NT1110: LATEST TRENDS ON INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE MODULE 2

Input/output is generally known as I/O in the IT field. Input/output device is the communication between an information system and another. Input serves as sending data into the computer’s CPU, while output devices send data outwards to the users. It provides man to machine communication.
Some input devices could be highlighted as follows: * Keyboard: Originated from typewriter. Keyboard is the most common and very popular input device which helps in inputting data to the computer. It serves as the gateway of control for the computer and also allow the user to manipulate and dictate tasks---ranging from surfing the Internet to writing documents. Keyboard also allows to input letters, numbers, and other symbols into a computer that often function as commands. The layout of the keyboard is like that of traditional typewriter, although there are some additional keys provided for performing additional functions. There are two types of keyboard, which are the QWERTY and Dvora layouts. Keyboards are also of two sizes 84 keys or 101/102 keys, but now keyboards with 104 keys or 108 keys are also available for Windows and Internet. Keyboard is used in the input phase of a computer-based information system.

* Mouse: Mouse is most popular pointing device. It is a very famous cursor-control device having a small palm size box with a round ball at its base which senses the movement of mouse and sends corresponding signals to CPU when the mouse buttons are pressed. Generally it has two buttons called left and right button and a wheel is present between the buttons. Mouse can be used to control the position of cursor on screen, but it cannot be used to enter text into the computer. Mice now come in many types, from traditional cord mice, to wireless and laptop mice.

* Microphone: Microphone is an input device to input sound that is then stored in digital form. The microphone is used for various applications like adding sound to a multimedia presentation or for mixing music. A microphone is a type of input device, or a device that receives information from a user. You can connect the microphone to the computer and use the computer to record sound or to communicate with another computer user over the Internet. Many computers come with built-in microphones.

* Speakers/headphones: Speakers and headphones are output devices, which means they are devices that communicate information from the computer to the user. They allow you to hear sound and music. Depending on the model, they may connect to the audio port or the USB port. Some monitors also have built-in speakers.

* Web cameras: A web camera or webcam is a type of input device that can record videos and take pictures. It can also transmit video over the Internet in real time, allowing for video chat or video conferencing with someone else in a different part of the world. Webcams are used often in business, and they also help many friends and families stay connected.

* Joy Stick: An input device that allows the user to control a character or machine in a computer program. Joystick is also a pointing device which is used to move cursor position on a monitor screen. It is a stick having a spherical ball at its both lower and upper ends. The lower spherical ball moves in a socket. The joystick can be moved in all four directions. The function of joystick is similar to that of a mouse. It is mainly used in Computer Aided Designing (CAD) and playing computer games.

* Light pen: Light pen is a pointing device which is similar to a pen. It is used to select a displayed menu item or draw pictures on the monitor screen where it can detect raster on the screen as it passes. It consists of a photocell and an optical system placed in a small tube. When the tip of a light pen is moved over the monitor screen and pen button is pressed, its photocell sensing element detects the screen location and sends the corresponding signal to the CPU.

* Stylus: A pen-shaped instrument used with graphics tablets or touch screen input devices to write or draw on the computer screen, similar to a sheet of paper. Unlike a pen the Stylus has a simple plastic tip and is often smaller to help fit in a compartment on the device. Today, the Stylus is not commonly found or used with devices other than graphics tablets with the introduction of touch screens that replace the stylus for your finger.

* Track Ball: Track ball is an input device that is mostly used in notebook or laptop computer, instead of a mouse. It is similar to the upside- down design of the mouse. This is a ball which is half inserted and by moving fingers on ball, pointer can be moved. Since the whole device is not moved, a track ball requires less space than a mouse. A track ball comes in various shapes like a ball, a button and a square.

* Scanner: Scanner is an input device which works more like a photocopy machine. It converts any type of printed or written information including photographs into digital pulses, which can be manipulated by the computer. Scanner captures images from the source which are then converted into the digital form that can be stored on the disc. Scanner allows you to copy an image or document and save it to your computer as a digital (computer-readable) image.

* Graphic Tablet/Digitizer: This is an input device which converts analog information into digital form. Digitizer can convert a signal from the television or camera into a series of numbers that could be stored in a computer. They can be used by the computer to create a picture of whatever the camera had been pointed at. Digitizer is also known as Tablet or Graphics Tablet because it converts graphics and pictorial data into binary inputs. A graphic tablet as digitizer is used for doing fine works of drawing and image manipulation applications.

* Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR): MICR input device is generally used in banks because of a large number of cheques to be processed every day. The bank's code number and cheque number are printed on the cheques with a special type of ink that contains particles of magnetic material that are machine readable. This reading process is called Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR). The main advantages of MICR is that it is fast and less error prone.

* Optical Character Reader (OCR): OCR is an input device which detects alpha numeric characters printed or written on a paper. OCR scans text optically character by character, converts them into a machine readable code and stores the text on the system memory.

* Bar Code Reader: Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar coded data (data in form of light and dark lines), and coverts them into electric pulses to be processed by a computer. Bar coded data is generally used in labelling goods, numbering the books etc. It may be a hand held scanner or may be embedded in a stationary scanner. Bar Code Reader scans a bar code image, converts it into an alphanumeric value which is then fed to the computer to which bar code reader is connected.

* Optical Mark Reader (OMR): OMR is a special type of optical scanner used to recognize the type of mark made by pen or pencil. It is used where one out of a few alternatives is to be selected and marked. It is specially used for checking the answer sheets of examinations having multiple choice questions.

* Voice Input Systems: This devices converts spoken words to M/C language form. A micro phone is used to convert human speech into electric signals. The signal pattern is then transmitted to a computer when it’s compared to a dictionary of patterns that have been previously placed in a storage unit of computer. When a close match is found, the word is recognized.

* Mobile phones, MP3 players, tablet computers, and other devices: When you buy an electronic device such as a mobile phone or MP3 player, check to see if it comes with a USB cable. If it does, this means you can connect it to your computer. With many devices, you can synchronize—or sync—them with your computer, which automatically keeps your contacts, music, and other data up to date whenever you connect the device to your computer.
In the other side, there are few numbers of output devices namely: * Monitors: Monitors, commonly called as Visual Display Unit (VDU), are the main output device of a computer. The monitor visually relays an image, which is created by the computer's operating system. It forms images from tiny dots, called pixels that are arranged in a rectangular form. The sharpness of the image depends upon the number of pixels. There are three kinds of viewing screen used for monitors. Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) also known as Flat- Panel Display and Data Projector.

* Graphic Plotter: Plotter is an O/P device that is used to produce graphical O/P on papers. It uses single color or multi-color pens to draw pictures as blue print etc.

* Digital Camera: It converts graphics directly into digital form. It looks like an ordinary camera, but no film is used therein, instead a CCD (changed coupled Divide) Electronic chip in used. When light falls, on the chip though the lens, it converts light waves into electrical waves.

* Printer: A Printer is an output device, which is used to print information on paper. And it is further describe a machine for printing text or pictures onto paper, especially one linked to a computer. A personal computer printer is divided main categories, namely Inkjet, Laser, Thermal and Impact.