From the world's first mouse to the latest mouse, know the loss of the mouse history

According to Logitech worldwide famous as a mice manufacturer (Logitech Japan), today,We shipped 1 billionth mouseAnd that. It is the first one that there are 1 billion units, and even the original model "The world's first mouseThere is also. The image above is the first person in the world to think of the mouse & its mouse, it seems that more than 40 years have elapsed since the first mouse in this world.

So let's close to the history of unknown mice, from the world's first mouse to wireless mice, trackballs, laser mice, to mice that can be manipulated in the sky that stretches the current state-of-the-art technology .

Details are as below. Probably because it is detailed in a different direction from Wikipedia, you should be able to become a mouse as well with this.

Logitech (Logitech), 1 billionth mouse shipped

Mr. Douglas C · Engelbart made a demonstration to make the world's first mouse and notify its function. Currently I am 83 years old and I am still alive. (*Died due to renal failure on July 2, 2013I was 88 years old. )


This is the world's first mouse



In a paper in 1962, Mr. Engelbart mentioned the "pointer" which allows you to move items on the screen freely, and that he originally came up with "computer mouse" writes this paper Things at a meeting with the previous year. He wrote a picture of this device on a notebook.

In 1963 NASA announced that it will fund the project to decide what to select the screen selection device, Mr. Engelbart searched for the notes that wrote down this "idea for mouse", and one of the laboratory engineers building · I gave it to English and made it for me. The device passed all NASA tests for usability, and the device was an important element in the Augmentation Research Center's collaboration with computers.

As you can see, the world's first mouse is a box-like device made of wood, with two rollers attached to the base keeping track of vertical and horizontal movement. It was said that the name "mouse" has established since then that one of the labels in Engelbert's laboratory is like a "mouse" this device with a red button at the top and a cord extended from the back. However, it seems that it is not certain who is the godmother until today.

Mr. Engelbart said, "Everyone thought that if this device came out, everyone was thinking that more strict names would be formally attached," he never imagined that it would be such a thing That's right.

In 1967, a patent named "XY position indicator for display system" was filed by Mr. Engelbart, and finally "Mouse" was publicly released publicly on December 9, 1968. By the way, the demonstration that I did at this time is a 90-minute public live demonstration called "Mother of all Demos" (mother of all demo), and in addition to the mouse "hypertext" "object addressing" "Dynamic file link", and also demonstrated a collaborative work (video conference) on the screen while communicating with both voice and video over the network. In other words, as of 1968, various ideas about the current PC and the net had already appeared.

This is the Brooks Hall of San Francisco that made the demonstration. It seems that he asked about 1,000 participants.


Photograph of Mr. Engelbart and colleagues of SRI who are far away are connected on the network and they are editing the shopping list jointly.


In 1981, Dick Ryan and Steve Kirs invented two new mice, collectively called "optical (mouse)" mouse. These early optical mice are operated on special pads marked with points and lines, and in 1982 the following year Logitech's first mouse, "P4", was announced.

This is that "P4"


In January 1983, Apple announced $ 9,995 Apple Lisa computer with Apple's first graphical user interface to use the mouse. In addition, May 2, 1983, Microsoft announced "Microsoft Mouse".

This is the mouse. Because it had two green buttons, it seems that it was commonly called "a mouse with green eyes" mouse. The price is $ 195.


In 1984, Logitech signed the first OEM agreement with Hewlett-Packard (HP), shipping Logitech's mouse as an accessory to HP's high-end workstation.

The name is "HP Mouse", this is the picture


In 1984, Logitech developed the first "cordless mouse" as an OEM product for Metaphor. This mouse is using infrared (IR) technology, it seems to be driven with 4 NiCd batteries. However, it was necessary to point directly to the IR receiver connected to the computer, and it seems that the data transfer speed was inferior to the code attached mouse.

In 1985, Logitech entered the retail market with a mouse named "Logimouse C7". At that time, Microsoft's mouse was $ 179, while Logitech's mouse was priced at $ 99, so it seems that he was said to have pioneered a new ground. This mouse was developed in 18 months and is the first optomechanical mouse that gains power from the RS232 port of the computer, and the point that it is unnecessary to separately supply the electric power that was needed until then.

This is "Logimouse C7". With the third button, not only simple point & click but also complex commands can be executed.



In 1987, Microsoft unveiled curved mouse which first adopted ergonomics design. Since this mouse resembled a bar-like soap, it was commonly called "Dove bar" and it seems that it became the mainstream of Microsoft's mouse product afterwards.

Design like this


In the same year, Logitech began manufacturing the "Apple Macintosh Plus Mouse" custom mouse for the Macintosh.

It is a mouse that has only one button unique to Apple


In 1991, Logitech finally announced the first wireless mouse "MouseMan Cordless" using RF wireless technology. It seems that he was using an expensive 3 V, 1.3 Ah lithium battery.

This is the real thing. The frequency band of 27 MHz is adopted by wireless communication.



In 1995, Logitech announced "TrackMan Marble". As you can see, unlike traditional mice, Logitech patented Marble Sensing Technology (Marble Sense Technology) adopted a new technology called trackball system. By scanning the movement of the trackball using the camera, the advanced optical mechanism and the neural network (neural network) logic convey the movement to the computer. Since the only moving parts is the ball, the problem of dust and dirt that bothered the early mouse is said to have been solved.

Like this




This trackball evolved further, and in 1997, Logitech released the trackball "TrackMan Marble FX", the only trackball that can use both thumb and index finger.


In 1999, Agilent announced the optical mouse sensor which eliminates the need for a mouse pad this time. This creates the foundation of a long-lived next generation computer mouse that realizes more precise tracking than ever before, and "Microsoft Optical Mouse" was released from Microsoft using this sensor.

This is the Microsoft optical mouse


And in 2004, Logitech is the world's first mouse with laser tracking technology"MX 1000 Laser Cordless Mouse" (MX - 1000)Announced. As a light source, the laser is superior to the light emitting diode (LED) of the optical mouse, and tracking is possible on the surface which tracking is difficult with the LED based mouse. In addition, since the laser has high coherence, it is possible to grasp more detail on the surface than the LED light, and it became possible to dramatically improve the tracking function of the mouse.

This is the first memorable laser mouse


In the same year, it is the first notebook computer mouse equipped with 2.4 GHz technology"V 500 Cordless Notebook Mouse" (V-500)Announced. Unlike conventional wireless mice, it is characterized by extending the operation range to 10 meters by using the 2.4 GHz band. The reporting rate of this 2.4 GHz cordless mouse is about 500 per second, four times that of a conventional mouse. In addition, instead of the conventional scroll wheel, we adopt a solid state touch-sensitive panel.

This is the first 2.4 GHz technology cordless mouse


In 2005, Logitech released a Full-Speed ​​USB computer mouse that eventually reached the polar region as a mouse. this"G5 Laser Mouse (G-5)"When"G7 Laser Cordless Mouse (G-7)Are both designed for gamers of personal computers, and equipped with laser tracking technology with 2000 dpi resolution. Since resolution can be selected immediately with the mouse button, it is possible to flexibly switch precise targeting and instantaneous operation on a pixel basis. Both mice boast a reporting rate of 500 per second and the G7 mouse is driven by an ultra-thin Li-ion battery pack capable of full charge and quick exchange in 2 hours. A set of weights is shipped with the G5 mouse, and users can use these weights to adjust the balance of the mouse and improve the customization performance.

This is G5


This is G7


I have used it in GIGAZINE in the past, and I'm posting it as below.

I bought a super high resolution mouse "G5 Laser Mouse" - GIGAZINE

In 2006, evolution took place in the wheel this time. From Logitech"MX Revolution Cordless Laser Mouse (MX - R)" for laptop computers "VX Revolution Cordless Laser Mouse (VX - R)"These new mice are equipped with the MicroGear · Precision Scroll Wheel. This wheel can continue to rotate for up to seven seconds and you can scroll hundreds of pages of documents right away with just a light operation of the fingertips. One touch search button is also installed, and it is possible to perform enlargement / reduction and switching of applications by the new thumbwheel control function.

To the area where you do not know how far it will evolve


In 2007 Logitech got "VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks (VX-N)"The mouse that was announced was announced. This mouse plug & forget (withdrawal unnecessary) nano receiver was said that it was the world's smallest mouse USB receiver at the time of being announced.

Like this


And the same year, a multifunctional operation that works not only on the desktop but also in the airMX Air (MX-A)Announced. At last the mouse has become able to fly in the sky, is not it? This MX Air combines the three technologies of Freespace motion control, gesture command, and wireless so as to realize easy operation in the air, and it is possible to perform pointer operation / selection / media playback etc. simply by lightly moving the wrist It has become like.

This MX Air mouse was exhibited at the exhibition "Design and the Elastic Mind" exhibition exploring the relationship between science and design in the modern world held at the Museum of Modern Art, New York in 2008. I do not know where I will go.


This year, 2008 for the laptop computer with clip & go dock sticking to such a notebook computer "V550 Nano Cordless Laser MouseAppeared. It seems to be easy to carry the mouse ... by attaching the V550 mouse to a small dock attached to a laptop computer ....

Like this



I do not know at all what kind of innovative mouse will appear in 2009 next year.