Jean-Daniel Nicoud (born 31 August 1938), is a Swiss computer scientist, noted for inventing of a

computer mouse A computer mouse (plural mice, sometimes mouses) is a hand-held pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows a smooth ...

with an optical encoder and the CALM (Common Assembly Language for

microprocessor A microprocessor is a computer processor where the data processing logic and control is included on a single integrated circuit, or a small number of integrated circuits. The microprocessor contains the arithmetic, logic, and control circ ...

s). He obtained a degree in physics at the

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Savoi ...

(EPFL) in 1963. Around 1965, he became interested in

logical system A formal system is an abstract structure used for inferring theorems from axioms according to a set of rules. These rules, which are used for carrying out the inference of theorems from axioms, are the logical calculus of the formal system. A form ...

s. He obtained his PhD at the EPFL in 1970 and became a professor in 1973. His laboratory, LAMI (''LAboratoire de Micro-Informatique''), developed the Smaky computer, in addition to the optical

, an update of the traditional kinetic mouse invented by Douglas Engelbart. The

Khepera mobile robot The Khepera is a small (5.5 cm) differential wheeled mobile robot that was developed at the LAMI laboratory of Professor Jean-Daniel Nicoud at EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland) in the mid 1990s. It was developed by Edo. Franzi, Francesco Mond ...

was also developed at the LAMI. He left the EPFL in August 2000 and is actively innovating in his private company, DIDEL, especially in the area of miniature ultralight aircraft (below 10 g airplanes). His airplane was used in a publication that received a best paper award in IROS 2006 conference.

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Smaky history from ''A History of Computing in Switzerland''Prof. Jean-Daniel Nicoud @ EPFLDIDEL - Slow flyers, microrobots and educational kits for technical schools and hobby roboticians
Swiss computer scientists 1938 births Living people École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne faculty École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne alumni {{Switzerland-scientist-stub

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