We have already seen on other occasions what a peripheral is. This time we will go deeper into one of the types we find: peripherals or input devices of a computer .
These, which make it easier for a team to have information from outside , are increasingly numerous and sophisticated and, no doubt, have served to facilitate, very conveniently, interaction with computers , making its use much simpler, comfortable and efficient.
In these lines that you will see below we detail what they are, what these devices are for and we classify them to you , giving you many examples to understand how each one works with respect to the user and also with respect to the equipment to which they connect and send the information.
What are and what are the input peripherals of a computer and What functions do they have?
A peripheral is defined in computing as an additional device, that is not considered essential. However, it is clear that, with the way we interact with the equipment, we can say that some are necessary, extensions of the main system. Can you imagine using a computer without a keyboard or without a monitor? How would we give orders and see what we are doing?
Definition
An input peripheral in a device that connects to a device and is capable , with it, and using different detection techniques, to transfer different data, taken from outside and in relation to the user, the team in question .
Thus, any element that we plug into a computer (or other device) and used to enter data into it would be an input peripheral. After that, the team processes that information in different ways , always depending on the software we use for it, which depends, in turn, on the type of information we are entering.
Thus, we have to be a way of communicating the equipment with the external medium , being essential so that the internal hardware knows what the user wants. It allows, therefore, a unidirectional communication.
Functions
- The function we have already seen, capture all kinds of information from an external medium . However, this information is very diverse, as are the different ways in which it is captured and processed. Thus, we have that the capture function is carried out in different ways, including the reading of keys or buttons, pinches, gestures, phonemes, recognition …
- On the other hand, we have to not only data is collected. These are also digitized ; that is, they are transformed from their form of origin to one that can be, later, read, interpreted and used by the computer or the equipment it reaches.
- Finally, and continuing in the same process, we have that these peripherals, after capturing and digitizing data, are also responsible for sending them and arriving at the corresponding system .
That is, although we talk about something that is done in a thousandth of a second, the device fulfills three different functions, although these are part of a process with a single purpose.
Types and examples of input peripherals of a computer
We can create a categorization to encompass the many input peripherals that exist . Thus, we would have keyboards, pointing devices, composites, sound input, image and video input and great freedom.
Keyboards
These devices include keys that allow you to scan spelling such as letters, symbols and numbers . In addition, other command keys are also included that allow orders to be given in relation to the configuration of the equipment and other functions such as working brightness, volume, forward and backward, etc.
These may differ in several aspects such as the mode of marking the keys, the flexibility of the device itself, its connectivity, especially for video game players …
Basic keyboard
Includes the keys that are considered basic today , being those of letters, numbers and certain symbols as well as those of basic functions for efficient use in a computer (Start, Caps lock, direction arrows, Escape…).
Extended keyboard
In addition to the 104 basic keys, different ones that are variable have been included and that serve functions not so related to writing, for example, buttons for passing songs, activating Airplane Mode, keys Macros for video games, Play / Pause…).
Keyboard with touchpad
It would be considered a freedom peripheral by combining two peripherals of different use such as the keyboard and the pointer .
Pointing Devices
These devices are used to point or point , just as the name implies. This allows us to specify precisely the position we want to mark.
These are divided into:
- Direct relationship . We have an exact match between the exhibition space and the entrance space . This means that the device works in a space identical to that of the computer.
- Indirect relationship . The workspace is not the same as the exhibition .
Compounds
They are the ones that combine what could be various peripheral input devices , including levers, buttons and more. They seek to perform different functions within the same procedure .
Sound input
They are responsible for capturing the ambient sound to make it reach the computer and digitize it . This sound can be recorded momentarily to make the transit or be saved as a file, which could be executed later.
Image and video input
Identical to the previous ones in operation, with the exception of capturing, in this case, video and / or images .
Great freedom
They are those that make other information enter the computer and, in turn, we also talk about high-freedom input peripherals to those who include a single device input functions that are diverse and would not normally correspond to the same type or when modifications and improvements are included.
Biometrics
They work by analyzing biological parameters to identify people. Once we have seen a way to classify them, we will end by giving you several examples of each of the types we have just seen.
Mouse
The mouse is the quintessential example of an indirect pointing peripheral. This connects to the computer and we can see in this the path that we are doing when moving the device . With it, we point to the points we want to select , either to open them, drag them or simply leave the pointer over.
Stylus
It is another pointing element that acts as a mouse, but working on touch screens . Its tip with driver causes the electric charge of our finger to be emulated at the same time that we do not leave on the screen residue of the natural oil of our hands.
Pistol
The operation is similar to that of the mouse , so it is an indirect pointing peripheral. The touch point may remain visible (usually with a point or with a peephole) or appear only when the trigger is pulled.
Touch screen
This is a direct pointing peripheral. The touch screen reflects the entire logical set of the equipment, so when we point in one of its parts we repeat the exact movement over the identical logical part.
Joystick
This is a video game controller . Due to its characteristics, the most conventional would fall into the category of composite peripheral, since include both pushbuttons and levers that work for the same purpose .
Gamepad
If we go one step further we have the gamepads, which are real wonders provided with all kinds of elements that determine different functions , from the classic 4-way movement to the choice of macros. In this case, due to the versatility of the activities carried out, we would be faced with a high-freedom device.
Paddle
It is a very rudimentary command (and still considered compound) that includes a wheel to emulate movement from side to side and buttons to perform action and / or selection.
Flyer
The flyer that is used to improve the experience in racing video games that we run on the computer. Despite having several functionalities, is considered composed and not of high freedom because it is all of its common objective functions , driving. Case to side would be those that include other commands, then happening, yes, to be free.
Wii Remote
If you have seen the Wii remote you will know that it includes everything , including a memory chip; In fact, it is the console’s only controller. Of course, this would be an element of high freedom. It is not a computer peripheral but it is worth mentioning so that you clearly understand how it works and what we mean when talking about this type.
MIDI
There are MIDIs (also called instruments that include the Musical Instrument Digital Interface ) that do not require connection to a computer as we know it today. However, others do, connect to the computer to be used, sending, with our actions, music information on multiple channels .
Microphone
It is a device capable of capturing our voice and the rest of the elements of the medium (being, therefore, sound input) and sending them to the equipment once these waves have been digitized. Once in the equipment, it is possible to keep a copy or not of the captured, although this is no longer committed by the peripheral.
Voice recognition
This acts, obviously, also using a microphone. What is achieved is that the linked assistant recognizes the words we say , so that we can do a lot of things, including some that we would do with other peripherals such as searching, opening folders … etc.
This is, in this case, an input element because it collects information from the outside like a microphone, although, physically, it does not exist as such; It would be software that requires hardware to work.
Webcam
Cameras or webcams are devices that collect information on video (usually they also take snapshots) to digitize it and broadcast it at the moment or, using some software , to store this information as a video (or image).
Footprint sensor
Although usually used in other devices, the truth is that there are also some computers that include a fingerprint sensor on their touch screen. This works by memorizing your digital brand and comparing it with the one you enter every time you want to access the device or any of its functions that are locked with this security system. It is, therefore, a biometric peripheral.
Gesture recognition devices h3>
They are essentially used for games but they are also beginning to occur in other scenarios. They are biometric devices that analyze the gestures we perform and, if they coincide with those stored in a database, the function with which they are related is carried out.