INPUT DEVICES

I n p u t D e v i c e s

Input hardware consists of devices that translate data into a form the computer can process.

1. Keyboard

In a computer a keyboard is a device that converts letters, numbers, and other characters into electrical signals that are machine readable by the computer’s processor.

Key boards have three main parts:

Function keys
The main key board in the center
Numeric keys to the right

2. Point & Draw Devices

A variety of devices are available that move the graphics cursor to point and draw, each with its advantages and disadvantages.

(a) Mouse

A mouse is a device that is rolled about on a desktop and directs a pointer on the computer’s display screen. The mouse pointer is a symbol that indicates the position of the mouse on the display screen.

(b) Trackball

A variation on the mouse is the trackball. You may have used a trackball to play a video game.

(c) Joystick

A joystick is another cursor controlling device. Joysticks look like a car’s stick shift and are often used for computer games and for an screen drawings and design tasks.

(d) Sensitive Screen Input

The two common forms of sensitive screen are light sensitive screen and touch sensitive screens.