: Two potentiometers perpendicular to each other and connected to wheels: the rotation of each wheel translated into motion along one axis.

  • Third

    Third
    Why: Intended for personal computer navigation
    Who: Xerox
    What was used: Optical sensors instead of a ball inside its small plastic case and circuitry

  • Fourth

    Fourth
    Why: A PC compatible mouse; at this point the majority of mouses are for the same, generic, purpose that they’re used for today
    Who: Apple
    What was used: Plastic and circuitry; as with the reason why, the materials remain the same from there on out, even in today’s mouses

  • Fifth

    Why: A PC compatible mouse; at this point the majority of mouses are for the same, generic, purpose that they’re used for today
    Who: Atari
    What was used: Plastic and circuitry; as with the reason why, the materials remain the same from there on out, even in today’s mouses