Tag: optomechanical encoder

The Aero Trackball device was introduced to the market by Taiwanese company ICA Technology in 1990. Marketing materials mention the trackball’s “advanced optomechanical technologies”, “dynamic resolution from 100 to 1000 dpi, typically set to 200 dpi” (that is, apparently, a software resolution scaling), and an “improved electronic clock” being the eye-catching part of this retrofuturistic cursor controller[1]Aero trackball reaches your…

The Kraft trackball, also known as the Kraft TripleTrack, is a device developed in the late 80s by Kraft Systems and released simultaneously for several computer families: IBM PC, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and Amiga. Trackball features include a key lock switch for selection and a detachable pedal. The Kraft trackball has a symmetrical body and is therefore suitable for…

The ProTrack 60i was developed by the Trackerball Company, a former division of Marconi (the creator of the very first trackball, the “trackerball”, which was developed in the 1940s to control the on-screen cursor of military radars). The trackball was produced in two versions: the R60 (ProTrack 60) with a characteristic white body with a black ball and buttons, and…

The MTB-01 trackball is a typical example of this type of pointing device most common in the first half of the 1990s. In addition to selling it under the MacALLY brand, theTaiwanese manufacturer has actively provided it for rebranding. That’s why the MTB-01 model isoften found under other names (although it was released by Fellowes Computerware in 1997). This trackball…

MicroSpeed’s PC-TRACK trackball, released in 1991, has a significantly better ergonomic design than the company’s previous model, the FastTRAP trackball. This trackball has a symmetrical design, suitable for both right- and left-handers. The trackball is big. MicroSpeed chose a 2.25-inch ball for this device because their research showed a significant increase in cursor positioning accuracy with a larger ball. Studies…

The TopTrak trackball is medium in size and has rounded corners. The device is equipped with a 2.5 m cable, which is much longer than the typical distance between the user and the system unit. The trackball has a serial connection interface. Additionally, the trackball comes with a steel foot pedal, which duplicates the left mouse button and adds another…

The FastTRAP device from MicroSpeed, released in 1987, is a trackball with three buttons, as well as an additional wheel, thanks to which it can generate coordinates not along two, but along three coordinate axes – x, y, and z – that is, it supports one more coordinate plane than a mouse or tablet. The additional axis was designed primarily…

The microLYNX trackball (or “µLYNX” if Greek characters are allowed), was manufactured in California by Honeywell, a subsidiary of Disc Instruments. Having appeared in 1986 or a year earlier (some of the advertising materials are dated 1985), the trackball proved to be a long-liver and subsequently withstood many incarnations as the model “LX200”, which differed in connection interfaces, electronics and…

Apparently, the Colani Trackball was, along with the mouse of the same name, among the first so-called “designer” mice – devices officially developed in collaboration with celebrities in the field of technical design. This mouse was named and shaped by Luigi Colani. Colani is best known in the automotive industry, with about 40 concept cars; no less actively he designed…

The most notable visual feature of the Easy Options trackball is the 60s home appliance style design. Turning the device upside down shows the FCC ID code, which reveals that the trackball has been manufactured by a Taiwanese company since 1993. As you can see in the figure below, this manipulator is relatively small. In terms of ergonomics, one can…

The Truedox model 300 trackball was produced by Truedox Technology Corporation in Taiwan. The manufacturing company not only sold the device under its own name, but also actively provided it for rebranding, as a result of which the model 300 is more common under other names, such as Memorex or Sunnyline, than under the original brand. In particular, this copy…

The evolution MOUSE-TRAK trackball was manufactured by ITAC Systems, a Texas-based company specializing primarily in high-quality, ergonomic trackballs for professional use. The company positioned itself as a pioneer in the production of trackballs for Unix systems and X terminals since the MOUSE-TRAK model release in the late eighties. Introduced to solve the problem of the repetitive strain injury (RSI) syndrome…

The Diamond XL trackball was produced by the Evergreen Systems International company in California, founded in 1980 and specialized in high-quality trackballs for industrial and military applications. Diamond trackballs have been positioned as a mouse replacement in computer systems where fast and precise pointing is required (CAD/CAM, graphics, workstations, kiosks, etc.) and in industrial and military systems where a mouse…