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Peter Norton Chapter 4

This document discusses alternative input methods including devices for the hand like pens and touch screens, optical input devices like bar code readers and scanners, and audio-visual devices like microphones and video cameras. It provides examples of how pens can be used for note-taking or selecting commands on handheld devices. Touch screens use sensors to detect touch and are useful where keyboards cannot be used. Bar code readers scan codes to track retail sales and handheld scanners are used by couriers. Microphones allow speech recognition and video cameras digitize images.

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1K views20 pages

Peter Norton Chapter 4

This document discusses alternative input methods including devices for the hand like pens and touch screens, optical input devices like bar code readers and scanners, and audio-visual devices like microphones and video cameras. It provides examples of how pens can be used for note-taking or selecting commands on handheld devices. Touch screens use sensors to detect touch and are useful where keyboards cannot be used. Bar code readers scan codes to track retail sales and handheld scanners are used by couriers. Microphones allow speech recognition and video cameras digitize images.

Uploaded by

Arnesh
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPS, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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lesson 4

Alternative Methods
Of Input
This lesson includes the following sections:
• Devices for the Hand
• Optical Input Devices
• Audio-Visual (Multimedia) Input Devices
Alternative Input Devices –
Devices for the Hand

• Pens

• Touch Screens

• Game Controllers
Devices for the Hand - Pens
• With a pen-based system, you use an electronic pen
to write on the screen and choose commands.

• Pens are common input devices for handheld


computers, like “personal digital assistants (PDAs).”

• Pens are handy for making notes or selecting


commands, not for inputting a lot of text.
The user can point, tap,
draw and write on the
computer’s screen with a
pen.
Devices for the Hand - Touch Screens

• Touch-screen systems accept input directly through


the monitor.

• Touch screens use sensors to detect the touch of a


finger. They are useful where environmental
conditions prohibit the use of a keyboard or mouse.

• Touch-screen systems are useful for selecting options


from menus.
Devices for the Hand - Game Controllers

• The two primary types of game controllers are


joysticks and game pads.

• Game pads usually provide controls for each hand.

• Joysticks are popular for flight simulator and


driving games.
Alternative Input Devices –
Optical Input Devices

• Bar Code Readers

• Image Scanners and OCR


Optical Input Devices - Bar Code Readers
• Bar code readers can read bar codes—patterns of
printed bars.

• The reader emits light, which reflects off the bar code
and into a detector in the reader. The detector
translates the code into numbers.

• Flatbed bar code readers are commonly found in


supermarkets. Courier services often use handheld
readers.
Bar code readers
commonly track
sales in retail
stores
Optical Input Devices –
Image Scanners and OCR
• Image scanners digitize printed images for storage and
manipulation in a computer.

• A scanner shines light onto the image and interprets


the reflection.

• Optical character recognition (OCR) software


translates scanned text into editable electronic
documents.
Document
being
scanned

Converts
diode signals
to numbers

To computer

Light source, lens


and diode array
Alternative Input Devices –
Audio-Visual (Multimedia) Input Devices

• Microphones and Speech Recognition

• Video Input
Audio-Visual (Multimedia) Input Devices -
Microphones and Speech Recognition

• Microphones can accept auditory input. A


microphone requires a sound card in the PC.

• A sound card can digitize analog sound signals, and


convert digital sound signals to analog form.

• With speech recognition software, you can use your


microphone to dictate text, navigate programs, and
choose commands.
Analog Sound Signals
Digital Audio Output
[electrical signals]
(ex. 11100011) to
computer

Analog Signals are Digitized


Audio-Visual (Multimedia) Input Devices –
Video Input

• PC video cameras digitize full-motion images.

• Digital cameras capture still images.

• These cameras break images into pixels and store


data about each pixel.

• Video images may be compressed to use less memory


and storage space.
lesson 4 Review
• List two reasons why some computer users prefer
alternative methods of input over a standard keyboard
or mouse.

• List three categories of alternative input devices.

• List two type of optical input devices and describe


their uses.

• Describe the uses for speech-recognition systems.

• Identify two types of video input devices and their


uses.

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