WORKING OF INPUT DEVICES

Keyboard

The keyboard is the piece of computer hardware used to input text, characters, and other
commands into a computer or similar device.

Working:

1. Uses switches and circuits to translate keystrokes into signals the computer can understand

2. The key matrix is a grid of circuits / three layers of plastic underneath the keys

3. Each circuit is broken beneath the key / middle layer contains holes

4. When key pressed, a circuit is made / completed and a signal is sent

5. Processor compares location of signal from key matrix to a character map stored on ROM

6. A character code for each key press is saved in a keyboard buffer.

Mouse:

A computer mouse is a handheld hardware input device that controls a cursor in a GUI and can
move and select text, icons, files, and folders.

Working:

1 laser/light shines onto a surface through a (polished) ring at the base

2 the light is reflected from the surface through the ring

3 sensor detects reflected light

4 capturing details/photograph of surface (under the ring) at about 1500 times per second

5 as the mouse moves the sensor detects changes in the surface detail/photograph

6 These changes are translated into movement (change of x and y co-ordinates)

7 the computer/software updates the position of the cursor on the screen

2D scanners are input devices used to make digital copies of documents or pictures, but can also
be used to create a 2D image of other objects as well.

Working:

1 Cover is raised

2 Document is placed in on glass panel and cover is closed

3 A bright light illuminates the documents lamp like xenon which produce very bright white
light

4 A scan head moves across the document. An image is produced.

5 The image is sent to a lens using series of mirrors. The lens focuses the document image.

6 The focused image fall onto a charge couple device (CCD) which consists of number of ICs

7 CCD is made up of light-sensitive elements (pixels). Each element of CCD creates an electric
charge when light falls on it and the scanned image is converted into digital form. 8 Software
produces digital image from electronic form

3D Scanner:

3D Scanners are used to scan objects and produce an electronic 3D image.

Working:

1. At first a series of 2D images of thin slices of object are taken.

2. Each slice is then stored as a digital image in the computer memory.

3. Then these 2D slices are combined to form a 3D image of object. Imagine a CT scan as if you
were looking at one end of a loaf of bread that has been cut into slices.

4. These slices are added together to view 3-D images.

A barcode (also bar code) is a machine-readable representation of information (usually dark ink
on a light background to create high and low reflectance which is converted to 1s and 0s).

Working:

1 The barcode is first read by a red laser or red LED (LIGHT EMITTING DIODE).

2 Light is reflected back off the barcode; the dark areas reflect little or no light which allows the
bars to be read.

3 The reflected light is read by sensors (photoelectric cells).

4 As the laser or LED light is scanned across the barcode, a pattern is generated which is
converted into digital data – this allows the computer to understand the barcode.

When barcode has been read, then what happens?

1. The barcode number is looked up in the stock database (the barcode is known as the KEY
FIELD in the stock item record); this key field uniquely identifies each stock item.

2. When the barcode number is found, the stock item record is looked up.

3. The price and other stock item details are sent back to the checkout (or POINT OFSALE
TERMINAL (POS)).

4. The number of stock items in the record is reduced by one each time the barcode is read.

5. This new value for number of stock items is written back to the stock item record.

6. The number of stock items is compared to the re-order level; if it is less than or equal to this
value, more stock items are automatically ordered.

7. Once an order for more stock items is generated, a flag is added to the record to stop
reordering every time the stock item barcode is read.

8. When new stock items arrive, the stock levels are updated in the database.
QR Code:

A QR code consists of black squares arranged in a square grid on a white background.

1. The position detection pattern consists of three identical structures that are located in all
corners of the QR Code except the bottom right corner.

2. Alignment marker supports the decoder software in compensating for moderate image
distortions.

3. Data area has data, converted into a bit stream and then stored in 8 bit parts (called code
words).

Working:

1. Camera on smart phones are used to Read/scan QR codes using app.

2. The camera is used to scan/capture the image of QR code.

3. Position direction patter and alignment marker are used to define the alignment.

4. Black squares reflect less light while white squares reflect more light

5. The app on mobile device processes the image

6. Each small square/pixel is converted to a binary value

Digital camera:

A digital camera is an input device that captures images (and sometimes video) digitally, rather
than the film used by a traditional camera

Working:

1. Digital cameras use an image sensor chip to capture the image.

2. Captured image is sent to DAC to convert it from analogue to digital (using ADC)

3. Image is turned into pixels.

4. Each pixel is given a binary value.

5. Pixels form a grid (to create the image)

7. Pixels are stored in sequence (in a file)

8. Meta data is stored (to describe the dimensions/resolution of the image), it stores the
dimensions/colour depth etc

Microphone:

A microphone is an input device used to enter sound into a computer.

Working:

1. Microphone consists of a flexible diaphragm, a circuitry and an ADC (Analogue to Digital

2. The diaphragm vibrates due to incoming sound waves.

3. This vibration causes change in electrical signals of connected circuitry.

4. The electrical signal has to be converted to a digital signal by an analogue-to-digital converter

5. A microphone converts sound waves into voltage changes. This voltage can be sampled at
regular intervals (the sample rate).

Touch Screen:

Working (Capacitive):

1. The screen has conductive layer.

2. An electrostatic/electric field is created on the screen

3. Sensor(s) (around the screen) monitor the electrostatic field

4. When touched (electrostatic) charge is transferred to finger

5. Location of touch is calculated // Co-ordinates used to calculate touch

1. It includes a glass panel covered with a thin metallic layer made of a substance, such as
indium tin oxide

2. It conducts electricity.

3. Spacers on the layer support a metallic layer that resists the flow of electricity.

4. When you touch the screen with your finger or a stylus, the two layers make contact, changing
the electrical field produced by the layers.

5. This permits the computer to calculate the coordinates of the contact.

Working (Infra-Red):

1. Infrared rays are sent across screen (from the edges) and captured by sensors at the opposite
side.

2. Infrared rays form a grid across the screen

3. Infrared ray is broken when someone touches screen by a finger blocking a beam

4. This signal is converted into digital by ADC

5. The digital signal is sent to processor which calculate (on where beam is broken) to locate the
touch‘

6. Co-ordinates are used to locate the touch

Interactive White Board:

Working:

1. A device driver is usually installed on the attached computer so that the interactive whiteboard
can act as a Human Input Device (HID), like a mouse.

2. The computer's video output is connected to a digital projector so that images may be
projected on the interactive whiteboard surface.

3. The user then calibrates the whiteboard image by matching the position of the projected image
in reference to the whiteboard using a pointer as necessary.
4. After this, the pointer or other device may be used to activate programs, buttons and menus
from the whiteboard itself.

5. If text input is required, user can invoke an on-screen keyboard or, if the whiteboard software
provides for this, utilize handwriting recognition.

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