2. WHAT IS INPUT DEVICE ?
An input device in computing is a piece of computer hardware equipment
used to supply a data processing system including a computer or information
appliance with control and data signals. Keyboards, scanners, mouses,
joysticks and digital cameras are examples of input devices.
Examples of inputs include labor
(workers' time), fuel, materials,
buildings, and equipment.
3. IMPORTANCE OF INPUT OUTPUT DEVICE
The input allows the user to send data while the output completes the task
related to the data. These all are auxiliary devices that connect to the device and
complete all the tasks accordingly. Keyboards, mouse, scanners, etc are some of
the input devices while printers, monitors, headphones, etc are some of the
output devices.
Another important element of a hardware system is computer memory. It is where
all the data goes either temporarily or permanently. It is mainly of two types –
volatile memory and nonvolatile memory. Volatile memory needs the power to
function and store information like static RAM or dynamic RAM.
Dynamic one is complicated to handle in terms of interface and thus requires
regular refresh cycles. Meanwhile, SRAM has a better interface but requires six
transistors per bit. Non Volatile Memory doesn’t require power to retain
information and some of the examples are – ROM, Flash memory, Optical Disks, etc
4. KEYBOARD
The most basic input device to enter data on the system or any other device
with the help of the keys is a keyboard. They establish a connection with the
computer either by wifi or by a USB system. There are keys for everything –
numbers, letters, characters, and functions.
The typing keys are A – Z and number keys till 09. The numeric keypad has 17
keys allowing users to perform different calculations. Then there are function
keys for special computer features at the top row.
5. MOUSE
A hand-supported input device that allows users to move the cursor on the
screen is a mouse. It works on a flat surface with a wheel between the left
and right buttons. Laptops have a touchpad as does the function of a mouse.
The invention of the mouse took place in 1063 by Douglas C. Engelbart.
The earliest version of the mouse had a rollerball underneath but the modern
ones are made with optical technology with a light beam. The port of the
mouse connection depends on the computer and mouse type.
6. SCANNER
A scanner works like a photocopy machine is an input device to make
information available on a pc from paper. This is mainly to manipulate the
information by converting an image into a digital form and then printing it.
A scanner is a device usually connected to a computer. Its main function is to
scan or take a picture of the document, digitize the information and present
it on the computer screen. *Note: The instructions for this scanner are
specific to a brand and may vary for other brands and products.
7. DIGITIZER
Responsible for converting analog information into digital form, a digitizer
converts signals into numeric values stored in a computer. The computer can
now do anything with it as long as the camera is pointing out the image. A
graphic tablet is also a digitizer converting graphics into binary data. It is
ideal for drawing and image manipulation applications.
For example, a digital camera can be considered as a digitizer, as it takes
analog light information and converts it to a digital picture.
8. TRACK BALL
A common accessory for notebooks and laptops, that works as a replacement
for a mouse. With a similar structure, it has a half inserted ball which the
fingers move to send signals for cursor movement. It is kind of stationary
taking very little space. It comes in a ball, button, and square shape as well.
The trackball and the mouse are fundamentally opposites in both design and
functionality. Though a normal mouse may be more familiar to use and offer
greater precision and control, a trackball offers increased efficiency, wider
accessibility, and even helps prevent injury.
9. LIGHT PEN
Again a pointing device with a pen-like structure allowing users to select on
the screen and even draw on it. Photocells and optical systems are inbuilt
inside the small tube allowing the flow of signals to the CPU. The tip of the
pen moves on the screen with the button pressed, the CPU receives the
signals. A light pen is used to draw text and diagrams or select the object
with the user interface system in the CRT monitor. A light pen helps a user to
select the displayed object on the monitor with more positional accuracy than
the normal touch screen.
10. JOYSTICK
Joystick is a pointing device to move the cursor on the monitor screen but not
the same as a mouse. It has a spherical ball stick-type structure. It can move
in all directions and is a computer aid design mainly for gaming purposes. A
joystick is an input device that can be used for controlling the movement of
the cursor or a pointer in a computer device. The pointer/cursor movement is
controlled by maneuvering a lever on the joystick.
11. Microphone
The microphone is used for various applications such as adding sound to a
multimedia presentation or for mixing music.
The microphone is used for various applications such as adding sound to a
multimedia presentation or for mixing music.
Sometimes abbreviated as mic, a microphone is
a hardware peripheral and input device originally invented by Emile
Berliner in 1877. A microphone allows computer users to input audio
into their computers.
12. Barcode reader
A Barcode reader or Barcode scanner is an electronic input device which is
able to scan and decode barcodes. These devices use optical technology such
as infrared light. Some readers use an integrated decoder, others have one unit
for reading the barcode, and another one to decode the barcode. A barcode
reader also called a price scanner or point-of-sale ( POS ) scanner, is a hand-
held or stationary input device used to capture and read the information
contained in a bar code.
13. Optical character reader (OCR)
Optical character reader (OCR) detects shape, and can identify characters. It
can examine each character as if it were made up of a collection of minute
spots. Once the whole character has been scanned, the pattern detected is
matched against a set of patterns stored in the computer. The pattern that
matches or nearly matches is taken to be the character read. Patterns that
cannot be identified are rejected. It is used in mail sorting and credit card
billing.
14. WHAT IS OUTPUT DEVICE ?
An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment which
converts information into a human-perceptible form or, historically, into a
physical machine-readable form for use with other non-computerized
equipment. It can be text, graphics, tactile, audio, or video
In an industrial setting, output devices also include "printers" for paper tape
and punched cards, especially where the tape or cards are subsequently used
to control industrial equipment, such as an industrial loom with electrical
robotics which is not fully computerized.
15. Braille Reader
A Braille reader, also known as a Braille display, is a device that helps people
with blindness read text on a computer display. This electronic device uses
special software to convert text on the screen, then converts this into Braille.
The Braille letters then appear in a flat device that has raised pins. People who
are blind can then use their fingers on this device to read the text from the
screen.
Braille readers come in different sizes, such as those about the size of a
keyboard and smaller ones designed to work with laptops or tablets. There are
also Braille reading devices that can connect to smartphones via Bluetooth
16. Computer speaker
Computer speakers allow users to listen to audio that electronic devices
provide. Computers can generate audio in a number of ways, such as playing a
locally stored file or streaming music from over the internet. The computer then
outputs this audio through speakers so that the user can hear it. Computer
speakers come in numerous types, from large, professional-grade multi-speaker
setups to small built-in speakers inside laptops and tablets.
17. Electronic screen
Devices that include electronic screens include laptops, tablets and
smartphones. These devices generate an image with their internal hardware,
then output the image through the electronic screen. In some instances, these
electronic screens also act as input devices when the user can control the device
by touching the screen, such as on a smartphone.
18. GPS
GPS stands for Global Positioning System, and it's a technology that allows
computers to determine a specific location on the Earth's surface. Using
satellites and computer systems, users can employ GPS technology to do things
like getting turn-by-turn navigation directions while they're driving. GPS
technology acts as an output device in that it outputs the user's exact location.
Software on the GPS system or the computer can then interpret this data and
use it to provide a service to the user.
19. Headphones
Headphones are a pair of small loudspeaker drivers worn on or around the
head over a user's ears. They are electroacoustic transducers, which convert
an electrical signal to a corresponding sound. Headphones let a single user
listen to an audio source privately, in contrast to a loudspeaker, which emits
sound into the open air for anyone nearby to hear. Headphones are also known
as earspeakers, earphones[1] or, colloquially, cans.[2] Circumaural ('around the
ear') and supra-aural ('over the ear') headphones use a band over the top of the
head to hold the speakers in place.
20. Monitor
A monitor is a display device that users often pair with desktop computers. A
monitor connects to the desktop computer to provide users with visual output.
The computer device generates a user interface through the operating system,
and the monitor allows the user to see it. Monitors can also often connect to
other devices such as laptops or tablets to provide an additional or larger
viewing surface.
21. Optical mark reader
An optical mark reader is a device that reads information from paper
documents such as surveys or tests. The optical mark reader scans the
document, processes the data, then outputs meaningful information for the
user. For example, a teacher may provide students with a multiple-choice test.
The teacher then uses the optical mark reader to analyze a student's answers
and output the total number of correct selections. In this example, the optical
mark reader acts as both an input and output device in that it inputs
information from the paper document and outputs data about the document.
22. Printer
A printer takes an image from a computer device and displays it on a paper
document. It provides the user with a physical copy of the document or image
they are viewing on their desktop computer, laptop or smartphone. In addition
to being able to print things on paper, specialized printers are now capable of
printing three-dimensional objects, taking specifications and dimensional input
from a computer and converting it into an object.
23. Projector
A projector is a visual display output device. It takes an image from an
electronic device and displays it on a screen or wall. For example, a user can
connect a projector to a computer or DVD player to display movies on a large
screen. People also use projectors when giving presentations to others or when
teaching. Projectors make it easier for large audiences to see an image that
would otherwise appear on a much smaller device.
24. Speech generator device
A speech-generating device converts text into sound. For example, a user may
use a voice assistant feature on their phone to search the internet. The software
on their phone searches the internet, then reads the information it finds online
out loud. Other speech-generating devices can help those with disabilities by
tracking eye movement on a screen and reading aloud the corresponding
words.
