Apple Insider has reported that Apple has now patented a completely re-imagined and advanced version of your most popular pointing device, The Mouse.
An Apple patent filing uncovered on Thursday describes an advanced mouse that employs sensors to measure the level and location of force exerted on its main button, as well as haptics systems for providing feedback.
The application which Apple has filed at USPTO, has been titled “Force Sensing Mouse”, thus indicating the use of advanced sensor based technology to detect the amount of force which the user exerts.
As per the abstract of the USPTO filing, Apple has described its new mouse in the following manner :
A force sensing input device (such as a force sensing mouse) includes at least one force sensor and at least one top portion movably connected to at least one bottom portion.
When a force is applied to the top portion, the top portion exerts pressure on the force sensor. The force sensor obtains force data based upon the pressure. The amount of force applied to the top portion, within a range of force amounts, is determined from at least the force data.
Thus, such a device, will be able to gather much more data than your usual button-push mouse device. As far as the haptic feedback is concerned, Apple has employed an electromagnet, which is placed at the top of the mouse button.
As far as release of a new mouse is concerned, there has always been uncertainty associated with release of new peripherals by Apple.But, since the current Magic mouse is already five years old., we may expect Apple to release a new mouse in coming months.
