In some aspects, the disclosure is directed to methods and systems for a hybrid position and rate control input device comprising: a housing comprising an upper portion and a lower portion; a force-detecting sensor configured to detect a translation or rotation of the upper portion relative to the lower portion; a motion-detecting sensor within one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the housing, configured to detect motion of the housing relative to a surface; a communication interface positioned within the housing; and a processor positioned within the housing configured to select between a first translation signal from the motion-detecting sensor and a second translation signal from the force-detecting sensor; and transmit, via the communication interface to a computing device, the selected translation signal.

A computer peripheral device (e.g., a computer mouse) includes an optical sensor configured to generate optical data corresponding to a surface that the computer peripheral device is placed upon and a processor(s) configured to determine, based on the optical data, a relative displacement of the computer peripheral device along the surface, identify one or more characteristics of the surface based on the optical data; compare the one or more characteristics with one or more corresponding baseline characteristics stored in memory; classify, based on the comparing of the one or more characteristics with one or more corresponding baseline characteristics, a type of the surface; and adjust, based on the classified type of the surface, an aspect of the determination of the relative displacement of the peripheral device or an operation of the optical sensor that alters the generating of the optical data.

A method of operating an input device can include generating a light beam by a light source module, steering the light beam towards a target location on an underlying surface, steering a reflected light beam towards an image sensor of the input device, receiving the reflected light beam by the image sensor, and generating tracking data by the image sensor that corresponds to a two-dimensional (2D) movement of the input device on the underlying surface. The method further includes determining that the input device is operating: on and in contact with the underlying surface when the reflected light beam received by the image sensor is located on a first set of pixels of the image sensor, and above and not in contact with the underlying surface when the reflected light beam is located on a second set of pixels of the plurality of pixels of the image sensor.

In some aspects, the disclosure is directed to methods and systems for an advanced computer input device with a rotational degree of freedom (z.sub.rot) in addition to two translation degrees of freedom (x and y), in an easy and intuitive fashion. A plurality of independent position sensors may be arranged on a lower surface of the computer input device, each determining a direction and velocity of motion of the input device when in use. The detected directions and velocities may be compared to determine whether a rotational motion of the input device has been applied as opposed to (or in addition to) a translation.

An ambidextrous mouse is disclosed. The ambidextrous mouse is configured for both left and right handed use. The mouse may include right handed buttons on the front side of the mouse and left handed buttons on the back side of the mouse. The user may change the handedness of the mouse by rotating the mouse about a vertical axis of the mouse such that the left hand can use the left hand buttons and the right hand can use the right hand buttons. The mouse may include a handedness selection system for configuring the mouse for right handed or left handed use even though the mouse has the capability for both right and left hands.

In some aspects, the disclosure is directed to methods and systems for an advanced computer input device with a rotational degree of freedom (z.sub.rot) in addition to two translation degrees of freedom (x and y), in an easy and intuitive fashion. A plurality of independent position sensors may be arranged on a lower surface of the computer input device, each determining a direction and velocity of motion of the input device when in use. The detected directions and velocities may be compared to determine whether a rotational motion of the input device has been applied as opposed to (or in addition to) a translation.

An assembly-type mouse comprises a dismountable casing, a processor, at least one press key and at least one track sensor. The dismountable casing includes an upper casing and a lower casing. The upper casing includes a body and at least two moveable sidewalls. Two moveable sidewalls are respectively disposed at two sides of the body and able to rotate with respect to the body. The processor and press keys are disposed inside the dismountable casing. The press key has a press member on the surface thereof and a first connector configured to connect with a press-key input port of the processor. The track sensor has a second connector configured to connect with a track-sensor input port of the processor. The mouse may be disassembled. Reassembling the mouse can generate different application forms of the mouse.

A computer peripheral device (e.g., a computer mouse) includes an optical sensor configured to generate optical data corresponding to a surface that the computer peripheral device is placed upon and a processor(s) configured to determine, based on the optical data, a relative displacement of the computer peripheral device along the surface, identify one or more characteristics of the surface based on the optical data; compare the one or more characteristics with one or more corresponding baseline characteristics stored in memory; classify, based on the comparing of the one or more characteristics with one or more corresponding baseline characteristics, a type of the surface; and adjust, based on the classified type of the surface, an aspect of the determination of the relative displacement of the peripheral device or an operation of the optical sensor that alters the generating of the optical data.

A computer input device system that includes a finger-wearable input unit that is capable of providing inputs in a two-dimensional plane or in three-dimensional space, and that is capable of transitioning between registering inputs along a two-dimensional plane or in a three-dimensional space. The finger-wearable unit can be made up of separable modules and links that allow for reconfiguration of the finger-wearable unit according to a user's needs.

A system and method for dictation using a peripheral device includes a voice recognition mouse. The voice recognition mouse includes a microphone, a first button, a processor coupled to the microphone and the first button, and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to detect actuation of the first button and in response to detecting actuation of the first button, invoke the microphone for capturing audio speech from a user. The captured audio speech is streamed to a first module. The first module is configured to invoke a second module for converting the captured audio speech into text and forward the text to the first module for providing to an application expecting the text, the application being configured to display the text on a display device.