CHAPTER 4

INPUT DEVICES

WHAT IS AN INPUT DEVICE?

An input device is simply something that is used to interact with, or provide data to, the computer, as opposed to an output device that displays data for the user. Everyone that has used a computer has also used an input device, such as a keyboard or mouse. Without input devices, there would be no way to interact with computers.

WHAT IS AN INPUT DEVICE?

Input devices convert the user's actions and analog data (sound, graphics, pictures) into digital electronic signals that can be handled or read by a computer.

Digital data (such as from barcode readers, scanners, etc.) does not require any conversion and is input direct into a computer.
It is through input devices that a user exercises control over a computer, its operations, and outputs.

CLASSIFICATION OF INPUT DEVICES

Many input devices can be classified according to:

the modality of input (e.g. mechanical motion, audio, visual, sound, etc.) whether the input is discrete (e.g. keypresses) or continuous (e.g. a mouse's position, though digitized into a discrete quantity, is highresolution enough to be thought of as continuous) the number of degrees of freedom involved (e.g. many mice allow 2D positional input, but some devices allow 3D input, such as the Logitech Magellan Space Mouse)

CLASSIFICATION OF INPUT DEVICES

Pointing devices, which are input devices used to specify a position in space, can further be classified according to:

Whether the input is direct or indirect. With direct input, the input space coincides with the display space, i.e. pointing is done in the space where visual feedback or the cursor appears. Touch screens and light pens involve direct input. Examples involving indirect input include the mouse and trackball. Whether the positional information is absolute (e.g. on a touch screen) or relative (e.g. with a mouse that can be lifted and repositioned)

KEYBOARD

A keyboard is a human interface device which is represented as a layout of buttons. Each button, or key, can be used to either input a character to a computer, or to call upon a particular function of the computer. There are about 101 keys on the Keyboard.

POINTING DEVICES

A pointing devices is an input that allows a user to input continuous and multidimensional data to a computer. Some of the Point and draw devices ar
Mouse Track Ball Joy stick Light pen Touch Screen

MOUSE

A ball underneath rolls as the mouse moves across the mouse pad. The cursor on the screen follows the motion of the mouse. Buttons on the mouse can be clicked or double-clicked to perform tasks, like to select an icon on the screen or to open the selected document. There are new mice that don't have a ball. They use a laser to sense the motion of the mouse instead. Advantage:
Moves cursor around the screen faster than using keystrokes.

Disadvantage:
Requires moving hand from keyboard to mouse and back.

TRACKBALL

Instead of moving the whole mouse around, the user rolls the trackball only, which is on the top or side.

Advantage:
Does not need as much desk space as a mouse. Is not as tiring since less motion is needed.

Disadvantage:
Requires fine control of the ball with just one finger or thumb. Repeated motions of the same muscles is tiring and can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.

GLIDEPAD

Uses a touch sensitive pad for controlling cursor. The user slides finger across the pad and the cursor follows the finger movement. For clicking there are buttons, or you can tap on the pad with a finger. The glidepad is a popular alternate pointing device for laptops. Advantage:
Does not need as much desk space as a mouse. Can readily be built into the keyboard. Has finer resolution. Can use either buttons or taps of the pad for clicking.

Disadvantage:
The hand tires faster than with a mouse since there is no support.

GAME DEVICES

Cursor motion controlled by vertical stick (joystick) or arrow buttons (gamepad) Advantage:
A joystick gives a more natural-feeling control for motion in games, especially those where you are flying a plane or spaceship. Both have more buttons for special functions than a mouse and can combine buttons for even more actions.

Disadvantage:
More expensive Bulky Better ones require an additional peripheral card for best performance

PEN INPUT

Used especially in Personal Digital Assistants (PDA).

Pen Input is used for:

Data Input - by writing. PDA recognizes your handwriting. Pointing Device - Functions like a mouse in moving a cursor around the screen and clicking by tapping the screen. Command Gestures - You can issue commands by moving pen in patterns.

Advantage:
Can use handwriting instead of typing Can use gestures instead of typing commands Small size

Disadvantage:
Must train device to recognize handwriting. Must learn gestures or train device to recognize the ones you create Can lose the pen which is not usually attached to the device

TOUCH SCREEN

Make selection by just touching the screen. Advantage:

It's natural to do - reach out and touch something.

Disadvantage:
It's tiring if many choices must be made. It takes a lot of screen space for each choice since fingers are bigger than

DIGITIZERS AND GRAPHICS TABLETS

Converts drawings, photos, etc. to digital signal. The tablets have special commands Advantage:
Don't have to redraw graphics already created

Disadvantage:
Expensive

SCANNER

A scanner is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting or an object and converts it to a digital image.

Types of scanners are:

Image scanner Flatbed scanner and handheld scanner OCR (Optical Character recognition) OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) Bar Code Reader MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition)

IMAGE SCANNER
Flatbed Scanner

Flatbed scanners will take up some desktop space.

They look like miniature printers with a flip up cover protecting the glass platen. Depending on its size, a flatbed scanner can fit standard or legalsized documents and the flexible cover allows you to scan large items such as books.

IMAGE SCANNER
Handheld Scanner A small handheld scanning device used for digitizing images.

A scanner that is moved across the images to be scanned by hand. Handheld scanners are small and less expensive.

OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION

Optical character recognition, usually abbreviated to OCR, is the mechanical or electronic translation of images of handwritten, typewritten or printed text into machine-editable text. It is used to convert paper books and documents into electronic files. When one scans a paper page into a computer, it produces just

OPTICAL MARK RECOGNITION

Optical Mark Recognition, also called Optical Mark Reading and OMR, is the process of capturing humanmarked data from document forms such as surveys and tests.

OMR devices work with a dedicated scanner device that shines a beam of light onto the form paper.

BARCODE READER

A barcode reader or a barcode scanner is an electronic device for reading printed barcodes. Like a flatbed scanner, it consists of a light source, a lens and a light sensor translating optical impulse into electrical ones.

MAGNETIC INK CHARACTER RECOGNITION

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition or MICR, is a character recognition technology used primarily by the banking industry to facilitate the processing of cheques. The technology allows computers to read information such as account numbers of the printed documents.

ELECTRONIC CARD READER

A card reader is an input device which help us to read different types of cards. A card reader can read memory card, Debit card, Credit card and etc. A memory card reader is a device used for communication with smart card or a flash memory card. The card reader supplies the integrated circuit on the smart card with electricity.

SPEECH RECOGNITION DEVICE

A voice command device is a device controlled by means of the human voice. By removing the need to use button, dials and switches, consumers can easily operate appliances while doing other tasks. Speech recognition converts spoken words to text.