CHAPTER 3: INPUT

OBJECTIVES
After completing this chapter, students will be to:
 Describe the four types of input
 List the characteristics of a keyboard
 Identify various types of keyboards
 Identify various types of pointing devices
 Explain how a mouse works
 Describe different mouse types
 Explain how scanners and other reading devices work
 Identify the purpose of a digital camera
 Describe the various techniques used for audio and video input
 Identify alternative input devices for physically challenged users

CHAPTER OVERVIEW
In this chapter, students learn what is input and what are input devices. The keyboard is
presented and different keyboard types are described. Students are introduced to various
pointing devices, such as the mouse, trackball, touchpad, pointing stick, joystick, touchscreen,
and pen input. Scanners and reading devices, including optical scanners, optical readers,
magnetic ink character recognition readers, and data collection devices are explained. Students
learn about digital cameras, audio input, speech recognition, video input, and
videoconferencing. Finally, input devices for physically challenged users are explored.
Chapter 3: Input

3.1 What is Input?

Input is any data or instructions you enter into the memory of a computer. Once
input is in memory, the CPU can access it and process the input into output. Four
types of input are data, programs, commands, and user responses:
 Data is a collection of unorganized facts that can include words, numbers,
pictures, sounds, and videos. A computer manipulates and processes data into
information, which is useful. Although technically speaking, a single item of
data should be called a datum, the term data commonly is used and accepted
as both the singular and plural form of the word.
  A program is a series of instructions that tells a computer how to perform
the tasks necessary to process data into information Programs are kept on
storage media such as a floppy disk, hard disk, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
Programs respond to commands issued by a user.
 A command is an instruction given to a computer program. Commands can be
issued by typing keywords or pressing special keys on the keyboard. A
keyword is a specific word, phrase, or code that a program understands as an
instruction. Some keyboards include keys that send command to a program
when you press them.

Instead of requiring you to remember keywords or special keys, many programs

allow you to issue commands by selecting menu choices or graphical objects. For
example, programs that are menu-driven provide menus as a means of entering
commands. Today, most programs have a graphical user interface that use icons,
buttons, and other graphical objects to issue commands. Of all of these methods, a
graphical user interface is the most user- friendly way to issue commands.
A user response is an instruction you issue to the computer by replying to a
question posed by a computer program, such as Do you want to save the changes
you made? Based on your response, the program performs certain actions. For
example, if you answer, Yes, to this question, the program saves your changed
file on a storage device.

3.2 WHAT ARE INPUT DEVICES?

An input device is any hardware component that allows you to enter data,
programs, commands, and user responses into a computer. Input devices include
the keyboard, pointing devices, scanners and reading devices, digital cameras,
audio and video input devices, and input devices for physically challenged users.
Each of these input devices is discussed in the following pages.

3.3. THE KEYBOARD

One of the primary input devices on a computer is the keyboard. You enter data
into a computer by pressing the keys on the keyboard. Desktop computer
keyboards usually have from 101 to 105 keys, while keyboards for smaller
computers such as laptops contain fewer keys. A computer keyboard includes

3-2
Chapter 3: Input

keys that allow you to type letters of the alphabet, numbers, spaces, punctuation
marks, and other symbols such as the dollar sign ($) and asterisk (*). A keyboard
also contains special keys that allow you to enter data and instructions into the
computer.

All computer keyboards have a typing area that includes the letters of the
alphabet, numbers, punctuation marks, and other basic keys. Many desktop
computer keyboards also have a numeric keypad located on the right side of the
keyboard. A numeric keypad is a calculator-style arrangement of keys
representing numbers, a decimal point, and some basic mathematical operators.
The numeric keypad is designed to make it easier to enter numbers. Across the
top, most keyboards contain function keys, which are labeled with the letter F
followed by a number.

Function keys are special keys programmed to issue commands and accomplish
certain tasks. The command associated with a function key depends on the
program you are using. For example, in many programs, pressing the function key
Fl displays a Help window. When instructed to press a function key such as Fl, do
not press the letter F followed by the number 1; instead press the key labelled Fl.
Function keys often are used in combination with other special keys (SHIFT,
CTRL, ALT, and others) to issue commands. Many programs let you use a
shortcut menu, a button, a menu, or a function key to obtain the same result.

Keyboards also contain keys that can be used to position the insertion point on the
screen. The insertion point is a symbol that indicates where on the screen the next
character you type will display. Depending on the program, the symbol may be a
vertical bar, a rectangle, or an underline. Arrow keys allow you to move the
insertion point left, right, up, or down. Most keyboards also contain keys such as
HOME, END, PAGE UP, and PAGE DOWN, that you can press to move the
insertion point to the beginning or end of a line, page, or document.

Most keyboards also include toggle keys, which can be switched between two
different states. The NUM LOCK key, for example, is a toggle key. When you
press it once, it locks the numeric keypad so you can use it to type numbers.
When you press the NUM LOCK key again, the numeric keypad is unlocked so
the same keys serve as arrow keys that move the insertion point. Many keyboards
have status lights in the upper-right corner that light up to indicate that a toggle
key is activated.

Many of the newer keyboards include buttons that allow you to access your
CD/DVD drive and adjust speaker volume.

3.3.1 Keyboard Types

A standard computer keyboard sometimes is called a QWERTY keyboard

because of the layout of its typing area. Pronounced KWER-tee, this
keyboard layout is named after the first six leftmost letters on the top
alphabetic line of the keyboard. Because of the way the keys are
organized, a QWERTY keyboard might limit your typing speed.

A keyboard with an alternative layout was designed to improve typing

speed. Called the Dvorak keyboard (pronounced de-VOR-zhak), this type
of keyboard places the most frequently typed letters in the middle of the
typing area. Despite the more logical design of the Dvorak keyboard, the
QWERTY keyboard is more widely used.

Most of today’s desktop computer keyboards are enhanced keyboards,

which means they have twelve function keys along the top, two CTRL
keys, two ALT keys, and a set of arrow and additional keys between the
typing area and the numeric keypad.

Although most keyboards attach to a serial port on the system unit via a
cable, some keyboards - called wireless keyboards - transmit data via
infrared light waves. For a wireless keyboard to transmit signals to a
computer, both the computer and the wireless keyboard must have an
 JrDA port. These IrDA ports must be aligned so that nothing obstructs the
path of the infrared light wave.

On laptops and many handheld computers, the keyboard is built into the
top of the system unit. To fit in these smaller computers, the keyboards
usually are smaller and have fewer keys. A typical laptop computer
keyboard, for example, has only 85 keys, compared to the 105 keys on
most desktop computer keyboards. To provide all of the functionality of a
desktop computer keyboard, manufacturers design many of the keys to
serve two or three different purposes.

Regardless of size, many keyboards have a rectangular shape with the

keys aligned in rows. Users who spend a significant amount of time typing
on these keyboards sometimes experience repetitive strain injuries of their
wrists. For this reason, some manufacturers have redesigned their
keyboards to minimize the chance of these types of workplace injuries.
Keyboards such as these are called ergonomic keyboards. The goal of
ergonomics is to incorporate comfort, efficiency, and safety into the
design of items in the workplace. Because employees can be injured or
develop disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and joints
from working in a nonergonomically designed area, OSHA (Occupational
Safety and Health Administration) has proposed standards whereby
employers must establish programs that prevent these types of injuries or
disorders.

3.4 POINTING DEVICES

A pointing device is an input device that allows you to control a pointer on the
screen. In a graphical user interface, a pointer is a small symbol on the display
screen. A pointer often takes the shape of a block arrow, an I-beam (T) or a
pointing hand. Using a pointing device, you can position the pointer to move or
select items on the screen. For example, you can use a pointing device to move
the insertion point; select text, graphics, and other objects; and click buttons,
icons, links, and menu commands.

Common pointing devices include the mouse, trackball, touchpad, pointing stick,
joystick, touch screen, light pen, and graphics tablet. Each of these devices is
discussed in the following sections.

3.4.1 Mouse

The mouse is the most widely used pointing device on desktop computers
because it takes full advantage of a graphical user interface. Designed to
fit comfortably under the palm of your hand, a mouse is an input device
that is used to control the movement of the pointer, often called a mouse
pointer, on the screen and to make selections from the screen. The top of
the mouse has one to four buttons; some also have a small wheel. The
bottom of a mouse is flat and contains a multi-directional mechanism,
usually either a small ball or an optical sensor, which detects movement of
the mouse. Mouse devices that contain a small ball often rest on a mouse
pad, which usually is a rectangular rubber or foam pad that provides better
traction for the mouse than the top of a desk. The mouse pad also protects
the ball mechanism from a build up of dust and dirt, which could cause it
to malfunction.
 USING A MOUSE As you move the mouse across a flat surface such as a
desktop, the pointer on the screen also moves. For example, when you
move the mouse to the right, the pointer moves right on the screen.. When
you move the mouse to the left, the pointer moves left on the screen, and
so on. If you have never worked with a mouse, you might find it a little
awkward at first; with a little practice, however, you will discover that a
mouse is quite easy to use.

Generally, you use the mouse to move the pointer on the screen to an
object such as a button, a menu, an icon, a link, or text and then press one
of the mouse buttons to perform a certain action on that object. In
Windows 98, for example, if you point to the Start button on the taskbar
and then press, or click, the primary mouse button, the Start menu displays
on the screen.

MOUSE TYPES A mouse that has a rubber or metal ball on its underside is
called a mechanical mouse. When the ball rolls in a certain direction,
electronic circuits in the mouse translate the movement of the mouse into
signals that are sent to the computer. Another type of mouse, called an
optical mouse, has no moving mechanical parts inside; instead it uses
devices that emit and sense light to detect the mouse’s movement. The
newer optical mouse devices can be used on nearly all types of surfaces,
eliminating the need for a mouse pad. An optical mouse is more precise
than a mechanical mouse and does not require cleaning like a mechanical
mouse, but it also is more expensive.

A mouse connects to your computer in one of two ways. Most connect

using a cable that attaches to an RS-232C serial port, which usually is
located on the back of the system unit. Some mouse devices are cordless,
relying on battery power. Operating similarly to a television remote
control, a cordless mouse or wireless mouse, uses infrared or radio waves
to communicate with a receiver. A cordless mouse frees up desk space and
eliminates the clutter of a cord.

3.4.2 Trackball

Some users opt for alternative pointing devices other than a mouse, such
as a trackball. Whereas a mechanical mouse has a ball mechanism on the
bottom, a trackball is a stationary pointing device with a ball mechanism
on its top. The ball mechanism in a larger trackball is about the size of a
Ping-Pong ball; some mouse devices also have a small trackball about the
size of a marble.

To move the pointer using a trackball, you rotate the ball mechanism with
your thumb, fingers, or the palm of your hand. Around the ball
mechanism, usually a track-ball also has one or more buttons that work
just like mouse buttons.

Although it shares characteristics with a mouse, a trackball is not as

accurate as a mouse. A trackball’s ball mechanism also requires frequent
cleaning because it picks up oils from your fingers and dust from the
environment. If you have limited desk space, however, a trackball is a
good alternative to a mouse because you do not have to move the entire
device.
3.4.3 Touchpad

A touchpad or trackpad is a small, flat, rectangular pointing device that is

sensitive to pressure and motion. To move the pointer using a touchpad,
you slide your fingertip across the surface of the pad. Some touchpads
have one or more buttons around the edge of the pad that work like mouse
buttons; on others, you tap the pad’s surface to simulate mouse operations
such as clicking.

Although you can attach a stand-alone touchpad to any personal computer,

touchpads are found more often on laptop computers.

3.4.4 Stick

A pointing stick is a pressure-sensitive pointing device shaped like a

pencil eraser that was first developed by IBM for its laptop computers.
Because of its small size, the pointing stick is positioned between keys on
the keyboard. To move the pointer using a pointing stick, you push the
pointing stick with your finger. The pointer on the screen moves in the
direction that you push the pointing stick.

One advantage of using a pointing stick is that it does not require any
additional desk space. Another advantage is that it does not require
cleaning like a mechanical mouse or trackball. Whether you select a laptop
that has a trackball, touchpad, or pointing stick is a matter of personal
preference.

3.4.5 Joystick
Users running game software such as a driving or flight simulator may
prefer to use a joystick as their pointing device. A joystick is a vertical
lever mounted on a base. You move the lever in different directions to
control the actions of a vehicle or player. The lever usually includes
buttons called triggers that you can press to activate certain events. Some
joysticks also have additional buttons that you can set to perform other
actions.

3.4.6 Touch Screen

A monitor that has a touch-sensitive panel on the screen is called a touch

screen. You interact with the computer by touching areas of the screen
with your finger, which acts as an input device. Because they require a lot
of arm movements, touch screens are not used to enter large amounts of
data. Instead you touch words, pictures, numbers, or locations identified
on the screen.

Touch screens often are used in kiosks located in stores, hotels, airports,
and museums. Customers at Hallmark stores, for example, can use a kiosk
to create personalized greeting cards. Some laptop computers even have a
touch screen.

3.4.7 Pen Input

Many input devices use an electronic pen instead of a keyboard or mouse

 for input. Some of these devices require you to point to onscreen objects
with the pen; others allow you to input data using drawings, handwriting,
and other symbols that are written with the pen on a surface.

3.4.8 LIGHT PEN

A light pen is a handheld input device that contains a light source or can
detect light. Some light pens require a specially designed monitor, while
others work with a standard monitor. Instead of touching the screen with
your finger to interact with the computer, you press the light pen against the
surface of the screen or point the light pen at the screen and then press
a button on the pen. Light pens are used in applications where desktop
space is limited such as in the health-care field or when a wide variety of
people use the application, such as electronic voting.

3.4.9 PEN COMPUTING

Many handheld computers also allow you to input data using an electronic
pen. The pen (also called a stylus) looks like a ballpoint pen but uses an
electronic head instead of ink. Pen computers use handwriting recognition
software that translates the letters and symbols used in handwriting into
character data that the computer can use. Although most handwriting
recognition software recognizes printed letters and can be trained to
distinguish writing styles, pen-computing technology continues to be refined.

3.4.10 GRAPHICS TABLET

A graphics tablet, also called a digitizer or digitizing tablet, consists of a

flat, rectangular, electronic plastic board used to input drawings, sketches,
or other graphical data. Each location on the graphics tablet corresponds to
a specific location on the screen. When you draw on the tablet with either
an electronic pen or a puck, the tablet detects and converts the movements
into digital signals that are sent into the computer. A puck is a device that
looks similar to a mouse, except that is has a window with cross hairs so
the user can see through to the tablet. Users with precise pointing
requirements such as mapmakers and architects use a puck.

3.5 SCANNERS AND READING DEVICES

Some devices make the input process more efficient by eliminating the manual
entry of data. Instead of a person entering data using a keyboard or pointing
device, these devices capture data from a source document, which is the original
form of the data. When using a keyboard or pointing device to enter data, the
source document might be a timecard, order blank, invoice, or any other
document that contains data to be processed.

Devices that capture data directly from source documents include optical
scanners, optical character recognition devices, optical mark recognition devices,
bar code scanners, and magnetic-ink character recognition readers. Examples of
source documents used with these devices include advertisements, brochures,
photographs, inventory tags, or checks. Each of these devices is discussed in the
following pages.

3.5.1 Optical Scanner

An optical scanner, usually simply called a scanner, is a light-sensing
input device that reads printed text and graphics and then translates the
results into a form the computer can use (Figure 3-1). A scanner is similar
to a copy machine except that it creates a file of the document instead of a
paper copy. The file that contains the scanned object then can be stored on
a disk, displayed on the screen, printed, faxed, sent via electronic mail, or
included in another document. For example, you can scan a picture and
then incorporate the picture into a brochure using a desktop publishing
program.

When a document is scanned, the results are stored in rows and columns
of dots called a bitmap. Each dot on a bitmap consists of one or more bits
of data. The more bits used to represent a dot, the more colors and shades
of gray that can be represented. For instance, one bit per dot is enough to
represent simple one-color images, but for colors and shades of gray, each
dot requires more than one bit of data. Today’s scanners range from 30 bit
to 48 bit, with the latter being a higher quality, but more expensive.

Figure 3-1 show how an optical scanner works

The density of the dots, known as the resolution, determines sharpness and
clearness of the resulting image. Resolution typically is measured in dots
per inch (dpi), and is stated as the number of columns and rows of dots.
For example, a 600 x 1200 (pronounced 600 by 1200) dpi scanner has 600
columns and 1200 rows of dots. If just one number is stated, such as 1200
 dpi, that number refers to both the number of rows and the number of
columns. The more dots, the better the resolution, and the resulting image
is of higher quality.

Some manufacturers refer to the actual scanned resolution as the optical

resolution, differentiating it from enhanced or interpolated resolution. The
enhanced resolution usually is higher because it uses a special formula to
add dots between those generated by the optical resolution.

Most of today’s affordable color desktop scanners for the home or small
business user have an optical resolution ranging from 600 to 2000 dpi.
Commercial scanners designed for power users range from 4000 to 8000
dpi.

Organizations use many types of scanners for image processing, or

imaging, which consists of capturing, storing, analyzing, displaying,
printing, and manipulating images (bitmaps). Image processing enables
organizations to convert paper documents such as reports, memos, and
procedure manuals into an electronic form. Once saved electronically, the
routing of these documents can be automated. They also can be stored and
indexed using an image processing system, which serves as an electronic
filing cabinet that provides access to exact reproductions of the original
documents. The government, for example, uses an image processing
system to store property deeds and titles to provide quick access to the
public, lawyers, and loan officers.

3.5.2 Optical Readers

An optical reader is a device that uses a light source to read characters,

marks, and codes and then converts them into digital data that can be
processed by a computer. The following sections discuss three types of
optical readers: optical character recognition, optical mark recognition,
and bar code.

ß OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION

Optical character recognition (OCR) is a technology that involves

reading typewritten, computer-printed, or handwritten characters
from-ordinary documents and translating the images into a form
that the computer can understand. Most OCR devices include a
small optical scanner for reading characters and sophisticated
software for analyzing what is read.

OCR devices range from large machines that can read thousands of
documents per minute to handheld wands that read one document
at a time. OCR devices are used to read characters printed using an
OCR font. Although others exist, the standard OCR font is called
OCR-A. During the scan of a document, an OCR device
determines the shapes of characters by detecting patterns of light
and dark. Optical character recognition (OCR) software then
compares these shapes with predefined shapes stored in memory
and converts the shapes into characters the computer can
understand.

OCR software also is used with optical scanners such as flatbed,

 sheet-fed, and pen scanners. For example, suppose you need to
modify a business report, but do not have the original word
processing file. You could use a flatbed scanner to scan the
document, but you still would not be able to edit the report. The
scanner, which does not differentiate between text and graphics,
will save the report as a bitmap image, which cannot be edited
directly in a word processing program. To convert it into an
editable text file that can be edited, you must have optical character
recognition (OCR) software that works with the scanner. The
resulting output can be stored in a variety of file formats, including
those recognized by word processing software.

Current OCR software has a very high success rate and usually can
identify more than 99 percent of scanned material. OCR software
also will mark text it could not read, allowing you to make
corrections easily.

Companies use OCR devices to increase the speed and accuracy of

data entry. OCR is very useful when a significant amount of data
must be entered into a computer and only the printed pages are
available. OCR also is used frequently for turn-around documents,
which are documents designed to be returned (turned around) to
the organization that created and sent them. For example, when
you receive a gas bill, you tear off a portion of the bill and send it
back to the gas company with your payment (Figure 3-2). The
portion of the bill you return usually has your account number,
payment amount, and other information printed in optical
characters.

Figure 3-2 OCR is used frequently with turn-around documents. With this gas
bill, you tear off the top portion and return it with your payment

ß Optical Mark Recognition (OMR)

 Optical mark recognition (OMR) devices read hand-drawn marks
such as small circles or rectangles. A person places these marks on
a form, such as test, survey, or questionnaire answer sheet (Figure
3-3). The OMR device first reads a master document, such as an

answer key sheet for a test, to record correct answers based on

patterns of light; the remaining documents then are passed through
the OMR device and patterns of light are matched against the
master document.

Figure 3-3 OMR

devices commonly are
used to scan test, survey,
or questionnaire
answer sheets.

ß Bar Code Scanners

A bar code scanner

uses leaser beams to
read bar codes (Figure 3-4). A bar code scanners is an
identification code that consists of a set of vertical lines and spaces
of different widths. The bar code, which represents some data that
identifies the item, is printed on a product’s package or on a label
that is affixed to a product so it can be read by a bar code scanner.
The bar code scanner uses light patterns form the bar code lines to
identify the item.

Figure 3-4 A bar code scanner

uses leaser beams to read bar
codes on products such as
groceries, books, and packages.
 3 - 12
Chapter 3: Input

Figure 3-5 the UPC identifies a box of General Mills Cheerios.

Bar codes are used on a variety of products such as groceries,

pharmacy supplies, vehicles, mail, and books. Each industry uses
its own type of bar code. For example, the U.S. Postal Service uses
a POSTNET bar code, while retail and grocery stores use the
Universal Product Code, or UPC (Figure 3-5). The table in Figure
3-6 summarizes some of the more widely, used types of bar codes.

Figure 3-6 some

of the more
widely used
types of bar
codes.
3.5.3 Magnetic Ink Character Recognition Reader

A magnetic-ink character recognition (MICR) reader is used to read text

printed with magnetized ink. MICR is used almost exclusively by the
banking industry for check processing. Each check in your checkbook has
precoded MICR characters on the lower-left edge; these characters
represent the bank number, your account number, and the check number.

When a check is presented for payment, the bank uses an MICR inscriber
to print the amount of the check in MICR characters in the lower-right
corner (Figure 3-7). The check then is sorted or routed to the customer’s
bank, along with thousands of others. Each check is inserted into an MICR
reader, which sends the check information - including the amount of the
check - to a computer for processing. When you balance your checkbook,
you should verify that the amount printed in the lower-right corner is the
same as the amount written on the check; otherwise, your statement will
not balance.

Figure 3-4 The MICR characters printed on the check represent the bank number,
your account number, and the check number. The amount of the check
in the lower-right corer is added after you write the check.

The banking industry has established an international standard not only for
bank numbers, but also for the font of the MICR characters. This
standardization makes it possible for you to write checks in another
country

3.5.4 Data Collection Devices

Instead of reading or scanning data from a source document, data

collection devices are designed and used to obtain data directly at the
location where the transaction or event takes place. Data collection
devices are used in factories, warehouses, or other locations where heat,
humidity, and cleanliness are difficult to control. An example of this type
of environment is a researcher who must be outside in the elements when
collecting the data (points, lines, and area features) for a geographic
 information system (GIS). The data collection devices used to gather data for
a GIS thus are rugged and durable, allowing researchers to create
maps, analyze and interpret data for the maps, and capture images from
the air or the ground.

3.6 DIGITAL CAMERAS

A digital camera allows you to take pictures and store the photographed images
digitally instead of on traditional film. With some digital cameras, you download,
or transfer a copy of, the stored pictures to your computer by connecting a cable
between the digital camera and your computer and using special software
included with the camera. With other digital cameras, the pictures are stored
directly on storage media such as a floppy disk, PC Card, or flash card. You then
copy the pictures to your computer by inserting the floppy disk into a disk drive
or the card into a card slot or reader. Once the pictures are on your computer, they
can be edited with photo-editing software, printed, faxed, sent via electronic mail,
included in another document, or posted to a Web site for everyone to see. Instead of
copying the images to your computer, many of today’s digital cameras allow you to
review and edit the images directly in the camera, as well as connect the camera to a
television or printer.

The three basic types of digital cameras are studio cameras, field cameras, and point-and-
shoot cameras. The most expensive and highest quality of the three, a studio camera is a
stationary camera used for professional studio work. Often used by photojournalists, a
field camera is a portable camera that has many lenses and other attachments; like the
studio camera, a field camera can be quite expensive. A point-and-shoot camera is more
affordable and lightweight and provides acceptable quality photographic images for the
home or small business user. These cameras often include features such as flash, zoom,
automatic focus, and special effects. You can use a point-and-shoot camera to add
pictures to personalized greeting cards, a computerized photo album, a family newsletter,
certificates, awards, or your own Web site. The point-and-shoot camera also is ideal for
mobile users such as real estate agents, insurance agents, and general contractors.

As with a scanner, the quality of a digital camera is measured by the number of

bits it stores in a dot and the number of dots per inch, or resolution. The higher
each number, the better quality, but the more expensive the camera. Most of
today’s point-and-shoot digital cameras are at least 24-bit with a resolution
ranging from 640 x 480 to 1280 x 960.

3.7 AUDIO AND VIDEO INPUT

Although characters (text and numbers) are still the primary form of input into a
computer, the use of other types of input such as images, audio, and video is
increasing. In the previous sections, you learned about a variety of ways to enter
image data. The next sections discuss methods used to enter audio and video data
into a computer.

3.7.1 Audio Input

Audio input is the process of entering (recording) music, speech, or sound

effects. To record high quality sound, your personal computer must have a

sound card. (Most new computers today come equipped with a sound
card.) Sound is entered via a device such as a microphone, tape player, or
 audio CD player, each of which plugs into a port on the sound card.
External MIDI devices such as an electric piano keyboard also can
connect to the sound card for audio input.

Recall that, in addition to being a port, MIDI (musical instrument digital

interface) is the electronic music industry’s standard that defines how
sounds are represented electronically by digital musical devices. Software
programs that conform to the MIDI standard allow you to compose and
edit music and other sounds. For example, you can change the speed, add
notes, or rearrange the score to produce an entirely new sound.

With a microphone plugged into the microphone port on the sound card,
you can record sound using the Windows Sound Recorder. Windows
stores audio files as waveforms, which are called WAY files and have a
.wav extension. Once you save the sound in a file, you can play it using
the Sound Recorder, or edit it using music-editing software that conforms
to the MIDI standard. You also can attach the audio file to an e-mail
message or include it in a document such as a word processing report or
presentation graphics slide show.

WAV files often are large - requiring more than 1 MB of storage space for
a single minute of audio. For this reason, WAV files often are compressed
so they take up less storage space.

3.7.2 Speech Recognition

Another use for a microphone is speech recognition. Speech recognition,

also called voice recognition, is the computer’s capability of
distinguishing spoken words. Speech recognition programs do not
understand speech; they only recognize a vocabulary of certain words. The
vocabulary of speech recognition programs can range from two words
(such as Yes and No) to more than sixty thousand words.

Speech recognition programs are either speaker dependent or speaker

independent. With speaker-dependent software, the computer makes a
profile of your voice, which means you have to train the computer to
recognize your voice. To train the computer, you must speak each of the
words in the vocabulary into the computer repeatedly. After hearing the
spoken word repeatedly, the program develops and stores a digital pattern for
the word. When you later speak a word, the program compares the spoken
word to those stored. Speaker-independent software has a built-in
set of word patterns, so you do not have to train a computer to recognize
your voice.

Some speech recognition software requires discrete speech, which means

you have to speak slowly and separate each word with a short pause.
Higher-quality speech recognition software allows you to speak in a
flowing conversational tone, called continuous speech. Several
continuous-speech systems are available for personal computers, and
advances in speech recognition continue to be made.

Speech recognition systems often are used in specialized applications in

which a user’s hands are occupied or disabled, or by users such as
reporters and attorneys. Instead of typing or using a pointing device, the
user speaks into a microphone to dictate words, issue commands, or
perform other tasks.
 3.7.3 Video Input

Video input or video capture is the process of entering a full-motion

recording into a computer and storing the video on a hard disk or some
other medium. To capture video, you plug a video camera, VCR, or other
video device into a video capture card, which is an expansion card that
converts the analog video signal into a digital signal that a computer can
understand. (Most new computers are not equipped with a video capture
card.) Once the video device is connected to the video capture card, you
can begin recording. After you save the video on a hard disk, you can play
it or edit it using video-editing software.

Just as with audio files, video files can require tremendous amounts of
storage space. A three-minute segment, or clip, of high-quality video, for
example, can take an entire gigabyte of storage (equal to approximately 50
million pages of text). To decrease the size of the files, video often is
compressed. A popular video compression standard is defined by the
Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). DVD-ROMs use the MPEG
standard to compress video data.

If you do not want to save an entire video clip on your computer, you can use
a video digitizer to capture an individual frame from a video and then save
the still picture in a file. To do this, you plug the recording device such as
a video camera, VCR, or television into the video digitizer, which then usually
connects to a parallel port on the system unit. As you watch the video using
special software, you can stop it and capture any single frame. The resulting files
are similar to those generated with a digital camera.

3.7.4 Videoconferencing

A videoconference is a meeting between two or more geographically

separated individuals who use a network or the Internet to transmit audio
and video data. To participate in a videoconference, you must have a
microphone, speakers, and a video camera mounted on your computer. As
you speak, members of the meeting hear your voice on their speakers. Any
image in front of the video camera, such as a person’s face, displays in a
window on each participant’s screen.

Another window on the screen that displays notes and drawings

simultaneously on all the participants’ screens, called a whiteboard,
provides multiple users with an area on which they can write or draw. As
the costs of videoconferencing hardware and software continue to
decrease, more people and companies are taking advantage of this cost-

effective way to conduct business meetings, corporate training, and

educational classes.

Many home computers now also include a video camera as standard

equipment. These cameras, often called PC cameras or Webcams, allow
the home user to see people at the same time they communicate on the
Internet.

3.8 INPUT DEVICES FOR PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED USERS

The growing presence of computers in everyone’s lives has generated an
awareness of the need to address computing requirements for those with physical
limitations.

Today, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that any company
with 15 or more employees make reasonable attempts to accommodate the needs
of physically challenged workers. Whether at work or at home, you may find it
necessary to obtain input devices that address physical limitations. Besides speech
recognition, which is ideal for blind or visually impaired users, several other input
devices are available.

Users with limited hand mobility that wish to use a keyboard have several
options. A keyguard, which is placed over the keyboard, allows you to rest your
hand on the keyboard without accidentally pressing any keys; a keyguard also
guides your finger or pointing device so you press only one key at a time.

Keyboards with larger keys also are available. Still another option is the screen-
displayed keyboard, in which a graphic of a standard keyboard displays on the
user’s screen. Using a pointing device, the individual presses the keys on the
screen-displayed keyboard.

Various pointing devices are available for users with motor disabilities. Small
trackballs that can be controlled with a thumb or one finger can be attached to a
table, mounted to a wheelchair, or held in a user’s hand. People with limited hand
movement can use a head-mounted pointer to control the pointer or insertion
point. To simulate the functions of a mouse button, you use a single-switch
scanning display. The switch might be a pad you press with your hand, a foot
pedal, a receptor that detects facial motions, or a pneumatic instrument controlled
by puffs of air.

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