In a computer, input devices are those pieces of equipment used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system, such as a computer or other information appliances. For example, a mouse, keyboard, scanner, camera, and microphone.
Input devices work as an interface between the outer world and the computer for proper communication. The central processing unit (CPU) of a computer receives the input and processes it to produce the output.
Important Input Devices:
Mouse:
A computer mouse is a handheld hardware input device that controls and directs the cursor in a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for pointing, moving, clicking, selecting text, icons, files, folders, etc.
Keyboard:
A keyboard is a device that puts information, including letters, words, and numbers, into your personal computer.
Joystick:
A Joystick helps in controlling and directing the movements of the cursor or pointer in a computer device, like a mouse. However, Joysticks are mainly used while playing video games.
Light Pen:
A light pen is a type of input device that is similar to a light-sensitive wand used in conjunction with a computer’s cathode ray tube (CRT) display.
Track Ball:
A trackball is a type of input device that comprises an exposed protruding ball held by a socket having sensors for detecting its rotation.
With the help of trackballs, you can control the cursor and pointers in a computer just like a mouse. A trackball is used in many notebooks and laptops.
Scanner:
A scanner is a type of input device that analyses and captures images from photographs, prints, posters, magazines, or similar sources for computer editing and displays. There are different types of scanners available in the market.
Flatbed:
A flatbed scanner uses a flat surface for scanning documents. It is an optical scanner.
Sheet Fed:
Such scanners only allow paper-thin objects to be scanned, rather than thick objects like books or magazines.
Handheld Scanner:
A handheld scanner is a type of flatbed scanner that scans documents, but it is physically handheld.
Drum Scanner:
It is the most advanced type of scanner that is used to capture the highest resolution from an image.
Magnetic Ink Character Reader (MICR):
Magnetic ink character reader or MICR is an advanced technology that is used for identifying and processing cheques. MICR allows special characters printed in magnetic ink to be read and input rapidly to a computer.
MICR is a 9-digit code, printed on the bottom of the cheques, and helps in the identification of the cheque.
Optical Character Reader:
An optical character reader or recognition (OCR) is a technique that converts an image of text into a machine-readable text format.
The newly launched Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) technology is an extended version of OCR.
Optical Mark Reader (OMR):
Optical Mark Reader or Recognition (OMR) is a technique for reading information marked on surveys, tests, and other paper documents.
Barcode Reader:
A barcode scanner or reader is a type of optical scanner that is used to read printed barcodes, decode the data, and send it to the computer device to process.
Microphone:
A microphone or mic (mike) is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal.
Web Cam:
A webcam is a video camera that is designed to record or livestream to a computer or social networks.
Touch Screen:
A touchscreen is a combination of both an input and an output device. The touch panel is considered an input device, whereas the display is the output device.
Graphic Tablet:
Graphic tablets are considered input devices consisting of a flat, pressure-sensitive pad through which users draw on or point at with a stylus (pen-shaped object) to guide a pointer on the screen.
Previous Year Questions (PYQs):
Touch Screen.
Joystick.
Plotter.
Input device.
Magnetic Ink Character Reader (MICR).
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Also Read: Computer: Output Devices For SSC, Bank, & Other Examinations
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