Using Optical mouse as BarCode Reader...possible??

[ch]

Hi,
I have been wandering if it ever possible to make an Optical Mouse to
become a BarCode Scanner.

When i think abt it, an optical mouse works pretty much like a barcode
scanner, whereby a sensor in the device will pick up the reflected
information and then translate it to some meaningful information.

I am not sure if this is ever possible. If it is, has anyone ever try
doing it?
Any like to any of these project are very much appreciated.

If this is possible, isnt it great to have a device that can do 2
things, as a normal mouse and a barcode reader??

Thank you.

note: if possible, please cc a reply to choonhooi(at)yahoo(dot)com

Rgds,
choon

 

[Ian Stirling]

Hi,
I have been wandering if it ever possible to make an Optical Mouse to
become a BarCode Scanner.

When i think abt it, an optical mouse works pretty much like a barcode
scanner, whereby a sensor in the device will pick up the reflected
information and then translate it to some meaningful information.

I am not sure if this is ever possible. If it is, has anyone ever try
doing it?

Yes it's possible.

Unfortunately, it's a case of "if you have to ask, you can't do it".

Learn about how barcode scanners work.
Now, learn about how optical mice work.
Google
optical mouse difference movement chip
You're going to need to either design a fully custom sensor to do it, or
add another sensor to read the barcode.

 

[Pete]

Hi,
I have been wandering if it ever possible to make an Optical Mouse to
become a BarCode Scanner.

Kind of reminds me of those old handheld doccument scanners that had
small tracker wheels underneath to judge speed \ distance (or in your
case width?)..

Pete

 

[PJ]

Kind of reminds me of those old handheld doccument scanners that had
small tracker wheels underneath to judge speed \ distance (or in your
case width?)..

Pete

Much easier to buy a modified CueCat off ebay....Paul

 

[Pete]

CueCat

I have never come across these before but I do like the blurb given by
one ebay seller:

Pete


\\======================

Description

What is a CueCat??
It is a Small Hand Held Bar Code Scanner, it was brought into the
world by a now defunct company called "Digital Convergence", their
plan was to get these scanners into the world to help tie you and
advertisers together... Simple, the vendor puts their bar coded link
into the ad they are running in a publication, you scan the bar code
and you're off to the site for the item you are interested in.....


There goes the rub. Little known to the users was that each time you
used the CueCat a coded serial number was also sent which could have
been used to judge your buying habits and demographic surveys....
Shades of 1984...

So now that Digital Convergence is dead who cares.... Read on

Long live the hackers, these people found that with a few minor
modifications the CueCat could be made to work as a standard bar code
reader. Free software was written for the Windows, Linux, Unix, MAC
and other OS's which helps to tame the CueCat and undo the stealthy
reason behind Digital Convergences business plan.

One site Cuecatastrophe.com has a windows driver written which strips
and decodes the information all through software without having to
modify the Cats.

Uses...
Simple, its a cheap but functional Barcode Scanner
Applications or users
Teachers
Sports Leagues
Non-Profit Groups
Inventory Control
Cataloging CD's Tapes etc...
Any Hobby Item you want to track
eBay items you sell, barcode them...
As much or as little as you want to barcode....
Small Business's for POS, where else can you do this on a shoe string
budget???


LINK: http://www.mavin.com/cuecat/index.html