We all have those rough hackers. Many years after we first saw them, we still think of them. For the serial whistleblower [inne], one of them is [Patrick baudish’s] soap mouse, which is a DIY device for mouse in midair, using components on shelves and around the house.
How does it work? The entrails are wrapped in plastic shaped like flat pills and slide into furry socks. With a little squeeze, the plastic pellet will rotate, causing the outward sensor to rotate one circle after another. Although we briefly reported on soap mouse as early as 2006, we think it deserves to be the focus of attention today, especially because there is a complete PDF guide that can help you build a mouse optimized for games. If you want to use a regular pointing device, the conversion is described in.
[patrick] the CompUSA (RIP) mouse is used in the guide, but any mouse that is thin enough and short should work, as long as it has a fairly long focal length, which is necessary for the sensor to see the shell. A large number of traveling mice should meet this requirement.
The hull itself is made of two small (empty) bottles of hand sanitizer, which are selected according to their size, shape and the clarity of the plastic. The outermost shell is a Baby Sock sewn with snap buttons. Patrick said it was difficult to put socks against plastic. He tried various lubrication methods, such as putting a little mineral oil in some plastic bags.
Please be sure to check the video after the break. The video is on 5 ½ Everything from various types of interaction to construction was well explained within minutes.
Since 2006, [Patrick] has been holding seminars where people make their own soap mouse. Did you make one? Please let us know in the comments. Don’t forget the odd input and strange peripheral competition sponsored by digi key, which will last until July 4. Declare your independence from ordinary keyboard and mouse, and win a great victory!