Wooden mouse. History of the project
have You ever wondered how things work which way they go from idea to implementation, how easy simple things? How easy is it to make the comb? A computer mouse? A wooden computer mouse from a single bar of mahogany with LCD screen, private electronic filling and made and braided specifically for this cable? I think you will be interested my way that I went through over 2.5 years of building up my mouse.
Design, engineering, simulation
Because in the design I was a complete zero, then to the point I went as a complete ignoramus. I bought the clay and began to sculpt the mouse of his dreams.
First I made a mouse, which is perfect for me to work on my desktop. She pictures a big dark grey. Then I made a mouse that would fit me for the role of mobile (dark gray small). And then I took the children to steal a piece of clay to work, and colleagues modeled the mouse, claiming the title of "folk." It fit wonderfully into the hands of the majority of the male population of our team (photo colored). And what? Turned banal and dull forms we day and night to pull hands in every way. Apparently, among the three standard mice, any user will find it convenient. The triumph of the ideal?
As a result, the computer was simulated mouse which, from my point of view, claimed to be a graceful and beautiful.
At the time I loved it. And, without thinking, I shared a computer model to detail. Was designed clamping devices and pairing with electronics. Sounds simple, but in fact had spent hundreds of hours of hard work.
After that the items received were grown on a 3D machine to check the collection.
Material is polyamide. Sits well in your hand like a glove. All parts fit to each other, the technological, the Assembly also passed without problems.
The next stage is milling the wood. Purchased probably a dozen different species of redwoods, but to start with wood Sapele, other breeds waiting in the wings.
Live design is not liked. The vertical gap between buttons and the case looked bad and untidy. Visible technology "sore" when working with wood — chips and drift wood. And most importantly — the keys are not bent, a clique was not.
Long thought of design. Something embarrassing, and there was a sense of satisfaction. Then I realized — mouse lacks solidity. Decided to go back to the original version of the mouse, which I sculpted in the beginning, only on a professional level and with the use of sculpted clay. In one mouse made of two different designs. It is convenient for comparison and decision making.
After the final version was done in 3D scanning and transfer surfaces in SolidWorks.
The second model was not better the first. No buttons have been pressed, and fix it in the current model was impossible. The marriage model was set at the level of DNA. Need a more integrated approach with simultaneous control of both design and technology. Otherwise it will not work. Will or technological excellence, or good design, but not all at once. These characteristics sit on opposite sides of the swing. Therefore, all thrown in the trash and start from the beginning. Sketch-design-modeling-testing-farming and so on, but with the process control of critical parameters on the one hand, and design on the other. Looking for a middle ground.
The third model was done in the classical design cycle of the product. Started with a sketch.
Draw contours.
Finally, the approved design.
Clay model.
3D scanner receiving surface.
A computer model.
Then started the debugging process of the body. CNC cut body, tested, refined, and then again to cut. In the end, working it turned out only a tenth version of the case. The biggest challenge was to make a comfortable keystrokes. As a result, in some places the thickness of the tree was reduced to 0.7 mm! In the process of finalizing the case took me a year.
Wood was also made the wheel and connector.
On the wheel I put the laser engraving with the brand Clickwood.
On the approach of the eleventh version of the case where I will make minor changes. I also began developing a wireless version of the mouse. Wireless module is based on bluetooth technology, optosensor laser. Batteries, size AAA, 2 PCs, with the possibility of replacement. When recharging the mouse will continue to work. All the elements are arranged very densely, the layout had to break down. As a container for the batteries is cavity, specially carved in the wooden base of the mouse.
Wood items
Working with wood starts with wood selection. The Board should be the correct geometry to have a minimum of knots and defects, and to have the necessary humidity.
Initially, the boards are dried at home. At least six months.
After that, the Board is sawn into bars of small size, which dosushivajut a few weeks in place of their further processing. At all stages the humidity is controlled by a special device. If you neglect the process of drying, the wood loses its geometric stability, and fabrication and operation of the mouse becomes impossible.
The prepared bars are processed on the CNC machine using a specially developed program.
From the beginning of the creation details and to final Assembly of the mouse the details firmly fixed on the metal snap-in to any one of the steps in detail has not changed its shape and geometric dimensions.
Processing upper parts of the mouse have to do with a jeweler's precision, because the profile it developed for the soft click, and in some places very thin. The pressure I control grammatron. In normal mice it ranges from 50 to 75 Gauss. I am trying to get 50 RC.
A tree in my project represent the greatest difficulties. Moreover, it is the most significant part of the cost, and scrap rate here is very high. Wood is an anisotropic material. It may lead, can get the vices to be chipped, and just an error in the technology topcoat can cause the mouse body goes in the trash. I admit that the technology of processing I can still improve, and not sure I found the right one. For statistics: in the first batch of ten housings to the finished product came only three. So part of the process chain associated with the tree is critical to cost and quality of the finished product. Above it is a constant job.
In the future I plan to work with the bone. In particular, it has engaged in the creation of wheel from bones.
electronics
The first scheme mouse I developed independently. As the sensor picked up the top optical sensor ADNS-3090 Avago company, brains became controller of the company Atmel, and the other components of the branded companies such as Murata, Yageo, Geyer, Omron and Molex.
Special attention was paid to proper nutrition of the mouse, then, in my opinion, his perfectionism made up of the absolute :)
To understand how the sensor works and is fully translated specification optosensor on Russian language.
Then he developed the first version of the Board.
The first working breadboard.
The second version of the circuit Board, the second breadboard.
Third.
Fourth.
In black, final.
Also been experimenting with various buttons. I've always tried among others to find a quiet mouse. But once I'm doing it myself, I decided to experiment and make a mouse like this and try it out at work. For this cracking left and right "mikrikov" was replaced by a soft and quiet used to the Central button (notice that the center button always clicks quieter?). Created a special version of the Board, which was mounted all three are identical "mikrika".
Mouse was a couple of weeks I have to operate, and I can share the conclusion that in my case the lack of a click is not comfortable. Wood absorbs some of click, and it seems that the wooden keys are tight, and you have to press harder. It's hard to describe the feeling, but the closest analogy would be like under your finger is the mouse button is soft, to bread, wood, and for sure click need to be pushed through. The experiment can be considered successful, since it received a clear result, what should be the response from pressing the mouse — clear, clear, unambiguously interpreted.
Picked up and bought for mouse party gold plated connectors. As usual, in China. I don't know about "best contact", but with the tree in tune perfectly.
At this point in the project to develop a wireless version of the mouse.
Screen firmware
Fascinated by the idea of placing the mouse in the display, and began his search among hundreds of vendors. The requirements were simple: tight dimensional constraints and the possibility of at least a symbolic display of at least eight of familiarity. While picking up, learn about the displays of almost everything. They differ in types: character and graphic technology TAB, COG, TFT, OLED, LCD, E-Paper and others. Each type or technology has a lot of varieties, sizes, colors, illumination, etc., In General, was nothing to dig.
Break half of the Internet, found that I need size produces only one firm in the whole world. All other options are definitely more in size. And even I found the display barely fits inside the mouse. As an option to consider a custom display that I could make for my requirements, but it is a very expensive option to me (about a hundred thousand rubles). For the first model is quite suitable graphical display with a resolution of 128 by 64 pixels that I chose.
In order to understand how it looks and blends with my mouse the display, I had to order from manufacturers all varieties of this display. What are these species? The model name consists of alphanumeric unpronounceable combinations of type FP12P629AU12. They are composed of different blocks and clearly disclosed in the specification. For example, the example may be assembled from blocks of FP.12.P.629A.U12 where the encrypted type, size, voltage, controller, temperature range and other information about the model. And the last unit is the crafty. He may have a few dozen values, each of which indicates a particular combination of characteristics such as the presence and the illumination color, background color, character color, range of degree, which clearly read the information. That's just the settings I was interested in.
In the "samples" I ordered 18 different modifications. The manufacturer agreed, but said that the minimum order is 5 displays for each modification. I had nowhere to go, and I had to agree, knowing that 90% will go in the garbage. And in one of cloudy days Express service-delivery brought me home a huge box, in which you can live the homeless of average build. In the box was 18 smaller boxes, each of which freely placed 5 displacia, securely for long trips in cold Russia. Accompanying the package was so much that his mother had to cover a few garden beds for the winter.
In the end, after careful tests on a specially assembled stand is fit for the series were two of the display. They differ only background: grey and yellow-green. They're the ones who will offer to complete the mouse. By default plan to put yellow-green, but will be available in two option: a display with a gray background and the mouse without the display.
But the main intrigue lies in what information can be displayed on the screen? I was offered different ideas: the ambient temperature, the indication of the arrival of letters, something else is not very original.
My thought process went the other way. Let's start with the fact that there are two significant limitations on the operational display of information: the availability to the user is huge and the quality of the source of any information (monitor) and the need to turn the mouse for information. In addition, the screen is small, resolution small, the led interferes with the normal reading. Therefore, the conclusion I got one: the information should be just for entertainment purposes, applied the value of which tends to zero, but WOW!-the effect should be killer.
What information may have such properties in the ordinary complexity of the device? Her little mileage, time use, travel speed, number of clicks and the scroll wheel. From the last option, I decided against it because I thought it was uninteresting. All the rest of the parameters are pegged for the session (last time a mouse from the time of submission to her power, i.e. connect to a computer or power the computer), and the entire lifetime of the mouse. For example, the user may, at any time you mouse click to see how many times he pressed the left mouse button or the mouse as it ran in meters today or from the time of its purchase. Information is absolutely useless, but it is particularly interesting to understand how much it torments a mouse. If there are other interesting ideas, they will implement the new firmware.
Also added General information at the mouse (the model number of the mouse and firmware, the month of manufacture) and the screen settings. You can select the language and system of measurement (English or metric). To store all this information had to be added to a diagram of the flash memory permanent storage.
To put this amount of information, I had to split the screens. Each screen displays one type of information, and shows the values of the parameters for the session and for all time. A total of six screens, which change with the mouse wheel.
The first option was implemented in pure text key, which was even developed several options of fonts.
Did the firmware to estimated looks like text using the created font on the screen is the mouse. Looks awful, what to say.
It has now become obvious that the screen needs graphics, but not a set of character information. So I drew on the work of the designer, and together we prepared three versions of the graphic performance, in the end, the most successful was voted the second option.
Of course, this design required a larger resolution, so it had to be adapted.
But that's not the end of the story. After picked up the screen for the mouse, I did order a trial lot for maketoc. In the end, came the small screen, but somehow the number of pins is different from that indicated in specifications (datasheet). At the request of the manufacturer, the answer came that, well, all right, this is a little modification and it will not affect performance. Meanwhile, the missing two conductors were responsible for the brightness of the displayed graphics.
It was all very suspicious. And exactly how the water looked. Altered the charge under the modified screen, soldered, and then it turned out that the screen is quite dim. As if the device battery is empty. And it turned out that after a long and laborious work on search and selection screens pestering me, the purchase of test batch all modifications and testing. Time, money, and so on.
But the story turned out with a good ending. After correspondence with the Chinese it was found that the small screen can now adjust its contrast directly from the firmware. I fixed the firmware, and everything was just wonderful show!
All shows as scheduled: mileage, speed, number of clicks, etc.
In the future, the IOS has also repeatedly varied: there was a setting to change the language. Two language on one screen is bad — worse readability, English-speaking users Cyrillic gibberish will only irritate, and in the future may need to support other languages. The difficulties began when I tried to align the mileage of your mouse. It seems that there is a complex: optical sensor transmits an increment by two coordinates, which should lead to a system of measures and to add module to the current value. That's the whole run.
But as it turned out, not so simple. Two people with mice, where there is one and the same sensor can obtain radically different results! The fact is that the resolution of the sensor (sensitivity) is very strongly dependent on the surface on which the mouse rides. The best result is obtained when the mouse rolls on white paper. A little worse for wood and fabric. The laminate and the film is really bad. The declared rated sensitivity is achieved only on the ideal, from the point of view of the sensor surfaces.
For the end user this is irrelevant. He connects the mouse and by trial and error exposes operating system facilities to match the cursor speed. The system remembers this ratio and use it to increase or decrease the values of the coordinates of movement.
But it is quite another thing if your intention is to read these parameters directly with the mouse. Mouse on the same surface will show the result of run one meter on the other half. The speed will also be "lying". And this must have something to do.
For solutions to this problem had to introduce the parameter "Resolution (Sensitivity)" which allows you to individually choose the ratio for each surface. By default, it is equal to one, which corresponds to the surface of white paper. It is possible in the settings of both increase and decrease. It can never touch it, everything will work fine and so. But for the true perfectionists in the mouse attached to the leaflet will be given the table from which you can choose the ratio of the surface and instructions on how you can set the mouse to show accurate mileage.
When developing firmware showed another side effect of the operation of the sensor. If you take the mouse and just wave it in the air, the evidence of mileage is going to change. This is due to the fact that the sensor determines the surrounding space as a surface and is also trying to obtain offset values of the mouse. Therefore, it is possible to observe this effect: you move the mouse, look at the parameters of run and wonder what they're right in front of you change in a big way. Of course, you can set the mouse tilt sensor, disconnect the sensor at the time of its revolution, but do it only for the described situation is unwise. Maybe next version he will, but not now. Because the mouse is raised only to look at the indicators, and 99.9% of the time it is on the surface and gets the right information.
Cable
Cable decided to make as flexible as possible, so it does not interfere with the movement of the mouse and was "invisible" to the kinematics. Well, not like I personally "spring" cable.
Sometimes it seems that when you create the product cable is the most insignificant part of the product. What is easier to buy in the store the desired number of cable and unsolder it. A trifling matter. But, alas, not in Russia. Sometimes it seems that our industry has not adapted to do anything harder cast irons. Attempts to find the cable resulted in a three-week search and shake-up range absolutely all Russian manufacturers of cable products. It turned out that our standards do not describe the cable, suitable for modern electronic devices. For example, the microphone four-wire braided cable 4x0 KMM.12mm2 has an outer diameter of 5 mm. Is too much. Old mouse and keyboard have seemingly thick cable, outer diameter is 3.5 mm. the Closest analogue in the sale was the cable of the German company Lapp Kabel, but it has an external diameter just was 3.5 mm. now imagine another, and the braid on this cable. Presented? I can tell you that this cable I've seen power cords for irons :)
So, it turned out that in Russia such a cable to buy. Point. Well, we are not accustomed to retreat. Go into production and try to enjoy the benefit of in Russia, even the cable are doing. And this will define my requirements. So, what I need:
Strands of copper woven wire (for flexibility).
Number of cores — 4.
The screen — Yes.
Flexibility — maximum.
The external diameter of the cable strictly no more than 3 mm.
Color Pantone 4625 C.
Summary: tried to get in touch, probably, with dozens of possible manufacturers of cable products, no one wants to mess with my order. Not even asked what mileage I need. The bottom line: this cable is not to buy and not to produce. Sad. But we are not accustomed to retreat.
Go to Alibaba.com. Find first Chinese manufacturer, write a letter and just a few hours get an answer: I will make for you any cable! I'm in shock. Throw him a BOM of money on shipping and get a sample. Wow! And I nearly three months lost trying Patriotic to place an order in Russia. It turned out that the Chinese can make me a cable with an outer diameter of 2.5 mm.
In the end, I ordered in China 4. different sample. First staged carpeneti and opacity of the outer shell, then did not suit the flexibility of the cable, then again not satisfied with the flexibility, and eventually stopped at last sent Semple who was ready to order. More flexible they can. The cable has a memory. As a result, accidentally received a cable from memory though I wanted to be flexible like a rope :)
Ordered kilometer, two weeks later, the cable was from me. Total time spent: six months.
Braided your kilometer cable. We had two choices.
Approximately 10% of the cable left to sort out. This is the beginning of the bays where the braid rasplatitsya and the machine has not yet entered into operation mode. And some places, where for some reason the formed loops and the nodes of the strands of the braid.
If the cable end does not seal the shrink, he is a fluff, yarn-synthetic! Therefore, the installation of the cable Assembly difficult preventive attachment of the shrinking.
The outer diameter of the braided cable turned out to 3.2 mm, i.e. a braid added to the cable diameter 0.7 mm. Seems a little, but the conventional mouse cable is mainly with a diameter of 3.5 mm, and it in the era of wireless mice seems thick and heavy. Lately not a budget mouse began to be equipped with cables with a diameter of 3 mm, and they are not so interfere with the work, they are almost unnoticed. But the keyboard cable can be with an external diameter of 4 mm. And even more. But for the keyboard it doesn't matter.
Further ordered cable Assembly. Cable have two different lengths and two color braid. That is to say, for every taste of the consumer.
Plastic parts
As much as I wanted to make body parts mouse entirely of wood, but no plastic can not do. Need the legs, the axis of the wheel, a support for the axle and the glass for display.
So I had to order from the Chinese mold.
After each test casting the Chinese sent me a dozen samples that I tested on my mouse.
In the end, I've modified the mold, as long as the quality did not satisfy me. The problems were different. For example, after Assembly I got a problem of dust, which is formed between the display and protective glass. It looks untidy. The more the mouse will scrape the surface and dust will gradually accumulate. Had to convert the glass into a container with sides in which to invest the display, after which the circuit will germetizirujut.
I made this piece.
Completion of the mold — quite a difficult task, and changes may be made only in the direction of increasing detail. Therefore, any inaccuracy or error can ruin all the work. For reference: each revision is a month and a half of waiting for new samples. And the change could be microscopic, but a necessary one.
I will not dwell on plastic parts, this technology is now leading, and anything new and interesting I am here to tell you you can't. I'll just say the legs, to which I listened, a material with low friction, then conducted testing and "races" of mice to determine the winner with minimal friction. All of this in detail I described in my blog.
finish
First comes a thorough job with the removal of the pile, sanding and polishing the surface.
Before me stood a difficult task. They had to stabilize the tree to the geometry of the mouse did not change depending on humidity, and protect the tree from working in a hostile environment (sweat and grease from hands).
From the beginning refused of lacquer. Varnish is a surface film, which eventually bursts, collapses, and the tree is bare. Sweat and grease penetrate into the pores, the wood darkens and begins an irreversible process of degradation. It was therefore decided to use oil as the impregnation and protection, and wax to give a commercial view.
To be clear: the tree permeated with pores, which contain either air, or oil of the tree (if the tree rubber plant). Our task — as far as possible to fill the pores as its oil, which then has to harden and protect the wood.
To make a long story, I will say that have tried many oils: linseed, teak, Tung, paraffin, Danish. Each oil has its own character. For example, teak oil is very poorly applied wax, and linseed oil for a very long time polimerizuet. Therefore it is necessary to introduce a catalyst — desiccant.
In the end, I have developed two technologies. The first — technology of vacuum impregnation of wood. It works like this: create the environment with oil and wood vacuum. From then begins to leave the air. After removing the vacuum, the pores are filled with oil. As a plus the tree was good stabiliziruemost. As a minus — it is very dark. Looks good, but not for everybody.
The second technology is surface treatment with oil. The oil applied 1-2 or more times non-woven cloth.
On treated felt circle.
Apply Carnauba wax.
And rubs the muslin circle.
Then use the mounting of the dryer "dissolve" dry wax residue in narrow and difficult places. In the case of "insoluble" garbage take up a toothbrush with stiff bristles, removes the debris and then again locally repeat the procedure for application of the wax.
All done!
If you evaluate the work of processing, it is manual labor on one mouse would be about four hours.
Build
Then comes the mounting operation, but it is still necessary to remove the machining marks from the manufacturing holes. Then using a special 3M tape and stick justyou legs (the body can lead to the fraction of a millimeter, and it will be immediately noticeable: he will stagger as lame stool). Then install cable, mount fee, a support, install the wheel and, if necessary, justyou button (can't bounce) and the effect of depression. This operation can also take up to four hours.
Logo, website, blog
This status wooden mouse can't do without a cool logo. Lower intermediate options, and displays the result. Me it pleases. The combination of the leaf (tree), mouse (gadget), and the color of the wood clearly indicates the scope of the company. And the inscription, made using a font with notches, speaks about solidity of the company.
The website decided to do low-key. Wood just looks better on black: www.clickwood.ru.
The main feature of the site that should be mentioned — the Configurator. Any user can play with the options and enjoy the mouse by itself. You can change the species of wood for each part, its impregnation, the length and design of the cable, the presence and color of the screen. Even if the Chinese will copy my mouse, it is unlikely they will offer this service.
For those interested in the process I cover in detail every step in his blog: kuliba.livejournal.com. There you can find a wooden keyboard and case, which I had saved.
Why would I do that? At first it was a hobby. Then a hobby turned into a very costly budget item, but to stop there was no point, a lot has been done, it was necessary to go forward. In the end, I made an industrial-replicated designer product. Spent 2.5 years and a big budget. It is no secret that I now want to create a small business. Maybe my mouse will buy it as a luxury gift to the head or simply a unique gift. Because so far in the computer market there was not a single status of product. If you're a Persian Sheik, but still will have to keep a dull plastic crafts. I exaggerate, of course, but the meaning is clear.
What are your future plans? Plan to create all the elements of workstation: mouse, keyboard, case and monitor. Perhaps along the way will offer products from the desktop category: pens, coasters, etc., are also made of valuable sorts of wood and other exotic materials. Products status from the premium segment, but I strive to make them affordable for the middle class, it is the buying category of people.
I want to create the author's workshop are small. Nursed to old age and brought joy to me and fans of the original gadgets. Not all fully completed yet, is not all I am satisfied. But I continue to move forward. Enhance, improve and invent.
UPD: in no case do not claim the palm and I'm not the first who made a wooden status of the mouse, but in my post I want to talk about the history of my project, another task I did not put. Thank you for your understanding.
Article based on information from habrahabr.ru
Design, engineering, simulation
Because in the design I was a complete zero, then to the point I went as a complete ignoramus. I bought the clay and began to sculpt the mouse of his dreams.
First I made a mouse, which is perfect for me to work on my desktop. She pictures a big dark grey. Then I made a mouse that would fit me for the role of mobile (dark gray small). And then I took the children to steal a piece of clay to work, and colleagues modeled the mouse, claiming the title of "folk." It fit wonderfully into the hands of the majority of the male population of our team (photo colored). And what? Turned banal and dull forms we day and night to pull hands in every way. Apparently, among the three standard mice, any user will find it convenient. The triumph of the ideal?
As a result, the computer was simulated mouse which, from my point of view, claimed to be a graceful and beautiful.
At the time I loved it. And, without thinking, I shared a computer model to detail. Was designed clamping devices and pairing with electronics. Sounds simple, but in fact had spent hundreds of hours of hard work.
After that the items received were grown on a 3D machine to check the collection.
Material is polyamide. Sits well in your hand like a glove. All parts fit to each other, the technological, the Assembly also passed without problems.
The next stage is milling the wood. Purchased probably a dozen different species of redwoods, but to start with wood Sapele, other breeds waiting in the wings.
Live design is not liked. The vertical gap between buttons and the case looked bad and untidy. Visible technology "sore" when working with wood — chips and drift wood. And most importantly — the keys are not bent, a clique was not.
Long thought of design. Something embarrassing, and there was a sense of satisfaction. Then I realized — mouse lacks solidity. Decided to go back to the original version of the mouse, which I sculpted in the beginning, only on a professional level and with the use of sculpted clay. In one mouse made of two different designs. It is convenient for comparison and decision making.
After the final version was done in 3D scanning and transfer surfaces in SolidWorks.
The second model was not better the first. No buttons have been pressed, and fix it in the current model was impossible. The marriage model was set at the level of DNA. Need a more integrated approach with simultaneous control of both design and technology. Otherwise it will not work. Will or technological excellence, or good design, but not all at once. These characteristics sit on opposite sides of the swing. Therefore, all thrown in the trash and start from the beginning. Sketch-design-modeling-testing-farming and so on, but with the process control of critical parameters on the one hand, and design on the other. Looking for a middle ground.
The third model was done in the classical design cycle of the product. Started with a sketch.
Draw contours.
Finally, the approved design.
Clay model.
3D scanner receiving surface.
A computer model.
Then started the debugging process of the body. CNC cut body, tested, refined, and then again to cut. In the end, working it turned out only a tenth version of the case. The biggest challenge was to make a comfortable keystrokes. As a result, in some places the thickness of the tree was reduced to 0.7 mm! In the process of finalizing the case took me a year.
Wood was also made the wheel and connector.
On the wheel I put the laser engraving with the brand Clickwood.
On the approach of the eleventh version of the case where I will make minor changes. I also began developing a wireless version of the mouse. Wireless module is based on bluetooth technology, optosensor laser. Batteries, size AAA, 2 PCs, with the possibility of replacement. When recharging the mouse will continue to work. All the elements are arranged very densely, the layout had to break down. As a container for the batteries is cavity, specially carved in the wooden base of the mouse.
Wood items
Working with wood starts with wood selection. The Board should be the correct geometry to have a minimum of knots and defects, and to have the necessary humidity.
Initially, the boards are dried at home. At least six months.
After that, the Board is sawn into bars of small size, which dosushivajut a few weeks in place of their further processing. At all stages the humidity is controlled by a special device. If you neglect the process of drying, the wood loses its geometric stability, and fabrication and operation of the mouse becomes impossible.
The prepared bars are processed on the CNC machine using a specially developed program.
From the beginning of the creation details and to final Assembly of the mouse the details firmly fixed on the metal snap-in to any one of the steps in detail has not changed its shape and geometric dimensions.
Processing upper parts of the mouse have to do with a jeweler's precision, because the profile it developed for the soft click, and in some places very thin. The pressure I control grammatron. In normal mice it ranges from 50 to 75 Gauss. I am trying to get 50 RC.
A tree in my project represent the greatest difficulties. Moreover, it is the most significant part of the cost, and scrap rate here is very high. Wood is an anisotropic material. It may lead, can get the vices to be chipped, and just an error in the technology topcoat can cause the mouse body goes in the trash. I admit that the technology of processing I can still improve, and not sure I found the right one. For statistics: in the first batch of ten housings to the finished product came only three. So part of the process chain associated with the tree is critical to cost and quality of the finished product. Above it is a constant job.
In the future I plan to work with the bone. In particular, it has engaged in the creation of wheel from bones.
electronics
The first scheme mouse I developed independently. As the sensor picked up the top optical sensor ADNS-3090 Avago company, brains became controller of the company Atmel, and the other components of the branded companies such as Murata, Yageo, Geyer, Omron and Molex.
Special attention was paid to proper nutrition of the mouse, then, in my opinion, his perfectionism made up of the absolute :)
To understand how the sensor works and is fully translated specification optosensor on Russian language.
Then he developed the first version of the Board.
The first working breadboard.
The second version of the circuit Board, the second breadboard.
Third.
Fourth.
In black, final.
Also been experimenting with various buttons. I've always tried among others to find a quiet mouse. But once I'm doing it myself, I decided to experiment and make a mouse like this and try it out at work. For this cracking left and right "mikrikov" was replaced by a soft and quiet used to the Central button (notice that the center button always clicks quieter?). Created a special version of the Board, which was mounted all three are identical "mikrika".
Mouse was a couple of weeks I have to operate, and I can share the conclusion that in my case the lack of a click is not comfortable. Wood absorbs some of click, and it seems that the wooden keys are tight, and you have to press harder. It's hard to describe the feeling, but the closest analogy would be like under your finger is the mouse button is soft, to bread, wood, and for sure click need to be pushed through. The experiment can be considered successful, since it received a clear result, what should be the response from pressing the mouse — clear, clear, unambiguously interpreted.
Picked up and bought for mouse party gold plated connectors. As usual, in China. I don't know about "best contact", but with the tree in tune perfectly.
At this point in the project to develop a wireless version of the mouse.
Screen firmware
Fascinated by the idea of placing the mouse in the display, and began his search among hundreds of vendors. The requirements were simple: tight dimensional constraints and the possibility of at least a symbolic display of at least eight of familiarity. While picking up, learn about the displays of almost everything. They differ in types: character and graphic technology TAB, COG, TFT, OLED, LCD, E-Paper and others. Each type or technology has a lot of varieties, sizes, colors, illumination, etc., In General, was nothing to dig.
Break half of the Internet, found that I need size produces only one firm in the whole world. All other options are definitely more in size. And even I found the display barely fits inside the mouse. As an option to consider a custom display that I could make for my requirements, but it is a very expensive option to me (about a hundred thousand rubles). For the first model is quite suitable graphical display with a resolution of 128 by 64 pixels that I chose.
In order to understand how it looks and blends with my mouse the display, I had to order from manufacturers all varieties of this display. What are these species? The model name consists of alphanumeric unpronounceable combinations of type FP12P629AU12. They are composed of different blocks and clearly disclosed in the specification. For example, the example may be assembled from blocks of FP.12.P.629A.U12 where the encrypted type, size, voltage, controller, temperature range and other information about the model. And the last unit is the crafty. He may have a few dozen values, each of which indicates a particular combination of characteristics such as the presence and the illumination color, background color, character color, range of degree, which clearly read the information. That's just the settings I was interested in.
In the "samples" I ordered 18 different modifications. The manufacturer agreed, but said that the minimum order is 5 displays for each modification. I had nowhere to go, and I had to agree, knowing that 90% will go in the garbage. And in one of cloudy days Express service-delivery brought me home a huge box, in which you can live the homeless of average build. In the box was 18 smaller boxes, each of which freely placed 5 displacia, securely for long trips in cold Russia. Accompanying the package was so much that his mother had to cover a few garden beds for the winter.
In the end, after careful tests on a specially assembled stand is fit for the series were two of the display. They differ only background: grey and yellow-green. They're the ones who will offer to complete the mouse. By default plan to put yellow-green, but will be available in two option: a display with a gray background and the mouse without the display.
But the main intrigue lies in what information can be displayed on the screen? I was offered different ideas: the ambient temperature, the indication of the arrival of letters, something else is not very original.
My thought process went the other way. Let's start with the fact that there are two significant limitations on the operational display of information: the availability to the user is huge and the quality of the source of any information (monitor) and the need to turn the mouse for information. In addition, the screen is small, resolution small, the led interferes with the normal reading. Therefore, the conclusion I got one: the information should be just for entertainment purposes, applied the value of which tends to zero, but WOW!-the effect should be killer.
What information may have such properties in the ordinary complexity of the device? Her little mileage, time use, travel speed, number of clicks and the scroll wheel. From the last option, I decided against it because I thought it was uninteresting. All the rest of the parameters are pegged for the session (last time a mouse from the time of submission to her power, i.e. connect to a computer or power the computer), and the entire lifetime of the mouse. For example, the user may, at any time you mouse click to see how many times he pressed the left mouse button or the mouse as it ran in meters today or from the time of its purchase. Information is absolutely useless, but it is particularly interesting to understand how much it torments a mouse. If there are other interesting ideas, they will implement the new firmware.
Also added General information at the mouse (the model number of the mouse and firmware, the month of manufacture) and the screen settings. You can select the language and system of measurement (English or metric). To store all this information had to be added to a diagram of the flash memory permanent storage.
To put this amount of information, I had to split the screens. Each screen displays one type of information, and shows the values of the parameters for the session and for all time. A total of six screens, which change with the mouse wheel.
The first option was implemented in pure text key, which was even developed several options of fonts.
Did the firmware to estimated looks like text using the created font on the screen is the mouse. Looks awful, what to say.
It has now become obvious that the screen needs graphics, but not a set of character information. So I drew on the work of the designer, and together we prepared three versions of the graphic performance, in the end, the most successful was voted the second option.
Of course, this design required a larger resolution, so it had to be adapted.
But that's not the end of the story. After picked up the screen for the mouse, I did order a trial lot for maketoc. In the end, came the small screen, but somehow the number of pins is different from that indicated in specifications (datasheet). At the request of the manufacturer, the answer came that, well, all right, this is a little modification and it will not affect performance. Meanwhile, the missing two conductors were responsible for the brightness of the displayed graphics.
It was all very suspicious. And exactly how the water looked. Altered the charge under the modified screen, soldered, and then it turned out that the screen is quite dim. As if the device battery is empty. And it turned out that after a long and laborious work on search and selection screens pestering me, the purchase of test batch all modifications and testing. Time, money, and so on.
But the story turned out with a good ending. After correspondence with the Chinese it was found that the small screen can now adjust its contrast directly from the firmware. I fixed the firmware, and everything was just wonderful show!
All shows as scheduled: mileage, speed, number of clicks, etc.
In the future, the IOS has also repeatedly varied: there was a setting to change the language. Two language on one screen is bad — worse readability, English-speaking users Cyrillic gibberish will only irritate, and in the future may need to support other languages. The difficulties began when I tried to align the mileage of your mouse. It seems that there is a complex: optical sensor transmits an increment by two coordinates, which should lead to a system of measures and to add module to the current value. That's the whole run.
But as it turned out, not so simple. Two people with mice, where there is one and the same sensor can obtain radically different results! The fact is that the resolution of the sensor (sensitivity) is very strongly dependent on the surface on which the mouse rides. The best result is obtained when the mouse rolls on white paper. A little worse for wood and fabric. The laminate and the film is really bad. The declared rated sensitivity is achieved only on the ideal, from the point of view of the sensor surfaces.
For the end user this is irrelevant. He connects the mouse and by trial and error exposes operating system facilities to match the cursor speed. The system remembers this ratio and use it to increase or decrease the values of the coordinates of movement.
But it is quite another thing if your intention is to read these parameters directly with the mouse. Mouse on the same surface will show the result of run one meter on the other half. The speed will also be "lying". And this must have something to do.
For solutions to this problem had to introduce the parameter "Resolution (Sensitivity)" which allows you to individually choose the ratio for each surface. By default, it is equal to one, which corresponds to the surface of white paper. It is possible in the settings of both increase and decrease. It can never touch it, everything will work fine and so. But for the true perfectionists in the mouse attached to the leaflet will be given the table from which you can choose the ratio of the surface and instructions on how you can set the mouse to show accurate mileage.
When developing firmware showed another side effect of the operation of the sensor. If you take the mouse and just wave it in the air, the evidence of mileage is going to change. This is due to the fact that the sensor determines the surrounding space as a surface and is also trying to obtain offset values of the mouse. Therefore, it is possible to observe this effect: you move the mouse, look at the parameters of run and wonder what they're right in front of you change in a big way. Of course, you can set the mouse tilt sensor, disconnect the sensor at the time of its revolution, but do it only for the described situation is unwise. Maybe next version he will, but not now. Because the mouse is raised only to look at the indicators, and 99.9% of the time it is on the surface and gets the right information.
Cable
Cable decided to make as flexible as possible, so it does not interfere with the movement of the mouse and was "invisible" to the kinematics. Well, not like I personally "spring" cable.
Sometimes it seems that when you create the product cable is the most insignificant part of the product. What is easier to buy in the store the desired number of cable and unsolder it. A trifling matter. But, alas, not in Russia. Sometimes it seems that our industry has not adapted to do anything harder cast irons. Attempts to find the cable resulted in a three-week search and shake-up range absolutely all Russian manufacturers of cable products. It turned out that our standards do not describe the cable, suitable for modern electronic devices. For example, the microphone four-wire braided cable 4x0 KMM.12mm2 has an outer diameter of 5 mm. Is too much. Old mouse and keyboard have seemingly thick cable, outer diameter is 3.5 mm. the Closest analogue in the sale was the cable of the German company Lapp Kabel, but it has an external diameter just was 3.5 mm. now imagine another, and the braid on this cable. Presented? I can tell you that this cable I've seen power cords for irons :)
So, it turned out that in Russia such a cable to buy. Point. Well, we are not accustomed to retreat. Go into production and try to enjoy the benefit of in Russia, even the cable are doing. And this will define my requirements. So, what I need:
Strands of copper woven wire (for flexibility).
Number of cores — 4.
The screen — Yes.
Flexibility — maximum.
The external diameter of the cable strictly no more than 3 mm.
Color Pantone 4625 C.
Summary: tried to get in touch, probably, with dozens of possible manufacturers of cable products, no one wants to mess with my order. Not even asked what mileage I need. The bottom line: this cable is not to buy and not to produce. Sad. But we are not accustomed to retreat.
Go to Alibaba.com. Find first Chinese manufacturer, write a letter and just a few hours get an answer: I will make for you any cable! I'm in shock. Throw him a BOM of money on shipping and get a sample. Wow! And I nearly three months lost trying Patriotic to place an order in Russia. It turned out that the Chinese can make me a cable with an outer diameter of 2.5 mm.
In the end, I ordered in China 4. different sample. First staged carpeneti and opacity of the outer shell, then did not suit the flexibility of the cable, then again not satisfied with the flexibility, and eventually stopped at last sent Semple who was ready to order. More flexible they can. The cable has a memory. As a result, accidentally received a cable from memory though I wanted to be flexible like a rope :)
Ordered kilometer, two weeks later, the cable was from me. Total time spent: six months.
Braided your kilometer cable. We had two choices.
Approximately 10% of the cable left to sort out. This is the beginning of the bays where the braid rasplatitsya and the machine has not yet entered into operation mode. And some places, where for some reason the formed loops and the nodes of the strands of the braid.
If the cable end does not seal the shrink, he is a fluff, yarn-synthetic! Therefore, the installation of the cable Assembly difficult preventive attachment of the shrinking.
The outer diameter of the braided cable turned out to 3.2 mm, i.e. a braid added to the cable diameter 0.7 mm. Seems a little, but the conventional mouse cable is mainly with a diameter of 3.5 mm, and it in the era of wireless mice seems thick and heavy. Lately not a budget mouse began to be equipped with cables with a diameter of 3 mm, and they are not so interfere with the work, they are almost unnoticed. But the keyboard cable can be with an external diameter of 4 mm. And even more. But for the keyboard it doesn't matter.
Further ordered cable Assembly. Cable have two different lengths and two color braid. That is to say, for every taste of the consumer.
Plastic parts
As much as I wanted to make body parts mouse entirely of wood, but no plastic can not do. Need the legs, the axis of the wheel, a support for the axle and the glass for display.
So I had to order from the Chinese mold.
After each test casting the Chinese sent me a dozen samples that I tested on my mouse.
In the end, I've modified the mold, as long as the quality did not satisfy me. The problems were different. For example, after Assembly I got a problem of dust, which is formed between the display and protective glass. It looks untidy. The more the mouse will scrape the surface and dust will gradually accumulate. Had to convert the glass into a container with sides in which to invest the display, after which the circuit will germetizirujut.
I made this piece.
Completion of the mold — quite a difficult task, and changes may be made only in the direction of increasing detail. Therefore, any inaccuracy or error can ruin all the work. For reference: each revision is a month and a half of waiting for new samples. And the change could be microscopic, but a necessary one.
I will not dwell on plastic parts, this technology is now leading, and anything new and interesting I am here to tell you you can't. I'll just say the legs, to which I listened, a material with low friction, then conducted testing and "races" of mice to determine the winner with minimal friction. All of this in detail I described in my blog.
finish
First comes a thorough job with the removal of the pile, sanding and polishing the surface.
Before me stood a difficult task. They had to stabilize the tree to the geometry of the mouse did not change depending on humidity, and protect the tree from working in a hostile environment (sweat and grease from hands).
From the beginning refused of lacquer. Varnish is a surface film, which eventually bursts, collapses, and the tree is bare. Sweat and grease penetrate into the pores, the wood darkens and begins an irreversible process of degradation. It was therefore decided to use oil as the impregnation and protection, and wax to give a commercial view.
To be clear: the tree permeated with pores, which contain either air, or oil of the tree (if the tree rubber plant). Our task — as far as possible to fill the pores as its oil, which then has to harden and protect the wood.
To make a long story, I will say that have tried many oils: linseed, teak, Tung, paraffin, Danish. Each oil has its own character. For example, teak oil is very poorly applied wax, and linseed oil for a very long time polimerizuet. Therefore it is necessary to introduce a catalyst — desiccant.
In the end, I have developed two technologies. The first — technology of vacuum impregnation of wood. It works like this: create the environment with oil and wood vacuum. From then begins to leave the air. After removing the vacuum, the pores are filled with oil. As a plus the tree was good stabiliziruemost. As a minus — it is very dark. Looks good, but not for everybody.
The second technology is surface treatment with oil. The oil applied 1-2 or more times non-woven cloth.
On treated felt circle.
Apply Carnauba wax.
And rubs the muslin circle.
Then use the mounting of the dryer "dissolve" dry wax residue in narrow and difficult places. In the case of "insoluble" garbage take up a toothbrush with stiff bristles, removes the debris and then again locally repeat the procedure for application of the wax.
All done!
If you evaluate the work of processing, it is manual labor on one mouse would be about four hours.
Build
Then comes the mounting operation, but it is still necessary to remove the machining marks from the manufacturing holes. Then using a special 3M tape and stick justyou legs (the body can lead to the fraction of a millimeter, and it will be immediately noticeable: he will stagger as lame stool). Then install cable, mount fee, a support, install the wheel and, if necessary, justyou button (can't bounce) and the effect of depression. This operation can also take up to four hours.
Logo, website, blog
This status wooden mouse can't do without a cool logo. Lower intermediate options, and displays the result. Me it pleases. The combination of the leaf (tree), mouse (gadget), and the color of the wood clearly indicates the scope of the company. And the inscription, made using a font with notches, speaks about solidity of the company.
The website decided to do low-key. Wood just looks better on black: www.clickwood.ru.
The main feature of the site that should be mentioned — the Configurator. Any user can play with the options and enjoy the mouse by itself. You can change the species of wood for each part, its impregnation, the length and design of the cable, the presence and color of the screen. Even if the Chinese will copy my mouse, it is unlikely they will offer this service.
For those interested in the process I cover in detail every step in his blog: kuliba.livejournal.com. There you can find a wooden keyboard and case, which I had saved.
Why would I do that? At first it was a hobby. Then a hobby turned into a very costly budget item, but to stop there was no point, a lot has been done, it was necessary to go forward. In the end, I made an industrial-replicated designer product. Spent 2.5 years and a big budget. It is no secret that I now want to create a small business. Maybe my mouse will buy it as a luxury gift to the head or simply a unique gift. Because so far in the computer market there was not a single status of product. If you're a Persian Sheik, but still will have to keep a dull plastic crafts. I exaggerate, of course, but the meaning is clear.
What are your future plans? Plan to create all the elements of workstation: mouse, keyboard, case and monitor. Perhaps along the way will offer products from the desktop category: pens, coasters, etc., are also made of valuable sorts of wood and other exotic materials. Products status from the premium segment, but I strive to make them affordable for the middle class, it is the buying category of people.
I want to create the author's workshop are small. Nursed to old age and brought joy to me and fans of the original gadgets. Not all fully completed yet, is not all I am satisfied. But I continue to move forward. Enhance, improve and invent.
UPD: in no case do not claim the palm and I'm not the first who made a wooden status of the mouse, but in my post I want to talk about the history of my project, another task I did not put. Thank you for your understanding.
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