ICT Input Devices
- Keyboard: input text, numbers and instructions (QWERTY layout)
Uses: data into apps like text into word / commands (ctrl-p)
Advantages: fast entry of text / easy / verification checks
Disadvantages: limited arm movement / slow compared to OCR / fairly large
- Concept keyboard: uses icons and phrases instead of letters
Uses: fast data entry / waterproof / tamper proof
- Numeric Keypads: numbers only
Uses: ATMs / phones / point-of-sell terminals if barcode don’t work
Advantages: faster number entry / small aka portable
Disadvantages: small keys / order of numbers
- Mouse: Pointing device, pointer is controlled by movement of mouse. Left button selects, right
shows menus. Optical mouse uses light and not ball, meaning better performance.
uses open, close, minimize / group, move, detect / image editing / control pointer
Advantages: faster / quicker nav around net and apps / small area
Disadvantages: difficult for restricted hand movement / damage and dirt (old one) / no flat surface no
use
- Touchpad: Pointing device, user moves and taps their finger on touchpad.
Uses: same as mouse
Advantages: faster navigation / attached to laptop
Disadvantages: limited hand movement / harder than mouse / drag and drop is hard
- Tracker ball: like mouse but ball is on top or side, control pointer by rotating ball
Uses: user disabled / control, faster to nav around process screens / luxury cars
Advantages: more accurate positioning / more robust / less space
Disadvantages: costly cause not part of comp. / not standard
- Remote control: control operation of other devices through infrared signals, buttons select options
like channels
Uses: TV, satellite, DVD to change things like volume, channels / control multimedia systems / industry
apps aka turning machinery on/off
Advantages: reasonable distance to avoid chemical processes which are hazardous
Disadvantages: limited hand movement / easy to block signals
, - Joysticks: gripping stick controls pointer, buttons to select, top button for gaming
Uses: video games / simulators to mimic actual controls
Advantages: easier navigation / realistic
Disadvantages: difficult to control the onscreen pointer
- Driving wheel connects to comp. through USB, simulates turning an actual wheel, there are
associated devices like pedals and sensors pick up turns
Uses: video games / simulators
Advantages: easier and natural / ‘driving experience’
Disadvantages: expensive / too sensitive
- Touch Screens: just touch an icon on the screen no pointing device needed
Uses: Self-service tills / ATMs / POS terminals (restaurants) / public info systems at airport / PDAs
(phones) / interactive white board / can be used as output device
Advantages: fast entry / easy / user-friendly
Disadvantages: limited options / can lead to problems(muscles) / screen gets dirty
- Scanners: from hard copy to computer, flatbed scanner is made up of glass panel and lid. Hard copy
is scanned by light source to produce computer readable image which can be edited by drawing
package.
Uses: scan document for use in various software packages / scan old stuff to protect it(archiving) / scan
photos / scan barcodes
Advantages: stored for editing later / faster / accurate / possible to recover damaged photos
Disadvantages: quality is limited / slow
- Digital Cameras: images are stored on a memory card and is transferred to computer by; slotting
into card reader connected to computer, using USB, or WIFI/Bluetooth
Advantages: easier production of quality pics / faster uploading / no developing film / memory cards
can store hundreds of pics
Disadvantages: knowledge of computers / artistry lost / resolution worse / compressed images
- Video cameras: digital video cameras (DV), store compressed photo frames at 25MB/s, this is
known as Motion jpeg. Camera picks up light from image and turns it to electronic signal using light-
sensitive sensors, in DVs they are automatically converted to compressed images.
Advantages: easier to manipulate / high quality
Disadvantages: cost meaning only 20min can be stored on 1gb memory card.
- Microphones: sound is inputted, and manipulated, it is converted to an analogue signal and
converted to a digital signal, this usually happens automatically. ADC is analogue to digital
converter.
Uses: input sound / voice recognition (voice to text or commands) / pick up sound (burglar alarm
system) / video conferencing
- Keyboard: input text, numbers and instructions (QWERTY layout)
Uses: data into apps like text into word / commands (ctrl-p)
Advantages: fast entry of text / easy / verification checks
Disadvantages: limited arm movement / slow compared to OCR / fairly large
- Concept keyboard: uses icons and phrases instead of letters
Uses: fast data entry / waterproof / tamper proof
- Numeric Keypads: numbers only
Uses: ATMs / phones / point-of-sell terminals if barcode don’t work
Advantages: faster number entry / small aka portable
Disadvantages: small keys / order of numbers
- Mouse: Pointing device, pointer is controlled by movement of mouse. Left button selects, right
shows menus. Optical mouse uses light and not ball, meaning better performance.
uses open, close, minimize / group, move, detect / image editing / control pointer
Advantages: faster / quicker nav around net and apps / small area
Disadvantages: difficult for restricted hand movement / damage and dirt (old one) / no flat surface no
use
- Touchpad: Pointing device, user moves and taps their finger on touchpad.
Uses: same as mouse
Advantages: faster navigation / attached to laptop
Disadvantages: limited hand movement / harder than mouse / drag and drop is hard
- Tracker ball: like mouse but ball is on top or side, control pointer by rotating ball
Uses: user disabled / control, faster to nav around process screens / luxury cars
Advantages: more accurate positioning / more robust / less space
Disadvantages: costly cause not part of comp. / not standard
- Remote control: control operation of other devices through infrared signals, buttons select options
like channels
Uses: TV, satellite, DVD to change things like volume, channels / control multimedia systems / industry
apps aka turning machinery on/off
Advantages: reasonable distance to avoid chemical processes which are hazardous
Disadvantages: limited hand movement / easy to block signals
, - Joysticks: gripping stick controls pointer, buttons to select, top button for gaming
Uses: video games / simulators to mimic actual controls
Advantages: easier navigation / realistic
Disadvantages: difficult to control the onscreen pointer
- Driving wheel connects to comp. through USB, simulates turning an actual wheel, there are
associated devices like pedals and sensors pick up turns
Uses: video games / simulators
Advantages: easier and natural / ‘driving experience’
Disadvantages: expensive / too sensitive
- Touch Screens: just touch an icon on the screen no pointing device needed
Uses: Self-service tills / ATMs / POS terminals (restaurants) / public info systems at airport / PDAs
(phones) / interactive white board / can be used as output device
Advantages: fast entry / easy / user-friendly
Disadvantages: limited options / can lead to problems(muscles) / screen gets dirty
- Scanners: from hard copy to computer, flatbed scanner is made up of glass panel and lid. Hard copy
is scanned by light source to produce computer readable image which can be edited by drawing
package.
Uses: scan document for use in various software packages / scan old stuff to protect it(archiving) / scan
photos / scan barcodes
Advantages: stored for editing later / faster / accurate / possible to recover damaged photos
Disadvantages: quality is limited / slow
- Digital Cameras: images are stored on a memory card and is transferred to computer by; slotting
into card reader connected to computer, using USB, or WIFI/Bluetooth
Advantages: easier production of quality pics / faster uploading / no developing film / memory cards
can store hundreds of pics
Disadvantages: knowledge of computers / artistry lost / resolution worse / compressed images
- Video cameras: digital video cameras (DV), store compressed photo frames at 25MB/s, this is
known as Motion jpeg. Camera picks up light from image and turns it to electronic signal using light-
sensitive sensors, in DVs they are automatically converted to compressed images.
Advantages: easier to manipulate / high quality
Disadvantages: cost meaning only 20min can be stored on 1gb memory card.
- Microphones: sound is inputted, and manipulated, it is converted to an analogue signal and
converted to a digital signal, this usually happens automatically. ADC is analogue to digital
converter.
Uses: input sound / voice recognition (voice to text or commands) / pick up sound (burglar alarm
system) / video conferencing
