$3 Mouse Jiggler - Keep Your Computer Awake! - 9 Steps (With Pictures) - Instructables

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$3 Mouse Jiggler -- Keep Your Computer Awake!

By TigerDave (/member/TigerDave/) in Living (/living/) > Life Hacks (/living/life-hacks/projects/)
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Tired of your computer going to sleep while you are away?

Is$3
your company
Mouse Jiggler -- utilizing
Keep Youran application
Computer Awake! like Microsoft
by TigerDave Teams that shows
(/member/TigerDave/) Followyou as "Away" just
because you haven't touched your mouse or keyboard over the past few minutes?
Unable to install third-party applications to simulate key presses or mouse movement like Caf-
feine (https://www.zhornsoftware.co.uk/ca eine/index.html) due to company policy?
Well, do I have a solution for you -- and for under $3.00 (USD)!
I was looking for a mechanical way to simulate mouse movement and came up with this cheap
and easy solution.
Let's get started!
Supplies:
Alarm clock from eBay

Single AA battery
Printer
Paper
Pen or pencil
Small round object (like a shot glass) about 2 inches (5cm) in diameter
Scissors
Tape or Glue
Felt pad
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Step 1: Purchase This Cheap Alarm Clock Off of EBay

$3 Mouse Jiggler -- Keep Your Computer Awake! by TigerDave (/member/TigerDave/) Follow
(https://content
auto=webp&frame=1&fit=bounds&md=40b43f846871e83f1843a7633af60a9e)
instructables com/ORIG/F18/ZZ1I/KMC0YP7L/F18ZZ1IKMC0YP7L jpg?
Buy this alarm clock o of eBay. Make sure you buy the WHITE color since we want a clear case.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Square-Simple-Quartz-Beep... (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Square-
Simple-Quartz-Beep-Alarm-Clock-Cute-Portable-Travel-Table-Bedside-Clock/362715759616)
If the item is no longer available, search for:
Square Simple Quartz Beep Alarm Clock Cute Portable Travel Table Bedside Clock
It should look like the one in the photo.
I paid just $2.69 (USD), shipped!
Next, wait... Mine took about 3 weeks to arrive.
Step 2: Download and Print Out This Optical Pattern

(https://content
auto=webp&frame=1&width=1024&fit=bounds&md=907f8eace37e606f3103186522e2c37f)
instructables com/ORIG/FH8/48AP/KMC0YSDH/FH848APKMC0YSDH png?
Go to http://www.carr-engineering.com/mousepad.htm (http://www.carr-
engineering.com/mousepad.htm) and download the
World's Cheapest Optical Mousepad (PDF) (http://www.carr-

engineering.com/Mousepad150.pdf ).
Next, print it!
Step 3: Cut a 5cm Circle From the Pattern

Using a shot glass or something similar, trace a circle about 5cm in diameter.
Use scissors to cut it out.

Step 4: Gently Separate Clock From the Case
$3 Mouse Jiggler -- Keep Your Computer Awake! by TigerDave (/member/TigerDave/)
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Using a small athead screwdriver, gently pry out the clock mechanism on all sides until it is
freed from the clear plastic case.
Step 5: Attach Pattern to the Red Second Hand

Using a pen, make a small dot in the center of the back of the pattern.
Then using scotch tape or glue, attach the pattern to the red second hand. Use the small dot as a
guide to help center it. I used a tiny drop of super glue.
Make sure it is centered and does not touch the sides of the clear case once it's reassembled. If it
does, use scissors to trim o the edge a bit. It may take some trial & error.
Step 6: Re-assemble Clock

auto=webp&frame=1&width=1024&height=1024&fit=bounds&md=a9687982977c61f9b2f6551cf970a26
(https://content instructables com/ORIG/FG9/G9V9/KMC0YP37/FG9G9V9KMC0YP37 jpg?
Put the block body back in to the clear case.
The pattern should be right up against the clear face of the clock.
Step 7: Insert Battery

Remove the battery ap, insert a fresh AA battery into the clock, and then reattach the ap.
Step 8: Add Feet

auto=webp&frame=1&width=1024&height=1024&fit=bounds&md=9d4ef0bd251504f4c7c4afcb41514584)
(https://content instructables com/ORIG/FJY/PWO6/KMC0YP4W/FJYPWO6KMC0YP4W jpg?
Since the clock has two knobs protruding from the back, it does not lay at.
Simply get a felt pad, cut it into 3 pieces and attach. Now it's stable -- like a table.
Step 9: You're Done!

auto=webp&frame=1&width=1024&height=1024&fit=bounds&md=e8a5df25d5ddeffc17e6c7f1848b01c0)
(https://content instructables com/ORIG/F8F/H2KZ/KMC0YP77/F8FH2KZKMC0YP77 jpg?
The pattern should rotate every second since it's attached to the second hand.
Place your optical mouse on it and watch the cursor move ever so slightly every time the pattern
moves.
You might even see the optical LED ash on the mouse at the same time.
Enjoy!
1 Person Made This Project!

sb37 (/member/sb37/) made it!
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28 Comments
(/member/nearly_trainable/) nearly_trainable (/member/nearly_trainable/) 8 hours ago
Reply / Upvote
Brilliant! It amazes me how far we have to go to work around what computers think is best. Or what the
humans behind the computers think is best. But this! Simple, effective, and gadgety!
/1 (/member/GordonB34/) GordonB34 (/member/GordonB34/) 12 hours ago

Reply / Upvote
The implementation is actually brilliant!
However, the benefit - which one could assume behind it - is more than questionable.
(I'm not saying that the assumption applies to you, but maybe someone feels addressed who read the
comments ...)
1. it has a reason why the computer goes into sleep mode: energy savings!
I hope you then at least turn off the display!
2. you should be glad that you have the opportunity to do home office at all and not cheat on it.
There are enough people in the world who do not have this opportunity and have lost their job because
of it!
Why don't you free up your place for someone who is willing to actually work the time they are paid
for?
5 replies F
(/member/rmcox44/) rmcox44 (/member/rmcox44/) 10 hours ago

Reply / Upvote
If you use a wireless mouse, it would shorten battery life.
1 reply F
/1 (/member/misterarobertson/) misterarobertson (/member/misterarobertson/) 13 hours ago
Reply / Upvote
You can just put the mouse on top of the clock as shown in your guide without the paper pattern, as
long as your computer's sleep timer is less than 60 seconds the mouse will detect movement of the
second hand past the sensor and stay awake. I tried this recently with a wristwatch and it stayed
awake whilst I was away from my computer for some time.
1 reply F
(/member/Pigpen1967/) Pigpen1967 (/member/Pigpen1967/) 12 hours ago

Reply / Upvote
wouldn't the second hand moving past once a minute do the same thing? Just skip the paper disk...
1 reply F
/1 (/member/bm1984/) bm1984 (/member/bm1984/) 12 hours ago

Reply / Upvote
Great when working from home. But if you work from home this would not be problem as you can
disable sleep.
Not sure that this would be good idea in some offices due to possible confidentiality issues or
somebody sending emails on your behalf without you even knowing it (anybody can use your
computer while you step away for coffee or such)?
That is why majority of offices have timeout locked

1 reply F
(/member/NickD155/) NickD155 (/member/NickD155/) 12 hours ago

Reply / Upvote
Actually in most cases any clock or watch with a second hand is sufficient for this, just put the mouse
on top, and the second hand's movement is enough to keep the computer awake. There is also a small
program you can get called mouse jiggler, that will do this imperceptably in software.
1 reply F
Reply / Upvote
jimdkc (/member/jimdkc/) 10 hours ago
(/member/jimdkc/)
Just a note: Violating your employer's security policies via any means (software,
Download w I Made It or using
Favorite mechanical,
any other method) is probably not a good idea. Could get you fired. Could even get you prosecuted if it
results in a security breach!
(/member/thepoisonivy/) thepoisonivy (/member/thepoisonivy/) 12 hours ago

Reply / Upvote
So smart and so wonderfully simple. Dig it.
(/member/atanguay/) atanguay (/member/atanguay/) 12 hours ago

Reply / Upvote
Ingenius. With a little tweaking, it could still be a clock. Hmmmm...
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$3 Mouse Jiggler - Keep Your Computer Awake! - 9 Steps (With Pictures) - Instructables

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