Subject: Mice/Positioning

From: [email-masked] (Mark McDade (303) 673-6841)
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 1995 18:12:08 GMT

Hi People -

Anybody thought about the fact that computer mice are common, have
available software and resolve to 0.005 inches?  The resolution
might be increased with correct gearing and the result used as a
cheap feedback system for DIY CNC.

Mark McDade

[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Mike Norton)
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 95 23:51:17 GMT

[email-masked] (Mark McDade (303) 673-6841) 
wrote:
:Hi People -
:
:Anybody thought about the fact that computer mice are 
common, have
:available software and resolve to 0.005 inches?  The 
resolution
:might be increased with correct gearing and the result used 
as a
:cheap feedback system for DIY CNC.

Unfortunately, the mouse ball is coupled to the position 
encoders by
friction.  Therefore, although the resolution can be quite 
good, the
repeatability and accuracy are poor for a CNC application.  
Although
it might be possible to couple directly to the internal 
encoders, 
they look pretty delicate to me.

It seems to me that it would be easier to make an encoder 
from 
scratch.

Mike