Peripherals: Input, Output, Storage, Accessibility, and Data Processing

Input Devices

  • Devices that provide data to the computer.
  • Examples: camera, webcam, scanner, microphone, graphics tablet, MIDI keyboard, trackball, game controller, mouse, keyboard.

Output Devices

  • Devices that output information to the user.
  • Examples: printer, projector, monitor, headphones, speakers, haptic feedback game controller, braille simulator.

Input/Output Devices

  • Devices that function as both input and output.
  • Examples: touch screens, whiteboards.

Storage Devices

  • Key characteristics:
    • Capacity: Measured in gigabytes, megabytes, or terabytes.
    • Speed: Data transfer rate.
    • Cost.
    • Durability.
    • Reliability.
    • Portability.

Types of Storage Devices

Magnetic Hard Disk Drives (HDDs)
  • Features a read/write head and one or more platters.
  • Advantages: Very large capacities.
  • Disadvantages: Less portable, susceptible to damage due to moving parts and potential head crashes.
Solid State Disks (SSDs)
  • Use memory chips and have no moving parts.
  • Advantages: Faster, more durable, more reliable, and more portable than HDDs.
  • Disadvantages: More expensive per gigabyte than HDDs.
Solid State Media
  • Includes memory cards (micro SD), USB removable storage (memory sticks), and internal storage in phones and tablets.
  • Cameras require certain specs of SD cards to write data quickly enough.
Optical Media
  • Examples: Blu-ray, DVD, CD-ROM. Data is read by a laser following spiral tracks.
  • Capacities: CDs (700MB), DVDs (5GB), Blu-rays (25-50GB).
  • Advantages: Removable, cheap to produce.
  • Disadvantages: Fragile, can be scratched, susceptible to organic damage, not ideal for archiving.
  • Track length (if uncoiled): CD (5 km), Blu-ray (27 km).
Magnetic Tape
  • Sequential access, suitable for backup.
  • Advantages: Cheap, reliable, portable.
  • Disadvantages: can only be accessed from one end to the other.

Accessibility Devices

  • Devices that allow technology to be used by people with disabilities.
  • Examples: ergonomic keyboards, speech recognition software, Braille printers, text-to-speech software, screen magnifiers, customizable mouse cursors, narrator, color filters.

Data Processing

Manual Data Processing

  • Data is entered manually.
  • Disadvantages: Tedious, slow, error-prone.

Automated Data Processing

  • Computers take over the data processing role.
  • Examples: ANPR, smart meters, earthquake recording, race timing, weather stations.
  • Advantages: Removes human error.