Lecture 10 : Input Units (Keyboard and Mouse)

Lecture 10 : Input Units (Keyboard and Mouse)
In computing, an input device is a peripheral (piece of computer hardware equipment) used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system such as a computer or other information appliance. Examples of input devices include keyboards, mouse, scanners, digital cameras and joysticks.
Any machine that feeds data into a computer. For example, a keyboard is an input device, whereas a display monitor is an output device. Input devices other than the keyboard are sometimes called alternate input devices. Mice, trackballs, and light pens are all alternate input devices.
To interact with your computer, you need input devices. The most common are a keyboard and a mouse, but there are other devices for more specialized tasks. Learn about these devices and how they re becoming integrated into single computer systems.
Input Device Defined
An input device for a computer allows you to enter information. The most fundamental pieces of information are keystrokes on a keyboard and clicks with a mouse. These two input devices are essential for you to interact with your computer. Many other input devices exist for entering other types of information, such as images, audio and video. Input devices represent one type of computer peripheral - the other two types are output devices and storage devices.
Examples of Input Devices
A keyboard is the most fundamental input device for any computer system. In the early days of computing, it was typically the only input device. A keyboard contains keys for letters and numbers as well as for specialized tasks, such as Enter, Delete, etc.