What Is An Input Device?

Definition, Functions, and Examples [Full Information]

Daisy updated on Jan 11, 2024 | Home > Knowledge Center

Objectives

Input Device Definition

Input Device Functions

Input Device Examples

Input Device Definition

In computing, an input device allows information to be entered into the computer system, either from
the user or another computer. These are known as input devices or power supply devices (input)—for
example, a keyboard, mouse, or microphone.

The various input devices translate the data into electrical impulses, which are then transmitted to the
computer for processing and storage in central or internal memory. These devices are essential because
they allow the user to use the computer and interact with it.

Input devices are distinguished from output devices, which are devices that connect to a computer and
extract information.

Furthermore, some input devices are also output devices (I/O or mixed devices) because they introduce
and extract information from the system. For example, a touch monitor.

INPUT DEVICE FUNCTIONS

The input devices of a computer are a vital part of the operation of the machine. Without input devices,
there wouldn't be possible for the user to communicate with the computer, rendering it almost useless.
If you want to add new information to the computer (for example, text, command, document, image,
etc.), you can't do it without an input device. Modern machines can handle several different input
devices in use at the same time. Most of these devices connect to the computer through a standard
serial port connection or a USB connection.

Some characteristics of input devices are:

They allow information to be entered into the computer in different formats, such as audio, image, text,
etc.
They translate the information provided by the user into data that is readable by the computer.

They are part of the computer's hardware and can be connected wirelessly or through a cable.

They are adapting according to the different technological developments.

They are essential for the user to be able to use the computer and are easy to use.

Input Device Examples

Some examples of input devices are:

Keyboard: It is a board made up of keys or buttons with letters, numbers, and symbols. This device
connects to the computer wirelessly or via a cable (in the case of laptops, it is built-in) and allows the
user to enter information or perform functions. The most popular keyboard is the QWERTY.

Mouse: It is a device that is used to enter information into the system and translates the movements
that the user performs with the device into specific instructions. There are different types of mice; the
most common is an oval shape and moving it moves a pointer on the screen. Laptops often come with a
built-in touchpad, which is a touchpad that serves the same function as a mouse.

Microphone: It is a device that captures the sound and translates it into electrical impulses that can then
be encoded, stored, transmitted, and reproduced. The microphone introduces a spoken message, music,
or any other type of sound to the system.

Camera or Webcam: It is a device that captures an image using a system of lenses and photosensitive
components and then digitizes it and transmits it to the system. These cameras can take pictures or
videos that are transmitted or reproduced later.

Scanner: It is a device that digitizes documents or images and inserts them into the computer. These
files can then be stored, sent, or edited.

Barcode reader: It is a device that can be in a pistol shape that works as an optical reader that
recognizes a barcode (black lines on a white background) in which the product information is contained.

Joystick: It is a device often used for video games, consisting of a lever that the user moves to execute
actions on the computer. Its name comes from English: joy (fun) and sticks (bar, stick).

Stylus pen: It is a pencil-shaped device that is used on tactile supports, such as monitors and screens, to
enter information into the system.

Graphic tablet: It is a digital flat base on which the user traces graphics and drawings that are later
reflected on the computer screen.
M

Following are some of the important input devices which are used in a computer −

Keyboard

Mouse

Joy Stick

Light pen

Track Ball

Scanner

Graphic Tablet

Microphone

Magnetic Ink Card Reader(MICR)

Optical Character Reader(OCR)

Bar Code Reader

Optical Mark Reader(OMR)

Keyboard

Keyboard is the most common and very popular input device which helps to input data to the computer.
The layout of the keyboard is like that of traditional typewriter, although there are some additional keys
provided for performing additional functions.

Keyboard

Keyboards are of two sizes 84 keys or 101/102 keys, but now keyboards with 104 keys or 108 keys are
also available for Windows and Internet.

The keys on the keyboard are as follows −

S.No Keys & Description

Typing Keys

These keys include the letter keys (A-Z) and digit keys (09) which generally give the same layout as that
of typewriters.

Numeric Keypad

It is used to enter the numeric data or cursor movement. Generally, it consists of a set of 17 keys that
are laid out in the same configuration used by most adding machines and calculators.

3 Function Keys

The twelve function keys are present on the keyboard which are arranged in a row at the top of the
keyboard. Each function key has a unique meaning and is used for some specific purpose.

4 Control keys

These keys provide cursor and screen control. It includes four directional arrow keys. Control keys also
include Home, End, Insert, Delete, Page Up, Page Down, Control(Ctrl), Alternate(Alt), Escape(Esc).

5 Special Purpose Keys

Keyboard also contains some special purpose keys such as Enter, Shift, Caps Lock, Num Lock, Space bar,
Tab, and Print Screen.

Mouse

Mouse is the most popular pointing device. It is a very famous cursor-control device having a small palm
size box with a round ball at its base, which senses the movement of the mouse and sends
corresponding signals to the CPU when the mouse buttons are pressed.

Generally, it has two buttons called the left and the right button and a wheel is present between the
buttons. A mouse can be used to control the position of the cursor on the screen, but it cannot be used
to enter text into the computer.

Mouse

Advantages

Easy to use

Not very expensive

Moves the cursor faster than the arrow keys of the keyboard.

Joystick

Joystick is also a pointing device, which is used to move the cursor position on a monitor screen. It is a
stick having a spherical ball at its both lower and upper ends. The lower spherical ball moves in a socket.
The joystick can be moved in all four directions.

Joystick

The function of the joystick is similar to that of a mouse. It is mainly used in Computer Aided Designing
(CAD) and playing computer games.

Light Pen

Light pen is a pointing device similar to a pen. It 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.
Light Pen

When the tip of a light pen is moved over the monitor screen and the pen button is pressed, its
photocell sensing element detects the screen location and sends the corresponding signal to the CPU.

Track Ball

Track ball is an input device that is mostly used in notebook or laptop computer, instead of a mouse.
This is a ball which is half inserted and by moving fingers on the ball, the pointer can be moved.

Track Ball

Since the whole device is not moved, a track ball requires less space than a mouse. A track ball comes in
various shapes like a ball, a button, or a square.

Scanner

Scanner is an input device, which works more like a photocopy machine. It is used when some
information is available on paper and it is to be transferred to the hard disk of the computer for further
manipulation.

Scanner

Scanner captures images from the source which are then converted into a digital form that can be
stored on the disk. These images can be edited before they are printed.

Digitizer

Digitizer is an input device which converts analog information into digital form. Digitizer can convert a
signal from the television or camera into a series of numbers that could be stored in a computer. They
can be used by the computer to create a picture of whatever the camera had been pointed at.

Graphic Tablet
Digitizer is also known as Tablet or Graphics Tablet as it converts graphics and pictorial data into binary
inputs. A graphic tablet as digitizer is used for fine works of drawing and image manipulation
applications.

Microphone

Microphone is an input device to input sound that is then stored in a digital form.

Microphone

The microphone is used for various applications such as adding sound to a multimedia presentation or
for mixing music.

Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR)

MICR input device is generally used in banks as there are large number of cheques to be processed
every day. The bank's code number and cheque number are printed on the cheques with a special type
of ink that contains particles of magnetic material that are machine readable.

Magnetic Ink Card Reader(MICR)

This reading process is called Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR). The main advantages of MICR
is that it is fast and less error prone.

Optical Character Reader (OCR)

OCR is an input device used to read a printed text.

Optical Character Reader(OCR)

OCR scans the text optically, character by character, converts them into a machine readable code, and
stores the text on the system memory.

Bar Code Readers

Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar coded data (data in the form of light and dark lines).
Bar coded data is generally used in labelling goods, numbering the books, etc. It may be a handheld
scanner or may be embedded in a stationary scanner.

Barcode Reader

Bar Code Reader scans a bar code image, converts it into an alphanumeric value, which is then fed to
the computer that the bar code reader is connected to.

Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

OMR is a special type of optical scanner used to recognize the type of mark made by pen or pencil. It is
used where one out of a few alternatives is to be selected and marked.

Optical Mark Reader(OMR)

It is specially used for checking the answer sheets of examinations having multiple choice questions.