Characteristics and uses of input devices

• Why is a keyboard considered an input device?

  It lets you type text onto your screen
• How does the function of a MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) device differ from other input devices?

  • MICR is specifically used to read and interpret magnetic ink characters, often found on checks and other financial documents
  • Unlike optical scanners, MICR devices rely on magnetic sensing technology to accurately capture the encoded data
  • MICR is commonly used in banking and financial institutions for automated check processing and payment verification
• What is the primary function of input devices?

  They collect data for a computer
• What is the main purpose of scanners?

  Convert physical data (documents or photographs) into electronic data
• What are the main advantages of using scanners?

  Produce accurate and high-resolution images, scanned images can be added to electronic documents or edited easily
• What are the advantages of using digital cameras?

  • You can view your images immediately and discard any that you do not want.
  • Digital cameras are more environmentally friendly because you do not need to use toxic chemicals to develop the film.
• What is the main purpose of biometric input devices?

  • Biometric input devices use the unique measurements and characteristics of your body to interact with a computing device.
• What is a common use case for scanning technology?

  Convert paper to digital
• When are scanners typically used?

  Scanners are used whenever you need a digital copy of a physical (hard copy) document
• In what scenarios are digital cameras typically used?

  Photos and videos
• What is the name of the input device shown in the image that is used to control a computer game?

  Joystick
• What are the main disadvantages of using scanners?

  Scanned images can lose clarity and quality, image files can be very large and take up space, the quality of the original affects the quality of the scanned image
• What is the primary function of digital cameras?

  They capture digital images directly
• What are the characteristics of optical input devices?

  • Speed: Slow
  • Precision: Varies
  • Portability: Moderate
  • Examples: Scanner, Bar Code Reader
• How does scanning technology work?

  It creates a digital copy of physical documents
• What is a primary use case for biometrics?

  Security access control
• What are the unique characteristics of input device types?

  Each type has speed, precision, and portability
• What is a characteristic of specialized toys?

  They are for playing games
• What is the name of the input device shown in the image that is used to scan documents?

  Scanner
• What are the characteristics of specialized input devices?

  • Speed: Varies
  • Precision: Varies
  • Portability: Low
  • Examples: Joystick, Touch Panel
• What is an input device?

  An input device allows information entry into a computer
• What is the name of the input device shown in the image that is used to read barcodes?

  Bar Code Reader
• How do optical toys function?

  They copy drawings into the computer
• How do input devices assist users?

  • They feed information into computers
  • Types of information include:
  • Text
  • Images
  • Bar codes
  • Magnetic ink characters
• How does an input device function?

  It converts actions into digital data the computer understands
• What is the name of the input device shown in the image that is used to control the cursor on a computer screen?

  Mouse
• What are the distinct purposes of scanning, digital cameras, and biometrics?

  • Scanning: Digitizes hard copies
  • Digital cameras: Takes digital photos and videos
  • Biometrics: Secures access via physical identity
• What are the advantages of using biometric input devices?

  Faster to use than passwords, biometric input is harder to hack
• What are the key differences between a touchpad and a mouse as input devices?

  • Touchpad uses touch/finger gestures, mouse uses physical movement
  • Touchpad is integrated into laptop, mouse is a separate peripheral
  • Touchpad has limited surface area, mouse can cover more desktop space
  • Touchpad is less precise for cursor control, mouse offers better precision
• What is the main purpose of digital cameras?

  • Digital cameras are used to capture digital images and input them directly into a computing device.
• What are the main types of input devices shown in the image?

  • Mouse
  • Keyboard
  • Scanner
  • Bar Code Reader
  • Joystick
  • Touch Panel
  • Touchpad
  • MICR
• What is a key advantage of optical input devices?

  They enable digitalizing documents
• What are the four main categories of input devices?

  • Pointing devices
  • Optical input devices
  • Specialized input devices
  • Data entry devices
• What are the characteristics of pointing devices?

  • Speed: Moderate
  • Precision: High
  • Portability: High
  • Examples: Mouse, Trackpad
• When would you use a scanner as an input device instead of a camera or smartphone?

  • Scanning documents, photos, or other physical media for digital archiving
  • Capturing high-quality images with better resolution and color accuracy
  • Digitizing text-heavy documents for optical character recognition (OCR)
  • Scanning large format items like engineering drawings or posters
• What are the disadvantages of using digital cameras?

  • The quality of the image will be limited to the maximum resolution of the digital camera.
  • Digital cameras have certain limitations for nighttime photography.
• What does biometrics technology utilize?

  Unique body measurements
• What are the three key input technologies for computers?

  Scanning, digital cameras, biometrics
• What are the characteristics of pointing toys?

  • Quick and accurate
  • Help point at things on the screen
  • Easy to carry around
• How do data entry toys help users?

  They help type words quickly and correctly