mikegw20 wrote:
> Has anyone used an optical mouse for postion sensing?
Your term of "optical mouse" is a bit confusing here.
If you are referring to a ball-driven mechanical mouse
with x/y photo interrupters, yes that is a possible
solution with a few constraints.
The interrupter wheel segments mark off 10∗ or
36 divisions per revolution for run of the mill
units. To achieve a resolution in the ballpark
of 0.001" a lead screw having a pitch of 24-28TPI
is required. This will likely be a conventional
60∗ cut screw thread rather than a more durable
acme thread which has a broader profile and is
not normally available in this fine of a pitch.
Fabricating a higher resolution photo interrupter
disk is possible via laser printing to transparency
film. Other sources of quick and dirty photo
interrupters are reclaimed high tooth count gears
from electro-mechanical devices.
A PC mouse is a good starting point in any case
as it furnishes two dual-channel IR quadrature
detectors and emitters which provide a means to
sense rotational displacement as well as direction.
--
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