Unit - II Input and Output Devices

I.Input Devices
Input device enables the user to send data, information, or control signals to a computer. The Central Processing
Unit (CPU) of a comSputer receives the input and processes it to produce the output.

1) Keyboard
The keyboard is a basic input device that is used to enter data into a computer or any other electronic device by
pressing keys. It has different sets of keys for letters, numbers, characters, and functions. Keyboards are connected
to a computer through USB or a Bluetooth device for wireless communication.

 Types of keyboards:
There can be different types of keyboards based on the region and language used. Some of the common types of
keyboards are as follows:

i) QWERTY Keyboard:

It is the most commonly used keyboard with computers in modern times. It is named after the first six letters of the
top row of buttons and is even popular in countries that do not use Latin-based alphabet. It is so popular that some
people think that it is the only type of keyboard to use with computers as an input device.

ii) AZERTY Keyboard:

 It is considered the standard French keyboard. It is developed in France as an alternative layout to the
QWERTY layout and is mainly used in France and other European countries. Some countries have
manufactured their own versions of AZERTY.
 Its name is derived from the first six letters that appear on the top left row of the keyboard. The Q and W keys
in AZERTY keyboard are interchanged with A and Z keys in QWERTY keyboard. Furthermore, in AZERTY
keyboard M key is located to the left of the L key.
 AZERTY keyboard differs from QWERTY keyboard not only in the placement of letters but also in many other
ways, e.g., it gives emphasis on accents, which is required for writing European languages like French.

iii) DVORAK Keyboard:

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This type of keyboard layout was developed to increase the typing speed by reducing the finger movement while
typing. The most frequently used letters are kept in a home row to improve typing.

Whether you're writing a letter or calculating numerical data, your keyboard is the main way to enter
information into your computer. But did you know you can also use your keyboard to control your
computer? Learning a few simple keyboard commands (instructions to your computer) can help you work
more efficiently.

 How the keys are organized

The keys on your keyboard can be divided into several groups based on function:

 Typing (alphanumeric) keys. These keys include the same letter, number, punctuation, and symbol
keys found on a traditional typewriter.
 Control keys. These keys are used alone or in combination with other keys to perform certain
actions. The most frequently used control keys are Ctrl, Alt, the Windows logo key , and Esc.
 Function keys. The function keys are used to perform specific tasks. They are labeled as F1, F2, F3,
and so on, up to F12. The functionality of these keys differs from program to program.
 Navigation keys. These keys are used for moving around in documents or webpages and editing
text. They include the arrow keys, Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, Delete, and Insert.
 Numeric keypad. The numeric keypad is handy for entering numbers quickly. The keys are
grouped together in a block like a conventional calculator or adding machine.

2) Mouse:-
The mouse is a hand-held input device which is used to move cursor or pointer across the screen. It is designed to be
used on a flat surface and generally has left and right button and a scroll wheel between them. Laptop computers
come with a touchpad that works as a mouse. It lets you control the movement of cursor or pointer by moving your
finger over the touchpad. Some mouse comes with integrated features such as extra buttons to perform different
buttons.

The mouse was invented by Douglas C. Engelbart in 1963. Early mouse had a roller ball integrated as a movement
sensor underneath the device. Modern mouse devices come with optical technology that controls cursor movements
by a visible or invisible light beam. A mouse is connected to a computer through different ports depending on the
type of computer and type of a mouse.

Common types of the mouse:

i) Trackball Mouse:

It is a stationary input device that has ball mechanism to move the pointer or cursor on the screen. The ball is half
inserted in the device and can be easily rolled with finger, thumb or the palm to move the pointer on the screen. The
device has sensor to detect the rotation of ball. It remains stationary; you don't need to move it on the operating
surface. So, it is an ideal device if you have limited desk space as you don't need to move it like a mouse.

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ii) Mechanical Mouse:

It has a system of a ball and several rollers to track its movement. It is a corded type of mouse. A mechanical mouse
can be used for high performance. The drawback is that they tend to get dust into the mechanics and thus require
regular cleaning.

iii) Optical Mouse:

An optical mouse uses optical electronics to track its movement. It is more reliable than a mechanical mouse and
also requires less maintenance. However, its performance is affected by the surface on which it is operated. Plain
non-glossy mouse mat should be used for best results. The rough surface may cause problems for the optical
recognition system, and the glossy surface may reflect the light wrongly and thus may cause tracking issues.

iv) Cordless or Wireless Mouse:

As the name suggests, this type of mouse lacks cable and uses wireless technology such as IrDA (infrared) or radio
(Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) to control the movement of the cursor. It is used to improve the experience of using a mouse. It
uses batteries for its power supply.

3) Scanner
The scanner uses the pictures and pages of text as input. It scans the picture or a document. The scanned picture or
document then converted into a digital format or file and is displayed on the screen as an output. It uses optical
character recognition techniques to convert images into digital ones. Some of the common types of scanners are as
follows:

Types of Scanner:

i) Flatbed Scanner:

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It has a glass pane and a moving optical CIS or CCD array. The light illuminates the pane, and then the image is
placed on the glass pane. The light moves across the glass pane and scans the document and thus produces its digital
copy. You will need a transparency adapter while scanning transparent slides.

ii) Handheld Scanner:

It is a small manual scanning device which is held by hand and is rolled over a flat image that is to be scanned. The
drawback in using this device is that the hand should be steady while scanning; otherwise, it may distort the image.
One of the commonly used handheld scanners is the barcode scanner which you would have seen in shopping stores.

iii) Sheetfed Scanner:

In this scanner, the document is inserted into the slot provided in the scanner. The main components of this scanner
include the sheet-feeder, scanning module, and calibration sheet. The light does not move in this scanner. Instead,
the document moves through the scanner. It is suitable for scanning single page documents, not for thick objects like
books, magazines, etc.

iv) Drum Scanner:

Drum scanner has a photomultiplier tube (PMT) to scan images. It does not have a charge-coupled device like a
flatbed scanner. The photomultiplier tube is extremely sensitive to light. The image is placed on a glass tube, and the
light moves across the image, which produces a reflection of the image which is captured by the PMT and
processed. These scanners have high resolution and are suitable for detailed scans.

v) Photo Scanner:

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It is designed to scan photographs. It has high resolution and color depth, which are required for scanning
photographs. Some photo scanners come with in-built software for cleaning and restoring old photographs.

4) Joystick

A joystick is also a pointing input device like a mouse. It is made up of a stick with a spherical base. The base is
fitted in a socket that allows free movement of the stick. The movement of stick controls the cursor or pointer on the
screen.

The frist joystick was invented by C. B. Mirick at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. A joystick can be of
different types such as displacement joysticks, finger-operated joysticks, hand operated, isometric joystick, and
more. In joystick, the cursor keeps moving in the direction of the joystick unless it is upright, whereas, in mouse, the
cursor moves only when the mouse moves.

5) Light Pen

A light pen is a computer input device that looks like a pen. The tip of the light pen contains a light-sensitive
detector that enables the user to point to or select objects on the display screen. Its light sensitive tip detects the
object location and sends the corresponding signals to the CPU. It is not compatible with LCD screens, so it is not in
use today. It also helps you draw on the screen if needed. The first light pen was invented around 1955 as a part of
the Whirlwind project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

6) Digitizer

Digitizer is a computer input device that has a flat surface and usually comes with a stylus. It enables the user to
draw images and graphics using the stylus as we draw on paper with a pencil. The images or graphics drawn on the
digitizer appear on the computer monitor or display screen. The software converts the touch inputs into lines and can
also convert handwritten text to typewritten words.

It can be used to capture handwritten signatures and data or images from taped papers. Furthermore, it is also used to
receive information in the form of drawings and send output to a CAD (Computer-aided design) application and
software like AutoCAD. Thus, it allows you to convert hand-drawn images into a format suitable for computer
processing.

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7) Microphone

The microphone is a computer input device that is used to input the sound. It receives the sound vibrations and
converts them into audio signals or sends to a recording medium. The audio signals are converted into digital data
and stored in the computer. The microphone also enables the user to telecommunicate with others. It is also used to
add sound to presentations and with webcams for video conferencing. A microphone can capture audio waves in
different ways; accordingly the three most common types are described below:

i) Dynamic:

It is the most commonly used microphone with a simple design. It has a magnet which is wrapped by a metal coil
and a thin sheet on the front end of the magnet. The sheet transfers vibrations from sound waves to the coil and from
coil to electric wires which transmit the sound like an electrical signal.

ii) Condenser:

It is designed for audio recording and has a very sensitive and flat frequency response. It has a front plate called
diaphragm and a back plate parallel to the front plate. When sound hits the diaphragm, it vibrates the diaphragm and
alters the distance between the two plates. The changes in distance are transmitted as electric signals.

iii) Ribbon:

It is known for its reliability. It has a thin ribbon made of aluminum, duraluminum, or nanofilm suspended in a
magnetic field. The sound waves cause vibrations in the ribbon, which generate a voltage proportional to the
velocity of the vibration. The voltage is transmitted as an electrical signal. Early ribbon microphones had a
transformer to increase the output voltage, but modern ribbon microphones come with advanced magnets to produce
a strong signal.

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8) Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)

MICR computer input device is designed to read the text printed with magnetic ink. MICR is a character recognition
technology that makes use of special magnetized ink which is sensitive to magnetic fields. It is widely used in banks
to process the cheques and other organizations where security is a major concern. It can process three hundred
cheques in a minute with hundred-percent accuracy. The details on the bottom of the cheque (MICR No.) are written
with magnetic ink. A laser printer with MICR toner can be used to print the magnetic ink.

The device reads the details and sends to a computer for processing. A document printed in magnetic ink is required
to pass through a machine which magnetizes the ink, and the magnetic information is then translated into characters.

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) Line

Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) is the information that appears at the bottom of a check. This
includes the bank's routing number, the customer's account number, and the check number. The magnetic
ink character recognition line is printed using technology that allows certain computers to read and
process the printed information.

Using MICR, computers can rapidly internalize routing numbers, account numbers, and other information
from printed documents including checks. MICR numbers, letters and symbols are printed with magnetic
ink or toner, usually in one of two major MICR fonts. The magnetic ink allows the computer to read the
characters even if they have been covered with signatures, cancellation marks or other marks.

How the Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) Line Works

MICR (often pronounced "micker") is used mainly by the banking industry. A benefit of MICR over
other computer-readable information such as bar codes is that humans are able to read MICR. The two
MICR fonts that are used worldwide are E-13B and CMC-7. These unique fonts are used to help
computers recognize the characters and limit check fraud.

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition Line and Routing Numbers

One of the benefits of the magnetic ink character recognition line is its ability to quickly facilitate the use
of routing numbers. A routing number (or routing transit number) is a specific nine-digit numerical code,
which banking and other financial institutions use for the purpose of clearing funds and/or processing
checks in the United States. As it appears on the front of a check check, the routing number represents the
bank that holds the account from which funds are to be drawn. Wire transfers and direct deposits often
rely on routing numbers.

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Magnetic Ink Character Recognition Line and Fraud Prevention

Unfortunately, fraud happens throughout the financial services industry. The definition of fraud is an
intentionally deceptive action, designed to provide the perpetrator with an unlawful gain. A range of fraud
types exist, including tax fraud, credit card fraud, wire fraud, securities fraud, and bankruptcy fraud.

The magnetic ink character recognition line can help prevent financial fraud through the use of its special
magnetic ink and unique fonts. For example, MICR makes it challenging to alter checks. An altered check
is when someone intentionally and materially changes the name of the payee or the amount of the check.

9) Optical Character Reader (OCR)

OCR computer input device is designed to convert the scanned images of handwritten, typed or printed text into
digital text. It is widely used in offices and libraries to convert documents and books into electronic files.

It processes and copies the physical form of a document using a scanner. After copying the documents, the OCR
software converts the documents into a two-color (black and white), version called bitmap. Then it is analyzed for
light and dark areas, where the dark areas are selected as characters, and the light area is identified as background. It
is widely used to convert hard copy legal or historic documents into PDFs. The converted documents can be edited
if required like we edit documents created in ms word.

OCR (optical character recognition)

OCR (optical character recognition) is the use of technology to distinguish printed or
handwritten text characters inside digital images of physical documents, such as a scanned paper
document. The basic process of OCR involves examining the text of a document and translating
the characters into code that can be used for data processing. OCR is sometimes also referred to
as text recognition.

OCR systems are made up of a combination of hardware and software that is used to convert
physical documents into machine-readable text. Hardware, such as an optical scanner or
specialized circuit board is used to copy or readtext while software typically handles the
advanced processing. Software can also take advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) to
implement more advanced methods of intelligent character recognition (ICR), like identifying
languages or styles of handwriting.

The process of OCR is most commonly used to turn hard copy legal or historic documents
into PDFs. Once placed in this soft copy, users can edit, format and search the document as if it
was created with a word processor.

 How optical character recognition works

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The first step of OCR is using a scanner to process the physical form of a document. Once all
pages are copied, OCR software converts the document into a two-color, or black and white,
version. The scanned-in image or bitmap is analyzed for light and dark areas, where the dark
areas are identified as characters that need to be recognized and light areas are identified as
background.

The dark areas are then processed further to find alphabetic letters or numeric digits. OCR
programs can vary in their techniques, but typically involve targeting one character, word or
block of text at a time. Characters are then identified using one of two algorithms:

1. Pattern recognition- OCR programs are fed examples of text in various fonts and formats
which are then used to compare, and recognize, characters in the scanned document.

2. Feature detection- OCR programs apply rules regarding the features of a specific letter or
number to recognize characters in the scanned document. Features could include the number
of angled lines, crossed lines or curves in a character for comparison. For example, the capital letter
“A” may be stored as two diagonal lines that meet with a horizontal line across the middle.When a
character is identified, it is converted into an ASCII code that can be used by computer systems to
handle further manipulations. Users should correct basic errors, proofread and make sure complex
layouts were handled properly before saving the document for future use.

10) Digital camera:

It is a digital device as it captures images and records videos digitally and then stores them on a memory card. It is
provided with an image sensor chip to capture images, as opposed to film used by traditional cameras. Besides this,
a camera that is connected to your computer can also be called a digital camera.

It has photosensors to record light that enters the camera through the lens. When the light strikes the photosensors,
each of the sensors returns the electrical current, which is used to create the images.

11) Paddle:

It is a simple input device that is widely used in games. It is a wheel that is held by hand and looks like a volume
knob on a stereo that is used to increase or decrease the volume. Paddle moves or controls cursor or any other
objects in the game in a back-and-forth motion. It is widely used as an alternative to the joystick. Besides this, the
term paddle also refers to many handheld devices designed to control a function in an electronic device, computer,
etc.

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12) Steering wheel:

It is used as an input device in racing video games such as car racing games or in driving programs as virtual
simulators to steer a vehicle. It works like the real steering wheel by allowing you to take a right or left turn. A
steering wheel may be provided with acceleration and brake pedal devices and a mechanism for shifting gears. Thus,
it makes racing games more adventurous and entertaining.

13) Gesture recognition devices:

These devices take human gestures as input. There are many such devices that respond to gestures. For example,
Kinect is one such device that observes the movement of a player's body and interprets these movements as inputs to
video games. This feature is also available in certain tablets and smartphones where you can perform certain tasks
such as taking pictures using finger gestures such as swiping, pinching, etc.

14) Light Gun:

As the name suggests, it is a pointing input device that is designed to point at and shoot the targets on the screen in a
video game, or arcade, etc. The light gun was used for the first time on the MIT Whirwind computer. When the gun
is pointed at the target on the screen and the trigger is pulled, the screen goes blank for a fraction of a second.
During this moment, the photodiode, which is present in the barrel, determines where the gun is pointed. For
example, shooting ducks in a duck hunt game.

15) Touchpad:

It is usually found in laptops as a substitute for the mouse. It allows you to move or control the cursor on the screen
using your finger. Just like a mouse, it also has two buttons for right and left click. Using the touchpad, you can
perform all the tasks that you do with a mouse, such as selecting an object on the screen, copy, paste, delete, open a
file or folder, and more.

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16) Remote:

It is a hardware device designed to control the functioning of a device, e.g., a TV remote that can be used to change
channels, increase or decrease the volume, from a distance without leaving the seat. The first cordless TV remote
was invented by Dr. Robert Adler of Zenith in 1956. The remote sends the electromagnetic waves to communicate
with the device. These waves can be infrared rays, radio waves, etc.

7) Touch screen:

It is the display screen of a device such as a smartphone, tablet, etc., that allows users to interact or provide inputs to
the device by using their finger. Today, most of the electronic devices come with touchscreen as an alternative to a
mouse for navigating a graphical user interface. For example, by touching, you can unlock your phone, open emails,
open files, play videos, etc. Besides this, it is used in lots of devices such as Camera, Car GPS, Fitness machine, etc.

The concept of the touch screen was first introduced and published by E.A. Johnson in 1965. The first touch screen
was developed at the beginning of the 1970s by CERN engineers Frank Beck and Bent Stumpe.

18) VR:

VR stands for virtual reality. It is an artificial or virtual environment which is generated by computers. A person can
interact with virtual objects of this artificial environment using some input devices such as headsets, gloves,
headphones, etc. For example, he or she can find himself or herself walking on a beach, watching a football match,
walking in the sky, etc., without actually doing all this.

19) Webcam:

Any camera which is connected to a computer is called a webcam. The in-built camera provided on a computer can
also be considered a webcam. It is an input device as it can take pictures, and can be used to record videos if
required. The pictures and videos are stored in the computer memory and can be displayed on the screen if required.

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Although it works almost the same as the digital camera, it is different from a digital camera, as it is designed to take
compact digital photos that can be uploaded easily on the webpages and shared with others through the internet.

20) Biometric Devices:

Biometrics refers to a process in which a person is identified through his or her biological features such as
fingerprints, eye cornea, face structure, etc. It is done by using biometric devices, which can be of different types
based on their scanning features and abilities, such as:

i) Face Scanner:

It is designed to identify a person by scanning his or her face. It takes the face measurements of a person. For
example, the distance between eyes, nose, and mouth, etc., accordingly, it confirms the identity of a person. Besides
this, it is smart enough to differentiate between a person's picture and the real person.

ii) Hand Scanner:S

The hand of a person can also be used to verify his or her identity as every person has a unique pattern of veins in
the palm, just like fingerprints. This device takes advantage of this feature; it identifies a person by scanning the
palm of his hand. It uses infrared light to scan veins' patterns and blood flowing in them. Palm is even more unique
than fingerprints.

iii) Fingerprint Scanner:

It scans the fingerprints to identify people or for biometric authentication. This device is developed, keeping in mind
the fact that no two persons in the world can have the same fingerprints. It is widely used in companies as a
fingerprint attendance system to mark the attendance of employees. This type of scanners captures the pattern of
valleys and ridges found on a finger and store it in the memory or database. When you press your finger on the given
space, it verifies the identity by using its pattern-matching software.

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iv) Retina or Iris Scanner:

It scans the retina or iris of a person's eye to confirm the identity. This device is more secure than others as it is next
to impossible to copy the retina or iris. It works by mapping the retina's blood vessel patterns of the eye. The blood
vessels of retina absorb light more easily as well as can be identified with appropriate lighting.

In this scan, a beam of low-energy infrared light falls on the retina through the scanner's eyepiece. Then, the
software captures the network of blood vessels in the retina and uses it to verify a person's identity.

v) Voice Scanner:

It records the voice of a person and digitizes it to create a distinctive voice print or template. The voiceprints are
stored in the database, and are used to verify the voice of a person to confirm his or her identity. The person is
required to speak in the normal or same voice that was used to create a voice template. It is not much reliable as it
can be misused using a tape recording.

II.Output Devices
The output device displays the result of the processing of raw data that is entered in the computer through an
input device. There are a number of output devices that display output in different ways such as text, images,
hard copies, and audio or video.

Some of the popular output devices are:

1. Monitor
o CRT Monitor
o LCD Monitor
o LED Monitor
o Plasma Monitor
2. Printer
o Impact Printers
A. Character Printers
i. Dot Matrix printers
ii. Daisy Wheel printers
B. Line printers
i. Drum printers
ii. Chain printers
o Non-impact printers
A. Laser printers

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 B. Inkjet printers
3. Projector

1) Monitor

The monitor is the display unit or screen of the computer. It is the main output device that displays the processed
data or information as text, images, audio or video.

The types of monitors are given below.

i) CRT Monitor

CRT monitors are based on the cathode ray tubes. They are like vacuum tubes which produce images in the form
of video signals. Cathode rays tube produces a beam of electrons through electron guns that strike on the inner
phosphorescent surface of the screen to produce images on the screen. The monitor contains millions of
phosphorus dots of red, green and blue color. These dots start to glow when struck by electron beams and this
phenomenon is called cathodoluminescence.

The main components of a CRT monitor include the electron gun assembly, deflection plate assembly,
fluorescent screen, glass envelope, and base.The front (outer surface) of the screen onto which images are
produced is called the face plate. It is made up of fiber optics.

There are three electron beams that strike the screen: red, green, and blue. So, the colors which you see on the
screen are the blends of red, blue and green lights.The magnetic field guides the beams of electrons. Although
LCDs have replaced the CRT monitors, the CRT monitors are still used by graphics professionals because of
their color quality.

ii) LCD Monitor

The LCD monitor is a flat panel screen that is compact and light-weight as compared to CRT monitors. It is
based on liquid crystal display technology which is used in the screens of laptops, tablets, smart phones, etc. An
LCD screen comprises two layers of polarized glass with a liquid crystal solution between them. When the light
passes through the first layer, an electric current aligns the liquids crystals. The aligned liquid crystals allow a
varying level of light to pass through the second layer to create images on the screen.

The LCD screen has a matrix of pixels that display the image on the screen.Old LCDs had passive-matrix
screens in which individual pixels are controlled by sending a charge. A few electrical charges could be sent
each second that made screens appear blurry when the images moved quickly on the screen.

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 Modern LCDs use active-matrix technology and contain thin film transistors (TFTs) with capacitors. This
technology allows pixels to retain their charge. So, they don?t make screen blurry when images move fast on the
screen as well as are more efficient than passive-matrix displays.

iii) LED monitor

The LED monitor is an improved version of an LCD monitor. It also has a flat panel display and uses liquid
crystal display technology like the LCD monitors. The difference between them lies in the source of light to
backlight the display. The LED monitor has many LED panels, and each panel has several LEDsto backlight the
display, whereas the LCD monitors use cold cathode fluorescent light to backlight the display.Modern electronic
devices such as mobile phones, LED TVs, laptop and computer screens, etc., use a LED display as it not only
produces more brilliance and greater light intensity but also consumes less power.

iv) Plasma Monitor

The plasma monitor is also a flat panel display that is based on plasma display technology. It has small tiny cells
between two glass panels. These cells contain mixtures of noble gases and a small amount of mercury. When
voltage is applied, the gas in the cells turns into a plasma and emits ultraviolet light that creates images on the
screen, i.e., the screen is illuminated by a tiny bit of plasma, a charged gas. Plasma displays are brighter than
liquid crystal displays (LCD) and also offer a wide viewing angle than an LCD.

Plasma monitors provide high resolutions of up to 1920 X 1080, excellent contrast ratios, wide viewing angle, a
high refresh rate and more. Thus, they offer a unique viewing experience while watching action movies, sports
games, and more.

2) Printer
A printer produces hard copies of the processed data. It enables the user, to print images, text or any other
information onto the paper.

Based on the printing mechanism, the printers are of two types: Impact Printers and Non-impact Printers.

o Impact Printers: They are of two types:

A. Character Printers
i. Dot Matrix printers
ii. Daisy Wheel printers
B. Line printers
i. Drum printers

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 ii. Chain printers
o Non-impact printers: They are of two types:
A. Laser printers
B. Inkjet printers

1.Impact Printer

The impact printer uses a hammer or print head to print the character or images onto the paper. The hammer or
print head strikes or presses an ink ribbon against the paper to print characters and images.

Impact printers are further divided into two types.

A. Character Printers
B. Line printers

A) Character Printers

Character printer prints a single character at a time or with a single stroke of the print head or hammer. It does
not print one line at a time. Dot Matrix printer and Daisy Wheel printer are character printers. Today, these
printers are not in much use due to their low speed and because only the text can be printed. The character
printers are of two types, which are as follows:

i) Dot Matrix Printer

Dot Matrix Printer is an impact printer. The characters and images printed by it are the patterns of dots. These
patterns are produced by striking the ink soaked ribbon against the paper with a print head. The print head
contains pins that produce a pattern of dots on the paper to form the individual characters. The print head of a 24
pin dot matrix contains more pins than a 9 pin dot matrix printer, so it produces more dots which results in better
printing of characters. To produce color output, the black ribbon can be changed with color stripes. The speed of
Dot Matrix printers is around 200-500 characters per second.

ii) Daisy Wheel Printer

Daisy Wheel Printer was invented by David S. Lee at Diablo Data Systems.It consists of a wheel or disk that has
spokes or extensions and looks like a daisy, so it is named Daisy Wheel printer. At the end of extensions, molded
metal characters are mounted. To print a character the printer rotates the wheel, and when the desired character
is on the print location the hammer hits disk and the extension hits the ink ribbon against the paper to create the
impression. It cannot be used to print graphics and is often noisy and slow, i.e., the speed is very low around 25-
50 characters per second. Due to these drawbacks,these printers have become obsolete.

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 B) Line Printers:

Line printer, which is also as a bar printer, prints one line at a time. It is a high-speed impact printer as it can
print 500 to 3000 lines per minute. Drum printer and chain printer are examples of line printers.

i) Drum Printer:

Drum printer is a line printer that is made of a rotating drum to print characters. The drum has circular bands of
characters on its surface. It has a separate hammer for each band of characters. When you print, the drum rotates,
and when the desired character comes under the hammer, the hammer strikes the ink ribbon against the paper to
print characters. The drum rotates at a very high speed and characters are printed by activating the appropriate
hammers. Although all the characters are not printed at a time, they are printed at a very high speed.
Furthermore, it can print only a predefined style as it has a specific set of characters. These printers are known to
be very noisy due to the use of hammering techniques.

ii) Chain Printer:

Chain printer is a line printer that uses a rotating chain to print characters. The characters are embossed on the
surface of the chain. The chain rotates horizontally around a set of hammers, for each print location one hammer
is provided, i.e., the total number of hammers is equal to the total number of print positions.

The chain rotates at a very high speed and when the desired character comes at the print location, the
corresponding hammer strikes the page against the ribbon and character on the chain.They can type 500 to 3000
lines per minute. They are also noisy due to the hammering action.

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 2.Non-Impact Printer:
Non-impact printers don't print characters or images by striking a print head or hammer on the ink ribbon placed
against the paper. They print characters and images without direct physical contact between the paper and the
printing machinery. These printers can print a complete page at a time, so they are also known as page printers.
The common types of non-impact printers are Laser printer and Inkjet printer:

i) Laser Printer:

A laser printer is a non-impact printer that uses a laser beam to print the characters. The laser beam hits the
drum, which is a photoreceptor and draws the image on the drum by altering electrical charges on the drum. The
drum then rolls in toner, and the charged image on the drum picks the toner. The toner is then printed on the
paper using heat and pressure. Once the document is printed, the drum loses the electric charge,and the
remaining toner is collected. The laser printers use powdered toner for printing instead of liquid ink and produce
quality print objects with a resolution of 600 dots per inch (dpi) or more.

ii) Inkjet Printer:

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 The inkjet printer is a non-impact printer that prints images and characters by spraying fine,ionized drops of ink.
The print head has tiny nozzles to spray the ink. The printer head moves back and forth and sprays ionized drops
of ink on the paper, which is fed through the printer. These drops pass through an electric field that guides the
ink onto the paper to print correct images and characters.

An inkjet printer has cartridges that contain ink. Modern inkjet printers are color printers that have four
cartridges containing different colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. It is capable of printing high-quality
images with different colors. It can produce print objects with a resolution of at least 300 dots per inch (dpi).

3) Projector

A projector is an output device that enables the user to project the output onto a large surface such as a big
screen or wall. It can be connected to a computer and similar devices to project their output onto a screen. It uses
light and lenses to produce magnified texts, images, and videos. So, it is an ideal output device to give
presentations or to teach a large number of people.

Modern projects (digital projectors) come with multiple input sources such as HDMI ports for newer equipment
and VGA ports that support older devices. Some projectors are designed to support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as well.
They can be fixed onto the ceiling, placed on a stand, and more and are frequently used for classroom teaching,
giving presentations, home cinemas, etc.

A digital projector can be of two types:

1.Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) digital projector: This type of digital projectors are very popular as they are
lightweight and provide crisp output. An LCD projector uses transmissive technology to produce output. It allows
the light source, which is a standard lamp, to pass through the three colored liquid crystal light panels. Some colors
pass through the panels and some are blocked by the panels and thus images are on the screen.

2.Digital Light Processing (DLP) digital projector: It has a set of tiny mirrors, a separate mirror for each pixel of
the image and thus provide high-quality images. These projectors are mostly used in theatres as they fulfill the
requirement of high-quality video output.

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 Virtual and Augmented reality based input output devices.

VR
This section shows an overview of VR systems from hardware to software to human perception to understand the
working of entire VR systems.

The hardware produces stimuli that override the senses of the user [22] based on human motions. The VR hardware
accomplishes this by using sensors for tracking motions of user such as button presses, controller movements, eye
and other body part movements. It also considers the physical surrounding world because only engineered hardware
and software does not constitute the complete VR system. The organism (users) and its interaction with the
hardware is equally important.
VR hardware constitute of sensors which act as transducer to convert the energy it receives into a signal from an
electrical circuit. This sensor has receptor to collect the energy for conversion and organism has sense organs such
as eyes and ears for the same purpose. As the user moves through the physical world, it has its own configuration
space which are transformed or configured correspondingly.

VR Devices
VR devices are the hardware products used for VR technology to happen. The different key components of VR
system are discussed below. The figure (number) shows the high-level view of Virtual World Generator (VWG).
The inputs are received from the user and his surroundings and appropriate view of the world are rendered to
displays for VR experiences.

Personal Computer (PC)/Console/Smartphone

Computers are used to process inputs and outputs sequentially. To power the content creation and production
significant computing power is required, thereby making PC/consoles/smartphones important part of VR systems.
The VR content is what users view inside and perceive so it is equally important as other hardwares.

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1.Input devices

Input devices provides users the sense of immersion and determines the way a user communicates with the
computer. It helps users to navigate and interact within a VR environment to make it intuitive and natural as
possible. Unfortunately, the current state of technology is not advanced enough to support this yet. Most commonly
used input devices are joysticks, force Balls/Tracking balls, controller wands, data gloves, trackpads, On-device
control buttons, motion trackers, bodysuits, treadmills and motion platforms (virtual omni).

2.Output Devices
Devices that each stimulate a sense organ. Output devices are used for presenting the VR content or environment to
the users and it is utmost devices to generate an immersive feeling. These include visual, auditory or haptic displays.
Like input devices, the output devices are also underdeveloped currently because the current state-of-art VR system
does not allow to stimulate human senses perfect ideal manners. Most systems support visual feedback, and only
some of them are enhanced it by audio or haptic information.

What Is Augmented Reality?

Augmented reality (AR) is one of the biggest technology trends right now, and it’s only going to get bigger
as AR ready smartphones and other devices become more accessible around the world. AR let us see the real-
life environment right in front of us—trees swaying in the park, dogs chasing balls, kids playing soccer—with
a digital augmentation overlaid on it. For example, a pterodactyl might be seen landing in the trees, the dogs
could be mingling with their cartoon counterparts, and the kids could be seen kicking past an alien spacecraft
on their way to score a goal.
With advances in AR technology, these examples are not that different from what might already be available
for your smartphone. Augmented reality is, in fact, readily available and being used in a myriad of ways
including as Snapchat lenses, in apps that help you find your car in a crowded parking lot, and in variety of
shopping apps that let you try on clothes without even leaving home.

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Types:

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