Making a robot from a computer mouse. DIY computer mouse

Nowadays, handmade, that is, things made with one’s own hands, has become firmly in fashion. This definition can include any items that you have repaired or altered yourself. Such a thing can be a piece of equipment, for example, a computer mouse. And in our article we will try to figure out how to make a wired one from a wireless mouse with your own hands. The instructions below will help you decide whether this action is necessary or whether it would be easier to replace the mouse in a store.

What is the difference between a wireless mouse and a wired one?

Many may think that the difference between one of these devices and the other is that a wired mouse has a wire, while a wireless one receives power using batteries or an accumulator.

In general, this is true, but if you delve a little deeper into the question, you can find many other important differences:

• Firstly, there is a difference in size. Wired mice are always a little larger in size, as their equipment is somewhat more complex. The same applies to weight, although both weigh insignificantly.
• Secondly, wired mice respond much better and faster than wireless ones. That is why they are more often chosen by gamers and computer users, for whom seconds of braking can be a huge hindrance. Yes, wireless mice work exactly the same as wired ones at the beginning of use, but as the battery or accumulator is discharged, characteristic stutters and slowdowns appear, and choppy controls may begin to interfere.
• The third difference follows from the first. The lifespan of an average wired mouse is 10 years, while a wireless one is only 3.4 years. This is a significant difference, and if you do a little math, even the difference in cost does not cover the costs.

The advantage of a wired mouse

Having carefully studied all the characteristics of a wired mouse, we can highlight a number of advantages that encourage users to make such a difficult modification. The advantages of this device include:

• price;
• durability of use;
• speed of response to user commands;
• versatility.

As you can see, the main advantages of a wired mouse over a wireless one will be price and durability of use. A mouse powered by a computer costs even less than a wireless mouse of the same class. And for remote control You will also have to spend money to purchase power supplies. In addition, given that this mouse is scrapped twice as quickly, we can conclude that much more cheap option- This is a wired mouse.

More than once, users have encountered the problem that mouse drivers do not fit their home PC or laptop. A wired mouse does not require the installation of special drivers. To start using it, you just need to plug it into the USB output and get to work.

How to turn a wireless mouse into a wired one?

So, we have figured out in detail that a wireless mouse is inferior to its wired counterpart in many respects. Is it worth running to the store for a new mouse to replace the old one? Don't rush to get ready. Now we will try to sort out the information about whether it is possible to turn a wireless mouse into a wired one.

From a theoretical point of view, this is quite possible. From a practical standpoint, this process will be somewhat difficult for the average consumer who does not understand physics and mechanics. But we will try to explain the algorithm of actions in as much detail as possible.

Let's figure out how to turn a wireless mouse into a wired one

The instructions we will provide will outline the remodeling process in the form of the necessary steps:

1. So, let's start by looking at the wireless mouse itself. To do this, you need to unscrew two screws using a screwdriver and remove the cover.
2. Next, separate from the bottom of the mouse motherboard, before unsoldering two wires - red (+) and black (-) - from the batteries.
3. Now we need to solder a resistor to reduce the voltage from 5 volts to 3. How to do this? Explain in simple language this will not work, but in short, you need to connect 2-3 diodes in series in direct connection.
4. Drill a hole in the cover to allow wires to come out in the future. This must be done carefully so that a crack does not appear in the device body.
5. Place the board with the changed voltage in the case and insert the resulting wire into the drilled hole.
6. Connect the ends of the wire to the USB.

The device can already be used, but such fraud will only replace the power source in the mouse. It will also be controlled “over the air” using a USB connection to a computer or laptop, since the signal transmission schemes for wireless and wired mice are still different.

We have described in detail how to turn a wireless mouse into a wired one with your own hands, but you might still have questions about the practicality of this modification.

Is it worth making a wired mouse out of a wired mouse?

It is unlikely that this question can be answered less ambiguously - no, it’s not worth it. if you have skillful hands, you can make something with them and you do it only out of scientific interest, then personal enthusiasm can lead to good results. However, if you are an Internet self-taught person and are doing this only because you feel sorry for the money to buy a new mouse, then you should not take on this disastrous task, because in the end you will lose more than you gain.

The asking price is three hundred rubles, which is quite a bit, considering that when assembling the mouse you will spend a lot of nerves and, possibly, an entire wireless mouse. Moreover, such a modification will not last long. A homemade cord will fray much sooner than a purchased one, and the structure itself will become loose and impractical.

Conclusion

If you read the beginning of the article, realized that a wired mouse is suitable for quite serious gamers, and decided to solder it quickly, then you are wrong. It will be even more difficult to play with a converted mouse than with a simple wireless one. The cord on a homemade device will be more clumsy, and the response just because of the presence of a wire will not become faster.

Thus, we can conclude that it is both theoretically and practically possible to turn a wireless mouse into a wired one, but this will be of little use, since the conversion will not gain the advantages of a real wired mouse. It is much easier and more practical to go to the nearest store and buy a mouse for 300-500 rubles.

To solve one of the problems, I needed to programmatically receive and process images small area paper surface with very close range. Having not received decent quality using a regular USB camera and already halfway to the store for an electron microscope, I remembered one of the lectures in which we were told how various devices, including a computer mouse, work.

Preparation and a little theory

I will not go into details of the operating principle of a modern optical mouse; it has been written about in great detail (I recommend reading it for general development).

After googling information on this topic and disassembling an old PS/2 Logitech mouse, I saw a picture familiar from articles on the Internet.

Not a very complicated design of “first generation mice”, an optical sensor in the center and a PS/2 interface chip slightly higher. The optical sensor I came across is an analogue of the “popular” models ADNS2610/ADNS2620/PAN3101. I think they and their counterparts were mass produced in the same Chinese factory, with different labels on the output. Documentation for it was very easy to find, even along with various code examples.

The documentation says that this sensor receives an image of a surface measuring 18x18 pixels (400cpi resolution) up to 1500 times per second, stores it and, using image comparison algorithms, calculates the offset in X and Y coordinates relative to the previous position.

Implementation

To “communicate with the sensor” I used the popular computing platform Arduino, and decided to solder directly to the legs of the chip.

We connect 5V and GND to the corresponding Arduino outputs, and the sensor legs SDIO and SCLK to digital pins 8 and 9.

To obtain an offset by coordinates, you need to read the value of the chip register at addresses 0x02 (X) and 0x03 (Y), and to dump the picture you need to first write the value 0x2A at address 0x08, and then read it from there 18x18 times. This will be the last “remembered” value of the image brightness matrix from the optical sensor.

You can see how I implemented this on Arduino here: http://pastebin.com/YpRGbzAS (only ~100 lines of code).

And to receive and display the image, a program was written in Processing.

Result

After a little “finishing” of the program for my project, I was able to receive an image directly from the optical sensor and perform all the necessary calculations on it.

You can notice the texture of the surface (paper) and even individual letters on it. It should be noted that such clear picture quality is obtained due to the fact that the developers of this mouse model added a special glass stand to the design with a small lens directly under the sensor.

If you start to lift the mouse above the surface even a couple of millimeters, the clarity immediately disappears.

If you suddenly want to repeat this at home, to find a mouse with a similar sensor, I recommend looking for old devices with a PS/2 interface.

Conclusion

Although the resulting image is not very large, it was quite enough to solve my problem (barcode scanner). It turned out to be very economical and fast (a mouse for ~100 rubles + Arduino + a couple of days to write the code).

I will leave links to materials that were very useful to me for solving this problem. It really wasn’t difficult and was done with great pleasure. Now I'm looking for information about the chips of more expensive models of modern mice to obtain high-quality images with higher resolution. I might even be able to build something like a microscope (the image quality from the current sensor is clearly not suitable for this). Thank you for your attention!

It was called Mousebot, and its main highlight is that it is able to see light and then turns towards it. All this thanks to two LEDs that capture the light.

Materials and tools for manufacturing:
- one ball mouse;
- two small motors;
- one toggle switch;
- microcircuit LM386;
- one DPDT 5v relay (you can also use Aromat DS2YE-S-DC5V);
- transistor PN2222 NPN (2N3904 is also suitable);
- one LED (color does not matter);
- 1 kOhm transistor;
- 10 kOhm resistor;
- 100 mF capacitor;
- tape cassette;
- floppy disk or CD;
- 9V battery with equipment;
- rubber strips and wires.

Tools you will need: multimeter, Phillips screwdriver, pliers, drill, knife, soldering iron, wire cutters, glue or epoxy, hot glue gun and hacksaw.

Manufacturing process:

Step one. We disassemble the mouse and take out some parts
Having disassembled the mouse, you need to remove the switch from it, as well as infrared emitter, they will be needed to make the robot. The IR emitters and switch need to be unsoldered. The emitter is marked in the pictures with numbers 1 and 2, the switch is marked with number 3.

Step two. Preparing the robot body

To get as much space as possible in the robot body, you need to cut out all the extra protrusions from the inside of the mouse. The easiest way to do this is with a Dremel. If the mouse is small, you may have to remove the protrusions into which the connecting screws are screwed. A short cylindrical type Dremel works well for cutting. When in a vertical position, it will cut at right angles with good quality.

Step three. Making robot wheels
Since the motor axles are very small, they need to be equipped with wheels to move the robot. Rollers from cassettes, which were once tape recorders, are ideally suited for these purposes. The wheels are attached to the axles using superglue. Then take a strip of rubber and wrap it around the wheel, you need to make three turns in total, and for each half turn you need to add glue. Now a second one is glued on top of the already glued rubber band; it should be installed as in the photo.

Step four. Creating a layout and installing a relay
It is best to use a standard layout, while the mouse layout will be simple, since printed circuit board takes up little space. You need to install the relay and solder the wires, contacts 8 to 11 and 6 to 9 are crossed with connecting pins. Next you need to connect pins 1 and 8 and add stranded wire for pins 8 and 9.
Then you need to take the transistor and solder the 16th pin to its collector. Subsequently, the wires soldered to pin 9 are connected.

After this, the relay can be glued to the housing. The wire that connects the 9th contact to the emitter contact must be soldered to the power wires. Pin 8 is connected to the positive pole.

pins 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16;

1 – emitter; 2 – collector; 3 – base

Step five. Installing a switch button
Now you need to take the switch and connect it as shown in the diagram. The resistor used is 10 kOhm. To prevent a short circuit from occurring, it is best to insulate the contacts using heat shrink tube.

Step six. Connecting the robot's brain
The LM386 chip is used as the brain for the robot. It needs to be turned upside down and then pins 1 and 8 bent so that they touch, then they need to be soldered. Then the chip is installed in the case and connected. You need to add stranded wire to pins 2, 3 and 5. And contacts 4 and 6 are connected to positive. In the end, everything should look as shown in the photographs.

Step seven. We create top part robot
You need to take a drill and drill holes in the top of the mouse body. Two holes are needed for connecting the eyes, and one for installing the LED. At the back of the mouse you need to do big hole under the toggle switch. At this stage the switch can be installed.

To create eyestalks, you need to twist copper wire, and then solder IR emitters to their ends with one contact. An LED can now be installed in the central hole, and a 1 KOhm resistor is soldered to its positive contact.

Step eight. Fixing elements
To ensure that the motors and switches are held securely, they must be secured using hot glue or epoxy resin.

Currently, even from computer mouse you can make original things. Many fans of fakes have long figured out how to use a non-working mouse.

Should you throw away your old computer mouse?

Sometimes a computer mouse becomes unusable, sometimes you have to replace an outdated model with a more modern one because of convenience. Often in this case appearance and its contents remain in good condition. If you don't want to throw away used computer parts, you can give them new life, using to create interesting things.

What can be made from a computer mouse: ideas

External and internal parts from the old device will be useful for creating the following original things.

Robot

An unnecessary ball mouse will become a light-sensitive robot. To do this, the parts are disassembled, and the switches and infrared emitter are left for operation. The body must be freed from unnecessary parts and protrusions, and wheels must be attached, wrapped in three layers of rubber tape. Next, you will need a relay, which must be installed inside the case, connect the necessary contacts and solder the wiring. To operate, the robot will also need a small microcircuit; it must be placed inside the case. It remains to make two holes for the eyes and one for LED lamp in the front and one toggle switch hole in the back. Contacts are attached to the right and left motors, eyes and battery are connected. The robot is turned on using a toggle switch.

Flashlight

By inserting an LED inside the housing, you can get a small flashlight. Using the same method, you can make a small table stand or lamp. A stand is attached where the wire is connected, and a lighting lamp can be installed in the place of the ball.

Important! Do not use incandescent lamps as lighting. When they heat up, they can damage the plastic from which the mouse body is made.

Tachometer

Using a board from an old mouse, you can create a tachometer. Transistors and an LED board element will come in handy. A resistor is soldered into the free hole of the controller, and a contact from the phototransistor is connected to the board connector. All that remains is to connect the tachometer through the connector to the computer. The resulting device counts rotation pulses per second and displays the data on the monitor.

Winder

A hole is drilled in the upper part of the body into which an adapter with a convenient attachment is placed. Such a winder will be mechanical and will rotate due to the movement of the adapter.

What can be made from many computer mice

If you have a lot of computer mice, you can use them by making:

Columns

Having disassembled plastic case and by placing a small speaker there, you can get audio speakers. To do this, you need to unscrew the screw with a screwdriver and divide the device into two parts. Place a custom-sized speaker inside. The wiring must be cleaned, the contacts and their compatibility with the color of the wire must be checked with a tester. Then use hot glue to firmly secure the speaker disk inside and connect both parts of the housing. Such portable speaker Suitable for phones, tablets, players and even computers.

Advice! If you make a hole in the front of the mouse body, the sound will be more powerful.

Robot RoboCop

This idea will work if you have a lot of broken computer mice at home. From them you can assemble the body and limbs of a complex robot. The role of such a craft can only be decorative, but if you equip the robot electrical mechanism, available interesting toy, capable of moving and emitting light.

What can you do with an old mouse? and got the best answer

Reply from User deleted[guru]
But it’s better to make the lamp LED, since incandescent lamps get very hot, and the plastic of the mouse will probably melt.
P.S. Very good LEDs can be taken from lighters with flashlights. Lighters can withstand only 2-3 refills, and the LED is almost eternal.
Source: We don’t throw anything away, don’t sell anything, and try not to buy anything. But we give and select, repair and do it ourselves!

Answer from Yashpa[guru]
take a three-liter jar, fill it with sawdust, cut an apple, a carrot and put your mouse in it - let it live on

Answer from Dimon XXX[expert]
You can make it interesting table lamp: At the place where the wire is attached, attach a stand (you can use one made from an unnecessary lamp), and instead of a ball, a light bulb. A switch can be made from the inside of the mouse itself at the press of a button. You can also change the lamp intensity with a scroller and much more.
In this matter, everything depends on imagination and knowledge of electrical engineering.

Answer from Linza[guru]
Just look at what company it is. Go to their website and offer them to buy the rarity from you! Will there be money!?

Answer from Nikolay Davydov[guru]
hang it on the wall (cut and glue glass beads - let your imagination run wild)

Answer from Deathwatch[active]
leave it of course....I have a row of mice, so I take out the good old ball mouse and go...

Answer from SHP!ON[guru]
Draw eyes with a marker, cut the wire shorter and you can put it on the shelf
and you will be happy!

Answer from Nasty[guru]
throw it away and buy a new one, where is your logic?

Answer from Owl[guru]
Wow! A real RARITY. Since 1999, so many mice have died of natural causes, but here is a long-lived one. We must definitely find a worthy use for such a veteran.

Answer from Above Me[master]
Take it apart to find out what's inside, I've already taken 3 pieces apart

Answer from copperhead[guru]
Don't throw it away! She can still survive three new ones!

Answer from Neohuman[guru]
You can, for example, paint it in a folk or other style - make it exclusive.
You can then varnish it so that the paint does not rub off (this is what they do)

Answer from Mark slavin[active]
give it to the old cat

Answer from User deleted[active]
Throw it away!!

Answer from User deleted[guru]
give it to the cat

Answer from Elena Starky[guru]
Hang it in the refrigerator :) And show guests “My mouse hanged itself” :)
I’ve been dreaming of doing this for a long time, but I just can’t get around to it :)

Answer from 2 answers[guru]