18 days to go how bout a techno toy

The humble mouse is about to get caught in the technology trap
Claudine Beaumont London.
December 6, 2008
FORTY years ago, the computer mouse made its first public appearance at a technology gathering in San Francisco.

The device was the brainchild of Doug Engelbart and his team at Stanford Research Institute in California who were looking for a new way to control their computers. Before the mouse scrolled its way on to the scene, they had been using light pens similar to those favoured by radar operators during the war.

The team tried several devices, but the mouse proved to be the best. "The mouse won in every category (of tests)," recalled Mr Engelbart. "It was faster, and people made fewer mistakes with it."

No one remembers who began calling the wooden device a "mouse", but the name stuck, and the gadget went on to be one of the most significant developments in the history of computing. Apple was the first company to take the idea to the mass market, but it was Microsoft that developed an entire operating system around the mouse and cemented its place.

For years, the mouse has been the pre-eminent computer controller. While the rubbery trackball may have made way for infrared sensors, its ease of use has guaranteed ubiquity. This week, Logitech, one of the biggest producers in the world, announced it had made its billionth device.

But the mouse could find its days numbered as manufacturers and software developers seek ways of simplifying the interaction between people and technology. Some experts say that within 10 years the mouse could be consigned to the scrapheap as computer users turn to touchscreens and gesture recognition.

Foremost among the successors of the mouse are touchscreens. Everything from mobile phones and personal multimedia players to computers now feature the technology, and devices such as the Apple iPhone have brought what was previously an expensive specialist technology to a wider audience. Some PC manufacturers have already started to introduce touchscreen interfaces.

Face and gesture recognition is the ultimate goal for developers seeking a way to translate gestures into a precise means of controlling objects. The average digital camera offers clever features, such as face recognition and blink and smile detection to help create photos. But the software that enables a relatively basic device such as a camera to discern facial expressions could be put to use on a larger scale. It won't be long before TVs are operated by our hands and eye movements. Panasonic already has a prototype home entertainment system that can respond to gestures by changing the volume or bringing up the program guide.

Games consoles, such as the Nintendo Wii, have used gesture recognition to great effect, and are helping people grow used to the idea of making precise movements using wireless, motion-sensitive devices. A company called Oblong Industries is working on a set of gloves, similar to those used by Tom Cruise in the film Minority Report, to control computers.

It may sound like science fiction, but manufacturers are already working on devices that can translate thoughts into actions. The Emotiv Epoc headset allows players to control computer games using expressions and emotions.

Courtesy The Age online