Images from optical mouse

[Goran]

Would it be possible to write a driver that would translate the images
from optical mouse's sensor into a picture on the screen?

Would that entail circumventing any hardware (I assume that an optical
mouse translates its data into a form similar or identical to that of
a mechanical mouse before sending it to the computer)?

Bottom line: could one build a primitive camera out of optical mouse?

I apologize if this has been asked before and for my apparent lack of
technical expertise.

Cheerz!

 

[JT]

Would it be possible to write a driver that would translate the images
from optical mouse's sensor into a picture on the screen?

Would that entail circumventing any hardware (I assume that an optical
mouse translates its data into a form similar or identical to that of
a mechanical mouse before sending it to the computer)?

Bottom line: could one build a primitive camera out of optical mouse?

I apologize if this has been asked before and for my apparent lack of
technical expertise.

Cheerz!

In a nutshell, no.

Longer answer upon request, but think about what information is passed to
the computer through the mouse driver.

JT

 

[Mitochondrion]

besides the mouse circuitry only processes relative movement not
actual imagery