Press Release: Logitech Celebrates 10 Years of Optical Technology in PC
Pointing Devices
Sept. 6, 2005--Logitech TrackMan Marble Delivered
Unprecedented Precision, Required No Maintenance; Optical Mice, Laser Mice
Followed
Logitech (SWX:LOGN) (NASDAQ:LOGI), the world's
leading manufacturer of computer mice, today celebrated the 10-year anniversary
of the world's first high-volume computer pointing device to use optical
technology, instead of mechanical motion, to measure movement. Unveiled on this
day in 1995, the Logitech(R) TrackMan(R) Marble(R) trackball delivered
unprecedented PC navigation precision by eliminating moving mechanical parts,
thereby preventing dirt or dust particles from disrupting the tracking
mechanism. Logitech marked today's anniversary by announcing its newest computer
mice -- the Logitech(R) V400 Laser Cordless Mouse, the Logitech(R) MX(TM)610
Laser Cordless Mouse, the Logitech(R) LX7 Cordless Optical Mouse, and the
Logitech(R) V270 Cordless Optical Notebook Mouse for Bluetooth(R) -- all of
which feature optical-based tracking technology.
The TrackMan Marble included the patented Logitech
Marble optical technology. Inspired by the human eye, the original Marble
technology used an integrated sensor to visually detect the motion of a
trackball, then translated that motion into on-screen cursor movement. Logitech
later applied optical technology to mainstream computer mice in combination with
a red light-emitting diode (LED), which was necessary to illuminate the surface
directly beneath the mouse. In 2004, Logitech made yet another big breakthrough
in optical tracking by introducing the world's first mouse to use ultra-precise
laser illumination.
"The introduction of Logitech's Marble technology 10
years ago was very exciting because we gave eyesight to a tracking device for
the first time, making computer navigation far more precise than it ever had
been before," said Marc Bidiville, Logitech's engineering manager for Marble
technology. "A trackball or a mouse can navigate smoothly over a surface and
measure distances more accurately by seeing, rather than by rolling, stumbling
or skipping over surface irregularities. Looking back, Marble optical technology
set the stage for a revolution in pointing devices."
Logitech Marble Optical Technology
The principle of Logitech's patented Marble technology
was based on optical, or visual, measurement of movement. This optical
measurement is far more precise than mechanical tracking systems, which
typically include a ball making contact with two small pivots that record
horizontal and vertical motion. These parts are prone to wear and tear, and are
sensitive to dirt and dust particles, often resulting in jumping or
sticking.
The embedded sensor in the Logitech TrackMan Marble
trackball detected the motion of the trackball without the sensor making
physical contact with the ball. A random pattern of dots printed on the surface
of the ball provided enough surface variation for the sensor to recognize motion
with great accuracy. A few early, specialized optical mice tracked movement by
using a special mouse pad, featuring a grid-like surface. These mice could only
register motion relative to the mouse pad's fixed geographic points. Marble
technology sensed and registered motion without depending on any specific
coordinates, and without requiring a mouse pad of any kind. The core technology
in Marble has since evolved and is still used as the basis for some of today's
optical mice.
No Pad, No More Cleaning: Enter the Optical
Mouse
Logitech introduced its first corded optical mouse in
2000, then followed up with the introduction of the Logitech(R) Cordless
MouseMan Optical, combining optical precision and cordless freedom.
Because an optical tracking system doesn't make
physical contact with the surface, today's optical mice don't require regular
cleaning or a mouse pad to track smoothly. Optical mice measure changes in
position in a manner similar to Logitech's original Marble technology. The
ability of a mouse to track required the illumination of the surface beneath,
which was first made possible by using an LED, typically red in
color.
Laser: The New Benchmark for Mouse Sight
As people participate in increasingly intense
applications such as PC gaming, and compute in more diverse environments with
their notebooks, a pointing device must be more precise and be able to function
on more surfaces than ever. The Logitech(R) MX(TM)1000 Laser Cordless Mouse,
introduced in September 2004, was the first mouse to use laser light to
illuminate the surface beneath a mouse, enabling high-definition
tracking.
The precise nature of laser light produces far more
illumination than an LED lamp in an optical mouse, revealing surface details
that the mouse's sensor can use to track movement with far greater accuracy. The
ability to reveal even the slightest imperfections also allows a laser mouse to
operate on surfaces that confound LED-based optical mice, including polished
wood, ceramic tile, metal, photo paper, and opaque glass. Logitech has extended
the benefits of laser technology to families of laser mice that are custom-tuned
to meet the needs of different individuals: notebook users encountering multiple
surfaces, everyday users looking for optimal performance, and gamers demanding
the ultimate in speed and precision.
About Logitech
Founded in 1981, Logitech designs, manufactures and
markets personal peripherals that enable people to effectively work, play, and
communicate in the digital world. Logitech International is a Swiss public
company traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and in the U.S. on the Nasdaq
National Market System (LOGI). The company has manufacturing facilities in Asia
and offices in major cities in North America, Europe and Asia
Pacific.
Logitech, the Logitech logo, and other Logitech marks
are owned by Logitech and may be registered. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.
Posted: Tue - September 6, 2005 at 09:22 AM