Fundamentals of Computer > Input Devices > Definition

Definition of an Input Device

An input device is a peripheral device which is used to enter data and instructions into a computer for processing.

• It provides a means to interact users with the computer.
• The most commonly used input devices on a computer are the keyboard and mouse. However, there are dozens of other devices that can also be used to input data into the computer.

Example of Some Input Devices:

Keyboard, Mouse, Trackball, Trackpad, Joystick, Microphone, Web Camera, Punch Card, Scanner, Optical Mark Reader (OMR), Barcode Reader etc.

Functions of an Input Device

Following functions are performed by an input device

• An input device accepts data and instructions in human understandable format form the outside world.
• It converts these data and instructions into a computer acceptable form.
• It supplies the converted instructions and data to the memory unit of the computer or register unit of the CPU for further processing.

Categories of Input Devices

There are a variety of input devices which are used by computers. Some of them are general purpose and others are for special purpose.

• General purpose input devices may be used by any computer. This includes keyboard.
• Special purpose input devices includes scanners, OMR (optical mark reader), barcode reader etc.

Various categories of input devices are:

Category	Example(s)
Direct-Entry	Keyboard
Pointing	Mouse, Trackball, Trackpad, Joystick, Light Pen etc.
Scanning (or Imaging)	OMR (Optical Mark Reader), OCR (Optical Character Recognition), Bar Code Reader etc.
Audio	Microphone
Video	Web camera

 

No More

Next

Standard Keyboard

Feedback

Submit