COMPUTER GRAPHICS

Topic:
“LIGHT PEN”

Presented By:
Afshan Batool [FA21-BCS-150]
History:
The light pen was developed in 1950.
The first light pen was created around 1955 as
part of the Whirlwind project at MIT. During
the 1960s light pens were common on graphics
terminals such as the IBM 2250, and were also
available for the IBM 3270 text-only terminal.
The first light pen was invented by Ben Gurley
in 1959.
The basic idea for the computer mouse came to
Douglas Engelbart in 1961, while he was attending a computer graphics
conference. He was unsatisfied with the other pointing devices available at this
time.
Light Pen:
Light Pen is a computer input
device in the form of a light-sensitive wand
used in conjunction with a computer's cathode-
ray tube (CRT) display and also is a pointing
device which is used to select a displayed menu
item or draw pictures on the monitor screen.
It consists of a photocell and an optical system
placed in a small tube.
Types of Light Pen:
• Designer light pen
• LED light pen
• Battery light pen
• Corded light pen
Advantages of Light Pen:
• User Experience
• Accurate
• Easy to design
• Need Less Space
• Portable
• Speed
• Price
• Availability

Disadvantages of Light Pen:

• Light pen cannot be used in LCD monitor.
• Light pen does not have high resolution for 3D printing.
• While using this pen, there may be a strain in the wrist.
• This pen cannot be used in all types of monitors. It works in monitors like CRT
and LED.
Working of Light Pen:
A light pen detects changes in brightness of nearby screen pixels when scanned by cathode-ray tube electron beam and communicates the timing of this event
to the computer.

Conclusion:
The light pen, first developed in the 1950s, revolutionized computer interaction by allowing users to directly interact with CRT displays. Despite its limitations, such as
compatibility issues with LCD monitors and potential wrist strain, its advantages in accuracy, portability, and speed have made it a valuable input device in early computer systems, shaping the
trajectory of human-computer interaction.