Optical Mouse as Motion Sensor

Mouse camera image
This is darn cool, use an optical mouse as a position sensor.
From the site: “Most optical mice are based on a technology where a small sensor take a small microscopic picture of the surface and detects the mouse movement by mathematically comparing sequential images. ”
This could make a dandy white line/direction sensor for a robot.
Interface to Optical Mouse Sensor
I suppose someone could also make a barcode scanner out of an optical mouse with little work… Humm….

Biped Robot Kit!

KHR-1
As seen in many robot contests in Japan, the bipedal walking robots are now avaliable in America.
KHR-1
The price sounds high but if you look at what’s in it, its a good deal. Um, yes, it makes a fine birthday gift as well as a cool platform for robotic development. 🙂