Mechanical Mouse / Ball Mouse

Mouse is a hardware device that controls the activities of pointer or cursor on computer monitor. When we elaborate the term “mechanical mouse”, it implies a device integrated with an internal metal or rubber ball, which can spin in all directions (left, right, up and down). Thus, the display cursor moves as the mouse detects the direction.

In 1972, Bill English (builder of Engelbart's original mouse) invented the ball mouse, while working for Xerox PARC. In this, a single mouse was replaced by the external wheels, which could roll in any direction. This hardware tool was a part of Xerox Alto computer. On the way to light sensors, perpendicular chopper wheels were inbuilt in the mouse’s body chopped beams of light.

A mechanical mouse includes an inbuilt ball and wheel mice for providing reliable grip to mouse movement. They were manufactured by Jack Hawley (who worked as the Mouse House in Berkeley, California) in 1975

Throughout the 1980s and 90s, the usage of ball mouse became predominant as it resembled a reversed track ball. Thus, the modern technique of using keyboard and mouse alongside was settled by the Xerox PARC group.

In 1990s, Jack Hawley invented another mouse with two wheels rotating at off axes.

Later on, Keytronic produced the modern computer mice at EPFL, which was designed with three buttons and a single hard rubber mouseball.