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

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

Reply to
ch
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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.

Reply to
Ian Stirling

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

Reply to
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

Reply to
Pete

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

Pete

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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:

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Reply to
Pete

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