Input and Output

devices
CHAPTER 2
2.1 INPUT DEVICES
• INPUT DEVICES- used to enter data into computer.
2.1 INPUT DEVICES
 INPUT DEVICES- used to enter data into computer.
 Keyboards are input devices used to enter fixed values, often characters and numbers, into
the computer system. There are many different types of keyboard. This section looks at
qwerty keyboards and numeric keypads.
 Advantages-Speed: Typing on a keyboard is much faster than handwriting or using a
touchscreen.
 Accuracy: With practice, users can achieve high accuracy in typing, reducing errors.
 DISADVANTAGES- Physical strain: Extended use can lead to wrist or hand strain, like carpal
tunnel syndrome.
 Portability: Physical keyboards are bulkier and less portable compared to touchscreens or
virtual keyboards.
 POINTING DEVICES-
 MICE- is a pointing device that Is used with a computer with a graphical user interface.
 Optical mouse- an optical mouse emits light and uses an optical sensor to detect changes in the
reflected light to move the pointer on a computer screen
 Wireless mouse – a mouse that is not connected to the computer by a cable but communicates with it
using radio waves
 ADVANTAGES OF USING MICE AS POINTING DEVICE
 They provide a fast method of input
 They are intuitive to use because they simply involve pointing at things
• Disadvantages of using mice as pointing device
Mice can be easily damaged or vandalised.
Some people, particularly if they have physical disabilities, find mice
difficult to use.
• TOUCHPADS – a pointing device, often found on a laptop, that allows
the user to use their finger to move the pointer on the screen.
• Trackerballs- A device to move a pointer where a ball is rolled
around directly by the user rather than being moved by the whole
mouse being pushed.
ADVANTAGES
• A trackerball is stationary and does not need a surface to be
moved around on.
• It can be built into computer, such as in a information
system in a museum, and is not likely to get lost or
damaged like mouse can .
• Disadvantages of using mice as pointing device
Mice can be easily damaged or vandalised.
Some people, particularly if they have physical disabilities, find mice
difficult to use.
• TOUCHPADS – a pointing device, often found on a laptop, that allows
the user to use their finger to move the pointer on the screen.
• Trackerballs- A device to move a pointer where a ball is rolled
around directly by the user rather than being moved by the whole
mouse being pushed.
ADVANTAGES
• A trackerball is stationary and does not need a surface to be
moved around on.
• It can be built into computer, such as in a information
system in a museum, and is not likely to get lost or
damaged like mouse can .
• Remote control- a small, handheld device that can be used
to operate equipment such as tv or stereo.
• Joystick- a joystick can carry out the same tasks as a mouse
as well as other functions such as controlling movement.
• Because of joysticks advantages, its used in applications
such as:
• Playing games because they give the user the impression of
being in control, and there is a direct and immediate result
of players actions that adds to the enjoyment of game.
• To control aircraft because they are easy to use in a very
complex environment.
• Joysticks-A joystick can carry out the same tasks as a mouse as well as other functions such as controlling the movement of a
motorised wheelchair.
• It consists of a a stick that pivots on a base and the top of the stick can be moved in any direction. The direction and degree of the
movement of th joystick are used to control the movement of an object on the screen. They also have buttons that can be pressed-for
example, for left- and right-clicking.
• As a pointing device, a joystick can move a pointer, just as a mouse can, but they are also used to move other things, such as a
character or spaceship in a game. The joystick might have buttons with specific uses, such as picking up an object in the game.
Individual actions depend on how the joystick’s software has been programmed. Joysticks are used in many practical applications, not
just as a pointing device in a computer system. Because of their advantages, joysticks are used in applications such as: Playing games
because they give the user the impression of being in control, and there is a direct and immediate result of the player’s actions that
adds to the enjoyment of the game. To control aircraft because they are easy to use in a very complex environment. To control
wheelchairs that have motors because they allow the user to give many different commands with very little physical movement. The
disadvantage of using a joystick as a pointing device is that it is more difficult to control the fine movement of the pointer on the
screen than with a mouse.
• Driving wheel-A driving wheel is designed for use in racing video games, and driving and racing simulators. They are often packaged
with pedals for acceleration and also brakes.
• Touch screens-A touch screen can be found on personal computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. It is a display screen that is
both an input and an output device. A touch screen can determine where on the screen the user has touched and sends that
information to the processor. there are two types of touch screens: Resistive: Which means it is sensitive to pressure from your finger
or other object pressed onto the screen. The point of contact is detected because two metallic layers touch at that certain point
resulting in a change in voltage. Capacitive: Which means that the screen is sensitive to static electricity on an exposed finger. This is
detected by sensors placed at the four corners of the screen allowing it to detect the touch point. Touch screens are common in
information systems in places like train stations or self-service checkouts at supermarkets. Advantages of touch screens: They are
intuitive and easy to use. A user merely taps an image on a screen. Space-saving as input and output devices are the same. Cost
effective for shops and restaurants as fewer staff are needed if customers can order and serve themselves. Disadvantages of touch
screens: Not suitable for inputting large amounts of data. Not very accurate for selecting very small areas.
• Scanner-Scanners are used to convert text, diagrams, and images into digital data so that they can be manipulated by a
computer. Flatbed scanners have a flat sheet of glass on which the hard-copy (a photo or printed piece of paper) is placed.
The scanner shines a light at the document and the reflected light is directed onto a light-sensitive, integrated circuit,
which sends the data to the computer. Advantages of scanning: Flatbed scanners are very accurate and can produce
reasonably high quality images. Hard-copy material can be changed into a form that can be edited or stored on the
computer system. Any material that is digitized by a scanner can then be included on electronic documents (e.g. in reports,
as photos on posters, in presentations, etc.).Scanned images can be imported into graphics applications, and enhanced,
improved or changed as needed. Specialist scanners can convert old material such as 35 mm negatives into digital files,
which means sentimental images can be kept safe – although not in the original form. Disadvantages of scanning: While
scanners make it possible to put images of hard-copy photographs and printed illustrations into a computer, there may be
a reduction in the quality of the image, and scanned diagrams can sometimes appear distorted. Scanned images can take
up a lot of space in storage.
• Camera-Digital cameras capture digital photographs that can be stored on a memory card or a hard disk and displayed on a
screen. The lens of the camera focuses the light onto a sensor which is covered with millions of light-sensitive elements
called pixels which can detect the intensity of the light falling on them and the relative amounts of red, green, and blue
wavelengths. The greater the number of pixels, the more detailed the image. Most cameras can be connected to the
computer using a USB cable or via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to upload the images. Advantages of digital cameras over traditional
film cameras: The picture can be seen immediately and erased if it is not good enough. Digital images can be manipulated
more readily than those on film. The image can be used in other electronic documents. Disadvantages of digital cameras
over traditional film cameras: The storage device, usually a memory card, may become full so that images are not saved.
The memory card may become corrupted. The camera battery may run out so that photographs cannot be taken. Video
cameras and webcams Video cameras are used to record moving pictures, or video, that are stored electronically. A video
camera can [the rest of the text is cut off in the image.
Store the data on a memory card, or it can be linked to a computer in order to feed the video directly into the computer. Once
the video is stored on the memory card or computer, it can be edited and used. Advantages of video cameras: Take moving
images and not just still ones. Record audio as well as images. Provide a more realistic record of an event. Disadvantages of
video cameras: File sizes can be very large. May need expensive software to edit them. The cameras can be used for leisure, by
organizations for producing commercial videos and also for security purposes using closed-circuit television (CCTV).Video
footage can also be taken using digital cameras and mobile phones. Webcams are a special category of video camera that have
no storage capacity but are connected directly to a computer. Laptops may have a webcam built into the lid, just above the
screen. Another type of webcam can be plugged into a desktop computer and used that way. People who are talking to each
other over the internet, called a video-conference. The live images provided by a webcam can be uploaded to a website so that
people can see what is happening at a given site in real time. They are often used to show people the nests of birds and the
development of their chicks or the traffic flow in a particular street. For example, some webcams show live street scenes; others
might show wildlife habitats.
• Microphones-Microphones can be used to input sounds into a computer by converting sound waves into digital data. They
can be used in a number of different applications, for example, in video-conferencing, in adding speech to a presentation,
controlling the computer using spoken commands, and for dictation. Microphones can be used by disabled people to input
data when using a more common input device is not possible for them. A disadvantage of using a microphone is that many
cheap ones do not give a true representation of the input sounds.
• Sensors-A sensor is a device that detects and responds to some type of input from the environment, e.g., light, temperature,
motion, pressure. Advantages of using sensors as devices to collect data: They are more reliable than a human being because
a human may forget to take readings. Readings are more accurate than those taken by humans. It is not possible for a human
to go to some places where readings need to be taken, like the inside of a reaction vessel, where chemical reactions take
place. Disadvantages of using sensors as devices to collect data: Digital sensors are active sensors and need a power source.
If there is a power cut or their battery dies, they will stop working. Passive sensors do not need a power source, for example,
a mercury thermometer or a barometer.
If the sensors are left at a remote location and malfunction, then their users will not know.Temperature sensors read the
temperature of their surroundings and send the readings to the processor. Pressure sensors measure pressures and send the
results to the processor where the decision is taken as to what to do.They could be used as part of a burglar alarm system: if
pressure readings are sent to a processor, then a decision can be made. The processor can decide whether it is enough pressure
to indicate a human being or whether it is the cat and so the alarm should not go off. Light sensors measure the amount of light
falling on them. This could be used for something simple like a sensor in a car to decide whether or not to turn the headlights on.
In a burglar alarm system, if a beam of light is shone onto a light sensor then someone walking through the beam will reduce the
light hitting the sensor. The information sent to a processor would indicate to it that there was something moving in the room
and a decision whether to turn the alarm on would be made.
• Light pens-Light pens were light-sensitive input devices that were used before the development of touch screens. They were
first used in 1955 and were used to select text, draw pictures, and interact with user interfaces. They were used on the old-
style CRT monitors (see Figure 2.9) and detected changes in the brightness of the minute picture elements that make up the
screen. A light pen was also often used with a graphics tablet to 'draw' diagrams and illustrations. A graphics tablet is a flat pad
that you can draw on using the light pen or—these days—a stylus. It senses the progress of the pen moving over its surface
and sends this information to the computer. The computer converts the drawing strokes into digital form, displaying them on
the computer screen. Usually, a graphics tablet's active surface is treated as though it was the computer's screen: touching the
top left of the tablet will move the pointer to the top left of the screen, for example, and touching the bottom right will move
the pointer straight to the bottom right. Today, light pens are no longer used due to the invention of touch screens, and the
light pen had been replaced by a stylus, which allow users to 'write' on the touch screen much as they would a pad of paper,
allowing input of handwriting, drawings, and other gestures. They are available for tablets and smartphones, and for graphics
tablets. A stylus can be used with both the resistive and capacitive touch screens. A graphics tablet and stylus can also be
used to capture a user's signature for digital legal documents.
 Direct data entry and associated devices.

• Magnetic stripe readers-On credit cards, bank cards, library cards, and hotel room key cards, you may see a black magnetic stripe (Figure 2.10).
This cannot store much information, but many tasks do not require a lot of data. Imagine a hotel room key card. At check-in, information such
as your hotel room number and duration of stay are written onto the magnetic stripe on the back of your card using a magnetic stripe writer.
When you eventually find your room and insert or swipe your card, the reader in the lock cross-checks the data with the information held on
the guest system. Advantages of magnetic stripes: Simple for people to use - no training needed. Very inexpensive. Entering data is fast - just
swipe the card. No errors on inputting data - it's all stored on the card. Data on the card can be altered if necessary. Disadvantages of magnetic
stripes: Very small storage capacity. Data can be destroyed by a magnetic field, e.g. by placing next to a speaker. Insecure - criminals can easily
obtain card readers and writers. You need to be with the reader to use the card; cannot use a card with just a magnetic stripe over the
internet.
• Chip and Pin readers-Credit and debit cards have always had a magnetic stripe on the back in order to store information that needs to be kept
secret. To make the cards more secure, they now include a computer chip on the front of the card. The chips hold the same data as on the
stripe, but it is more secure as the data is encrypted (see Chapter 4, Section 4.2 Network issues and communication). They can also generate
and store details of the transaction each time they are used. When making a payment using a chip and PIN card, the user puts the card into
an input device called a chip and PIN reader, which reads the information stored in the chip. The most important piece of information in the
chip is the PIN (personal identification number),which is a digit code that the user must know tube able to use the card. The user types the PIN
on the numeric keypad attached to the reader. That PIN is checked against the PIN stored on tucker's chip, and if the two match then the
payment goes through. Advantages of chip and PIN:• The information held is more secure than just the magnetic stripe because the chip is
difficult to read and chips are harder to clone.• The computer chip can hold more information than the magnetic stripe mean hold.be wireless.
•stitch means they can be brought to you or restaurant, rather than you having to go to the till to pay.
• RFID readers-RFID stands for radio-frequency identification, and an RFID reader will read data stored on RFID tags. An RFID device has similar
uses to a bar code or the magnetic stripe on the back of a credit card in that once it is scanned, it provides a unique identifier for the object it
is attached to.
• Almost anything can have an RFID tag, for instance, merchandise in supermarkets or stores, shipping containers, train
carriages, expensive musical instruments, and so on. When animals are tagged, they have an RFID tag inserted under their
skin. Contactless payments also use RFID. RFID has three elements: a scanning antenna decoder to interpret the datathe RFID
tag itself, which will have been programmed with information. When triggered by a signal from the reader, the tag transmits
data back to it. Passive tags use the power provided by the reader to transmit their data, and active tags are powered by their
own battery. Advantages of RFID: The chips do not need to be positioned precisely on the scanner like a bar code. FID devices
work within a few meters of the scanner. At a supermarket, all of the items in a trolley could be read at once. You can write
data to RFID tags as well as being able to read them. FID tags can be used for tracking items, e.g., luggage or animals.
Disadvantages of RFID: The tags can be read without authentication and so hackers could be able to read any sensitive
information or even clone them. FID scanning can be affected by other electrical devices in the vicinity. The range of RFID is
limited to about three meters.
• OCR and OMR-OCRIf you have a printed copy of a text document, it can be scanned into a computer and where special
software can recognize the characters and convert them into digital text for use with word processing software. This is known
as optical character recognition (OCR) because it attempts to recognize the shape of each character. OCR software compares
the shape of each character with the shapes that it knows and, when it is matched, the computer stores that letter, for
example, the letter 'R'. This can make the input of data from hard-copy documents much quicker than retyping them. OCR
software can also be used to read data from passports or identity cards directly into a computer. Advantages of OCR: It can be
a really fast way of entering hard-copy. It can avoid typing errors. It is much cheaper than employing someone to input hard-
copy if a high level of accuracy isn't an issue. Disadvantages of OCR: The text produced is not always reliable, particularly if the
hard-copy original has strange fonts/poor handwriting, is unclear, or has smudged text. This can lead to incorrect information
being stored. If 100% accuracy is required, the information needs to be manually checked for errors, which is time-consuming
and can be costly. Sources and related content.
• OMR scanner can be used to scan a sheet of paper and identify any marks on it. The software can then use the positions of
these marks to obtain information. For example, the position would show which option has been selected as the answer to a
multiple choice exam question or which candidate had been voted for in an election. Before the use of tablets and
smartphones, school register systems used this sort of data capture. The teacher would fill in a box in a form if a student was
present and a machine would read the forms. This is known as optical mark recognition or optical mark reading (OMR). OMR
scanning aims to find the marks on the paper; it is not interested in their shape, only where they are. Advantages of OMR: It is
extremely fast to input data. It is more accurate than using humans to check the paper. Disadvantages of Morte sheets will not
be read accurately unless they are properly lined up and the marks/shading are in the correct position to be read by the
reader. Dirty marks on the paper might be misinterpreted by the system as marks to be input. Can only read the marks (i.e. it
can't read or input any text).Because of the speed of the machines, paper jams can occur.
• QR codes-QR (quick response) codes are a type of two-dimensional bar code that can be read using a camera and software to
interpret them and provide a link directly to text, emails, and websites. They are easy for smartphone users as they have a
camera and can be easily positioned in front of the code (see Figure 2.12), but external scanners can be used for desktop and
laptop computers. The smartphone with the app is the QR scanner. Many advertised products and services have a QR code
associated with them. The device scans the code, and the user is taken directly to the website of the business providing the
goods or service. They can also be used to encode phone numbers or even text messages. The QR code is an image-based link,
as found on websites, which can be used offline. The app that reads the QR code uses the device's camera and then accesses
the website using a data connection, for example, via Wi-Fi.
• Advantages of QR codes and scanners: You can store lots of information on a QR code without having to write it down. QR
codes can be scanned from any direction, making them easier to read with less possibility of background interference.
Disadvantages of QR codes and scanners: You need a smartphone with a camera and the app installed to be able to read
them. QR codes are still relatively new and so not everyone is aware of them or what they represent.
 Output devices and their uses.
• Monitors-Monitors are often called "computer screens" or "displays" as they display the computer's interface and software that is running
to the users so that they can interact with it using input devices such as keyboards and mice.Older monitors were built, like early television
sets, using cathode ray tubes (CRTs). They were therefore very heavy and bulky causing them to take up a lot of desk space.Modern
monitors do not use cathode ray tubes and are so thin and light that they can be used for displays in smartphones and smartwatches. They
display images using liquid crystals (LCD), liquid crystals covered by a thin film of transistors (TFT), or light emitting diodes (LED).Because
they are so much smaller and lighter than CRT monitors, TFT monitors can be easily and safely wall-mounted. If they need to be placed on a
desk, they take up very little space. TFT monitors are used in laptop computers, tablets, and mobile phones. They produce far less glare on
the screen, which makes them more restful on the eye.
• Multimedia projectors-Multimedia projectors Multimedia projectors are devices that can project an image from a computer onto as large a
surface as is necessary (Figure 2.13). They are often used in presentations to large audiences. The only limit to the size of the projection is
the power or brightness of the light produced by the projector. KEY WORDS output device: any device used to send data from a computer
to another device or user monitor: an output device that visually displays the data output by a computer multimedia projector: a device
that can project an image from a computer onto as large a surface as is necessary, often used in presentations The device can be totally
portable or fixed, but a disadvantage is that it relies on a powerful and expensive bulb to provide the pictures. These bulbs are fragile,
particularly if the projector is moved while it is still hot.
• Inkjet printers-Inkjet printers (see Figure 2.14b) work by squirting ink at the page out of different nozzles for different colored ink. A stepper
motor moves the paper forwards step-by-step while the print head that has the nozzles on it scans across and squirts ink at the correct
place to form the desired output. They produce high quality output and are relatively cheap to buy but ink refills are expensive.
• One disadvantage of inkjet printers is that they often use water-soluble ink, so if printouts get wet, the ink will run. This does not happen
with printouts from laser printers.
• Inkjet printers are commonly used in home computer systems and small offices where most printing is machines that print out photographs
directly from digital cameras.
• Plotters-A plotter is used to draw graphics on paper after receiving data from a computer. It is different to a printer because it uses pens to
draw the image. These pens can be lowered and raised, and moved across the paper to form continuous lines. Plotters are used for computer
aided design (CAD), architectural drawings, blueprints and technical drawings, among other uses. A plotter can print very accurately on very
large sheets of paper and on different materials such as wood or plastic. A disadvantage is that they can take up a lot of room compared to
other types of printer.
• 3-D Printers-widely used in medicine to produce organs such as bones to implant in human bodies. You could design a 3D object on your own
computer, connect it to a 3D printer and wait for it to be printed (or built). For example, you could print a bicycle for yourself, because these
printers are capable of making moving parts, including the wheels, the handlebars and so on, and then you could print them all out! The
printer manages this by turning a whole object into many thousands of microscopically thin slices, then it prints it slice by slice, sticking the
tiny layers together until it forms the object. Currently, 3D printers are being used to "print" anything from car parts to chocolate cake and
prosthetic limbs. However, they are expensive, difficult to use and have a high energy consumption.
• Speakers-Speakers allow listeners to listen to sound in multimedia presentations, films, and music. The signal from the computer is digital, and
a DAC (Digital-to-analogue converter - see Chapter 1, Section 1.1 Hardware and software) converts it to analogue form. Speakers consist of a
cone, an iron coil, a magnet, and housing (case). When the speaker receives electrical input from a device, it sends the current through the coil
which creates a magnetic field that causes the cone to vibrate back and forth, so producing sound waves. An important use of speakers is as
an output device for some disabled people, particularly blind people who cannot see the screen. The speakers allow special software (a screen
reader) to describe aloud what is shown on the screen. Also, if a computer user has difficulty in using a keyboard or mouse, then there is
dictation software that can be used as input, and input can be checked by listening to it being played back through the speakers.
• An advantage and disadvantage is that everyone in the room can hear the output from computer speakers, which is good if that's what is
required, but not so great if they don't want to.
• Headphones and earpięces are personal speakers, and are often used in environments where other people should not hear the sounds
produced. For instance, if there is a presentation to people from different countries, they could each listen to a translation by an interpreter
into their first language. They are connected to devices such as computers, phones, MP3 players by cable or wirelessly.
• Actuators-An actuator is a device that moves or controls some mechanism. An actuator responds to a control signal from the
computer and produces a mechanical action, for example, an electric motor. The motors and hydraulic systems that control
robots are actuators. Actuators can be small (e.g. the motors that control the movement of a lens in a digital camera) or much
larger (e.g. the motors that control the opening and closing of automatic doors or the barriers in car park systems).