Chapter 4
Input and Output
BS Psychology
Original Credit and Copyright
1
Deborah Morley Charles S. 1
Learning Objectives
1. Explain the purpose of a computer keyboard and the types of
keyboards widely used today.
2. List several different pointing devices and describe their
functions.
3. Describe the purposes of scanners and readers and list some
types of scanners and readers in use today.
4. Explain what digital cameras are and how they are used
today.
5. Understand the devices that can be used for audio
input.
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Learning Objectives
6. Describe the characteristics of a display device and explain
some of the technologies used to display images.
7. List several types of printers and explain their functions.
8. Identify the hardware devices typically used for audio
output.
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Overview
• This chapter covers:
– The most common input devices
– Hardware designed for capturing data in electronic form
– Audio input
– Types of display devices and how they work
– Types of printers and how they work
– Audio output devices
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Keyboards
• An input device used to enter characters at the location
marked by the insertion point or cursor
– Can be wired or wireless
– Typically contains:
• Standard alphanumeric keys
• Numeric keypad
• Function keys
• Delete and Backspace keys
• Control and Alternate keys
• Arrow directional keys and special keys
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Keyboards
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Pointing and Touch Devices
• Pointing devices are used to:
– Select and manipulate objects
– Input data
– Issue commands to the computer
• Common types of pointing devices:
– Mouse
– Pen/stylus
– Devices that use touch input
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Mice
• Mouse
– Common pointing device that the user slides along a flat
surface to move a pointer around the screen and clicks its
buttons to make selections
– Older mechanical mice use a ball
– Optical or laser mice track with light
– Touch mice support two-dimensional gestures
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Mice
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Trend Box
Perceptual Computing
– Users control devices with 3D gestures, voice commands,
and facial expressions
– Noncontact system
– Allows for full body input and input from a slight distance
away
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Pens/Styluses
• Signature Capture Devices
– Found at check out counters to record customer signatures
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Touch Screens
• Touch Screens
– Display devices that are touched with the finger to select
commands or otherwise provide input to the computer
– Common on portable computers, smartphones, and other
mobile devices
– Multi-touch
• Can recognize input from more than one finger at a
time
– Table PC
• Large screen computer either built into a table or
designed to be used on a table
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Touch Screens
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Other Pointing Devices
• Gaming devices
• Trackballs
• Control buttons and
wheels
• Touch pads
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How It Works Box
Augmented Reality
– Computer generated images are overlaid on top of real-
time images
– Today, most often with smartphones using camera input,
location info, and other data
– Displays appropriate information related to images
captured by the smartphone
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Scanners, Readers, and Digital
Cameras
• Source documents
– Already exists in physical form (photographs, checks, or
product label)
• Source data automation
– Captures data directly from a source
document
• Saves time
• Increases accuracy
• Utilizes scanning or
reading devices
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Scanners
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Scanners
• Scanning Quality and Resolution
– Quality of scanned images
indicated by optical resolution
• Measured in number of dots
per inch (dpi)
• Can often be specified when
image is scanned
• Can be changed when
scanned image is edited
– Higher resolution means better
quality but larger file size
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Bar code Readers
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Readers
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Readers
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
Readers
– Technology used to store and
transmit data located in RFID tags
– RFID tags contain tiny chips and
radio antennas
• Can be attached to objects
• Read by RFID readers
• Tags only need to be within
range of the reader, rather than
in the line of sight
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Readers
• Biometric Readers
– Used to input biometric data such as an individual’s
fingerprint or voice
– Can be stand-alone or built into another piece of
hardware
– Most often used for
access control, to
authorize electronic
payments, log on to
secure Web sites
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Digital Cameras
• Digital Cameras
– Take pictures and records them as digital images
– Can either be still cameras or video cameras
– Integrated into many portable computers and mobile
phones
• Digital Still Cameras
– Primary appeal is that images are immediately
available
– Camera quality is measured in megapixels
– Typically use flash memory for storage
– Camera phones can be used to read barcodes, remotely
deposit checks, etc. 23
Digital Cameras
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Audio Input
• Voice Input and Speech Recognition Systems
– Audio Input
• The process of entering audio data into the computer
– Voice Input
• Inputting spoken words and converting them to digital
form via microphone or headset
• Can be used for podcasts and with VoIP (Voice over IP)
systems
• Provides spoken instructions to computer when used
with speech recognition systems
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Audio Input
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Display Devices
• Display Device
– Presents output visually on some type of screen
– Monitor
• Display device for a desktop computer
– Display Screen
• Screen built into a variety of devices
– Notebook and other portable computers
– Mobile phones and mobile devices
– Handheld gaming devices, home entertainment
devices, kitchen appliances
– Digital photo frames, e-book readers, smart
watches
– Digital signage systems, digital billboards 27
Display Devices
• Size and Aspect Ratio
– Device size measured diagonally from corner to corner
• Screen Resolution
– Number of pixels used on a display determines resolution
– Affects the amount of information that can be displayed
on the screen at one time
– Can be changed to match users’ preference
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Flat Panel Display Technologies
• Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs)
– Use charged liquid crystals between sheets of glass or
plastic
– Requires backlighting
• Light Emitting Diode (LED) Displays
– Used in alarm clocks and Christmas lights
– Currently used to backlight LCD panels
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Inside the Industry Box
E-Paper
– Used for e-readers and other devices
– Easier to read in direct sunlight
– Content can change
wireless
– Only uses power to
change images, not
maintain an image
– Use electronic ink
– Monochrome or
color
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Data and Multimedia Projectors
• Display output from a computer to a wall or projection screen
• Found in classrooms and conference rooms
• Can be wireless or integrated into devices
• Pico projectors are pocket-size and connect mobile and
portable devices
• Hologram projectors used to display 3D images
• 3D projectors are designed to project 3D images that are
viewed with 3D glasses
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Data and Multimedia Projectors
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Printers
• Color vs. Black and White
– Colors printers use magenta, cyan, yellow, and black ink
• Print Resolution
– Measured in dpi (dots per inch)
– More dots per inch results in higher quality output
– 300 dpi for general purpose printing; 1,200 dpi for
photographs; 2,400 dpi for professional applications
• Print Speed
– Measured in pages per minute (PPM)
– Range from about 15 to 65 ppm
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Printers
• Personal vs. Network Printers
– Personal printers connect directly to a single computer
– Network printers connect directly to a home or an office
network; some can perform cloud printing
– Connection Options
• USB connection most common
• Multifunction Capabilities
– Copy, fax, scan, print
– All-in-ones
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Laser Printers
• Use toner powder and technology similar to that of a
photocopier to produce images on paper
• The standard for business documents
• Print one entire page at a time
• Generally faster and have better quality output than ink-jet
printers
• Can be black and white or color
• Common print resolution for laser printers is between 600
and 2,400 dpi
• Use toner cartridges
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Ink-Jet Printers
• Sprays droplets of ink to produce images on paper
• Use ink cartridges
• Usually print in color
• Often the choice for home use
• Relatively inexpensive with good-quality output
• Print more slowly than laser printers
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Special Purpose Printers
• Barcode, label, and postage
printers
• Photo printers
• Portable and integrated
printers
• Wide-format ink-jet
printers
• 3D printers
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Audio Output
• Audio Output
– Voice, music, and other audible sounds
– Common audio output devices
• Computer speakers
• Headphones and headsets
• Earphones and earbuds
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