[Clyde Crashkop]

Micro Motion Mouse Control

Freehand control of an X Y Z & X’ axis using a computer mouse without the computer. Using the same precision incremental stepping motors that your printer uses to put each pixel in exactly the right place. This PS/2 mouse to motor interface will run 4 unipolar or bipolar stepper motors, 2 at a time and not tie up your computer. There is a micro computer inside. Like those first laptops that used a little joystick to move the cursor, you have much more control and coordination with a mouse.This is for precision positioning.
With 2 speeds, moving the mouse 1 MM rotates the motor 1 full step or half step. The default is half step at 2:1 ratio. To change speeds on the fly, hold the left button and click the right button or vice versa. The speed toggles on each click.
This unit connected to the motors of a printer carriage moves the head and platen smoothly at a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio and as fast as the printer would.
Now with a Pan or Travel mode. Just hold the middle button (or wheel) with the left or right button and it keeps moving. You just steer it with the mouse.
A 200 step motor coupled directly to a micrometer spindle would move your device 0.0000625” per MM of mouse movement. Gear ratios can reduce that to Nano positioning.
If you don’t need 4 outputs, just use what you need.
Using a bank of switches you can control as many cameras as you like including zoom with one mouse.
Some uses that I can think of include:
Position microscopes, aim lasers and telescopes.
Place the smallest of surface mount components.
i.e. : left button X & Y, right button Z & rotate.
Nano assembly?
Cutting diamonds.
Touch up circuit boards, film and microfilm.
Micro machining and polishing.
Micro and nano surgery.
Manipulate radioactive or hazardous materials.
Aim or position police robot tools for rescue or bomb search & disposal.
Manipulate specimens for bright light inspection.
Many things on a larger scale like laser or plasma cutting and welding.
The Processor in Micro Motion Mouse Control is socketed for easy removal to use in your own prototypes. Input should be anything you can plug into a PS/2 mouse port. The output is fine tuned for Allegro stepper driver / translators. The default speed is logic high and alternates with each L + R click or R + L click button combination. The left and right button pins are normally low and go high when a button is pressed for wake from sleep or chip select. The X and Y step outputs are normally high with 5 ms low pulses. If you are using driver / translators that require a different input, let me know.
For specs and more info visit http://motionmouse.com
The programmed PIC16F628A Microprocessor IC chip is also available for those of you that want to build your own circuit with easy mouse input.