Role of I/O Devices in a Computer System

Input Devices
Given below is the list of the most common input devices along with brief information about
each of them.

1. Keyboard

 A simple device comprising keys and each key denotes either an alphabet, number or
number commands which can be given to a computer for various actions to be performed
 It has a modified version of typewriter keys
 The keyboard is an essential input device and computer and laptops both use keyboards
to give commands to the computer

2. Mouse

 It is also known as a pointing device

 Using mouse we can directly click on the various icons present on the system and open
up various files and programs
 A mouse comprises 3 buttons on the top and one trackball at the bottom which helps in
selecting and moving the mouse around, respectively
 In case of laptops, the touchpad is given as a replacement of the mouse which helps in the
movement of the mouse pointer

3. Joy Stick

 It is a device which comprises a stick which is attached at an angle to the base so that it
can be moved and controlled
 Mostly used to control the movement in video games
 Apart from a computer system, a joystick is also used in the cockpit of an aeroplane,
wheelchairs, cranes, trucks, etc. to operate them well

4. Light Pen

 It is a wand-like looking device which can directly be moved over the device’s screen
 It is light-sensitive
 Used in conjunction with computer’s cathode ray tube

5. Microphone

 Using a microphone, sound can be stored in a device in its digital form

 It converts sound into an electrical signal
 To record or reproduce a sound created using a microphone, it needs to be connected with
an amplifier
 6. Scanner

 This device can scan images or text and convert it into a digital signal
 When we place any piece of a document on a scanner, it converts it into a digital signal
and displays it on the computer screen

7. Barcode Reader

 It is a kind of an optical scanner

 It can read bar codes
 A source of light is passed through a bar code, and its aspects and details are displayed on
the screen

All the devices mentioned above are the most commonly used input devices. Several other such
types of equipment are used in different fields which can be counted as an input device.

Output Device
The commonly used output devices have been listed below with a brief summary of what their
function is and how they can be used.

1. Monitor

 The device which displays all the icons, text, images, etc. over a screen is called the
Monitor
 When we ask the computer to perform an action, the result of that action is displayed on
the monitor
 Various types of monitors have also been developed over the years

2. Printer

 A device which makes a copy of the pictorial or textual content, usually over a paper is
called a printer
 For example, an author types the entire book on his/her computer and later gets a print
out of it, which is in the form of paper and is later published
 Multiple types of printers are also available in the market, which can serve different
purposes

3. Speakers

 A device through which we can listen to a sound as an outcome of what we command a

computer to do is called a speaker
 Speakers are attached with a computer system and also are a hardware device which can
be attached separately
 With the advancement in technology, speakers are now available which are wireless and
can be connected using BlueTooth or other applications
 4. Projector

 An optical device which presents an image or moving images onto a projection screen is
called a projector
 Most commonly these projectors are used in auditoriums and movie theatres for the
display of the videos or lighting
 If a projector is connected to a computer, then the image/video displayed on the screen is
the same as the one displayed on the computer screen

5. Headphones

 They perform the same function as a speaker, the only difference is the frequency of
sound
 Using speakers, the sound can be heard over a larger area and using headphones, the
sound is only audible to the person using them
 Also known as earphones or headset

Terminal (electronics)

A terminal is the point at which a conductor from a component, device or network comes to an
end. Terminal may also refer to an electrical connector at this endpoint, acting as the reusable
interface to a conductor and creating a point where external circuits can be connected. A terminal
may simply be the end of a wire or it may be fitted with a connector or fastener.

In network analysis, terminal means a point at which connections can be made to a network in
theory and does not necessarily refer to any physical object. In this context, especially in older
documents, it is sometimes called a pole. On circuit diagrams, terminals for external connections
are denoted by empty circles. They are distinguished from nodes or junctions which are entirely
internal to the circuit, and are denoted by solid circles.

All electrochemical cells have two terminals (electrodes) which are referred to as the anode and
cathode or positive (+) and negative (-). On many dry batteries, the positive terminal (cathode) is
a protruding metal cap and the negative terminal (anode) is a flat metal disc (see Battery
terminal). In a galvanic cell such as a common AA battery, electrons flow from the negative
terminal to the positive terminal, while the conventional current is opposite to this.

What is terminal and its types

The terminal is a basic communication unit. It is used to send and receive the data it
generally consists of keyboard & monitor. The keyboard is used to input data and monitor work
as an output unit. Many terminals are connected with the central computer through terminal
much people can work on a single computer on a time.
Following are some type of terminals:

 Video display terminal

 Teleprinter terminal
 Intelligent terminal
 Dumb terminal
 Local terminal
 Remote terminal

Video display terminal

The video display terminal is like a TV screen. This screen is called a monitor is used to display
information received from the computer. The combination of monitor & video display unit is
called the video display terminal.

Teleprinter terminal

The teleprinter consists of the printer. The printer is used to get information on a piece of paper
from the central computer.

Intelligent terminal

If the microcomputer is connected to the central computer & microcomputer act as a terminal of
the central computer. It termed an intelligent terminal. The intelligent terminal can process, store,
& receive information to & from other terminals & central computer.

Dumb terminal

A dumb terminal has only input and output units to send and receive information to and from
other terminals. They are depended on the central computer for their work.

Local terminal

The local terminal is directly connected to the central computer through cables. This type of
networking is known as a local area network (LAN). Local terminal are used in signal building
or office

Remote terminal

The terminal that is a long distance away from the central computer is known as remote
terminals. They are connected to the central computer through telecommunication lines. The
remote terminal is mostly intelligent terminals.
Pointing device
A pointing device, or sometimes called a pointing tool, is a hardware input device that allows the user
to move the mouse cursor in a computer program or GUI (graphical user interface) operating system.
Using a pointing device, you can point at or manipulate any object or text on the screen. For example,
using a pointing device you could point at and select an icon from a list of icons.

Pointing devices that can be used on a computer.

 Camera mouse
 Computer mouse (shown in picture)
 Finger on touch screen
 Footmouse
 J mouse
 Joystick
 Leap Motion
 Light pen (pen)
 Stylus
 Trackball
 TrackPoint
 Touchpad
 Keyboard (Can be used to move the mouse pointer).

Scanners

Scanners: Definition

Imagine there is an important document like a medical report or a result that requires to be sent
on an urgent basis, and the courier would take time. Would you not feel helpless? Back then,
before the 90s, years, one would. Even if scanners had been invented by then, there were a lot of
limitations.
However, now, as the world is getting more and more digitally inclined, scanning documents has
gained prominence and is now an integral part of an office and computer setup. There is now a
variety of them flooding the markets in various brands, sizes, and budgets.

What is a scanner?
A scanner is essentially an input contraption invented to take pictures of sources like posters,
printed images, documents like magazine pages, notices, or any other material produced on
paper. These can be procured to display the relevant information within seconds at another
address or display point. The documents that are scanned get converted into a digital format that
is further edited or modified on any computer.

Types of Scanners
The one thing that is constant in the technical world is upgrading, and scanners also get upgraded
as the technology evolves. They are also available in various sizes, configurations, etc., and can
be assembled as per the requirement of the end-user. While some are specifically built for
scanning black and white documents only, others can also scan color documents.

 Feed-in or Sheet-fed Scanners:

These are simple scanners that have the limitation of scanning paper documents only as they
have a feeder tray that takes in the paper kept in the tray. Thus, scanning anything in book form
is not possible here. However, few advanced models do have the option of scanning several
pages in sequence.

 Flatbed Scanner:

This is very commonly used and available in the markets readily. These have a flat surface for
screening with a cover that must be lifted to place the material that has to be scanned. This model
is viable for scanning books like magazines, educational content that is bound to be bulky.

 Handheld scanners:

These are essentially used to scan barcodes, thus useful for business transactions and general use.

Other scanners like the overhead scanner, the big format scanner, slide or negative scanners are
also available in the market.

Voice Recognition System

What is voice recognition?

Voice or speaker recognition is the ability of a machine or program to receive and interpret
dictation or to understand and carry out spoken commands. Voice recognition has gained
prominence and use with the rise of AI and intelligent assistants, such as Amazon's Alexa,
Apple's Siri and Microsoft's Cortana.

Voice recognition systems enable consumers to interact with technology simply by speaking to
it, enabling hands-free requests, reminders and other simple tasks.

Today, we have two types of voice recognition:

 Text-Dependent – depends on the specific set of words the person says – you need step-up
authentication and identity verification and in order to be activated, the user has to say the
necessary phrase.
 Text Independent – does not depend on a specific text yet relies on conversation speech. The
authentication does not require for the user to say a set of required phrases.

What is computer vision?

Computer vision is a field of artificial intelligence (AI) that enables computers and systems to
derive meaningful information from digital images, videos and other visual inputs — and take
actions or make recommendations based on that information. If AI enables computers to think,
computer vision enables them to see, observe and understand.

Computer vision works much the same as human vision, except humans have a head start.
Human sight has the advantage of lifetimes of context to train how to tell objects apart, how far
away they are, whether they are moving and whether there is something wrong in an image.

Computer vision trains machines to perform these functions, but it has to do it in much less time
with cameras, data and algorithms rather than retinas, optic nerves and a visual cortex. Because a
system trained to inspect products or watch a production asset can analyze thousands of products
or processes a minute, noticing imperceptible defects or issues, it can quickly surpass human
capabilities.
Computer vision is used in industries ranging from energy and utilities to manufacturing and
automotive – and the market is continuing to grow. It is expected to reach USD 48.6 billion by
2022.

Touch screen

A touch screen is a display device that allows users to interact with a computer using their
finger or stylus. They're a useful alternative to a mouse or keyboard for navigating a GUI
(graphical user interface). Touch screens are used on various devices, such as computer and
laptop displays, smartphones, tablets, cash registers, and information kiosks. Some touch screens
use a grid of infrared beams to sense the presence of a finger instead of utilizing touch-sensitive
input.

Touch screen history

The idea of a touch screen was first described and published by E.A. Johnson in 1965. In the
early 1970s, CERN engineers Frank Beck and Bent Stumpe developed the first touch screen. The
physical product was first created and utilized in 1973. The first resistive touch screen was
developed by George Samuel Hurst in 1975 but wasn't produced and used until 1982.

What computers support a touch screen?

Today, all PCs support the ability to have a touch screen, and most laptop computers allow users
running Microsoft Windows 10 to use a touch screen. Also, many all-in-one computers are
capable of using a touch screen. Computer manufacturers with touch screen products include
Acer, Dell, HP (Hewlett-Packard), Lenovo, Microsoft, and other PC manufacturers.

There are also some high-end Google Chromebooks with touch screens. However, to help keep
the costs lower, many Chrome books do not have touch screens.