USING A MODIFIED MOUSE TO READ DATA FROM NONSTRUCTURED LINE SCALES

Nonstructured line scales (NLS) are widely used in sensory and consume r research, normally generating a large amount of data to be introduce d to computers for statistical analysis. This process can be very much accelerated with the use of special hardware and software. Available systems are efficient but costly. To overcome this last item a standar d mouse was modified to be used as a measuring instrument, and a simpl e QBASIC program was developed to input the measured data into an ASCI I file. The cost of the modified mouse was $60, and data input was 5 t imes faster than measuring distances with a ruler. Experiments designe d to test the mouse showed that error measurements were small.