Input device

An input device is any hardware device that sends data to a computer, allowing you to interact with and control it. The picture shows a Logitech trackball mouse, an example of an input device.

The keyboard and mouse are a computer's most commonly used or primary input devices. However, other devices also input data into a computer.

Types of input devices

• Audio conversion device
• Barcode reader
• Biometrics (e.g., fingerprint scanner).
• Business card reader
• Data collection device
• Digital camera and digital camcorder.
• EEG (electroencephalography)
• Finger (with touch screen or Windows Touch).
• Gamepad, balance board, dance pad, joystick, paddle, steering wheel, pedals, and Microsoft Kinect.
• Gesture recognition
• Graphics tablet
• Keyboard
• Light gun
• Light pen
• Magnetic ink (like the ink found on checks).
• Magnetic stripe reader
• Medical imaging devices (e.g., X-ray, CAT scan, and ultrasound images).
• Microphone (using voice speech recognition or biometric verification).
• MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) keyboard, guitar, or other musical instrument connected to the computer.
• MICR (magnetic ink character recognition)
• Motion-sensing mouse or game controller
• Mouse, touchpad, or other pointing devices.
• OMR (optical mark reading)*
• Paddle
• Pen or stylus
• Punch card reader
• Remote
• RFID (radio frequency identification) reader
• Scanner
• Sensors (e.g., heat and orientation sensors).
• Sonar imaging devices
• Stylus (with touch screen).
• Touch-sensitive pad (like pad on early iPod)
• Touch screen
• Voice (using voice speech recognition or biometric verification).
• Video capture device
• Virtual device
• VR (virtual reality) helmet and gloves
• Webcam
• Yoke

What are the input devices of my computer?

Every computer has a keyboard and a mouse (touchpad with laptop), considered input devices. As far as other input devices, it depends on what was included with your computer and what's connected. The best method of determining your computer's input devices is to go through the above list with the types of input devices.

What does an input device send to a computer?

What an input device sends (inputs) to a computer depends on the device. Additionally, all input devices send data from the device over a cable or wireless transmission to the computer. For example, as you move a computer mouse, the data sent to the computer is the X-Y axis movements used to display the mouse cursor on the screen. You can see a live example of this on our x-axis definition.

Why does a computer need an input device?

Today, input devices are important because they let you interact with and add new information to a computer. For example, if a computer had no input devices, it could run by itself, but there would be no way to change its settings, fix errors, or other various user interactions. Also, if you wanted to add new information to the computer (e.g., text, command, document, picture, etc.), you wouldn't be able to do so without an input device.

Input devices for physically challenged users

In addition to the list mentioned above, other specially designed input devices are designed for the physically challenged. Below are examples of these devices.

• Eye-tracking - A specialized camera to track a user's eye to perform actions or move a mouse pointer.
• Foot mouse - Mouse pointer controlled using pedals with your feet.
• Gesture recognition - Specialized device to detect different gestures, including facial expressions, reading lips, and sign language.
• Head-mounted pointer - A pointer can be mounted to a hat or band to track and control the mouse pointer.
• Joystick - A joystick next to the computer or on a wheelchair to control a mouse pointer. In addition to your hand, a joystick can be operated using your arm, chin, foot, lips, or tongue.
• Voice recognition - Using your voice to control computer functions and typing.

Hardware terms, HID, Input, Input/output device, Keyboard terms, Mouse terms, Output device, Pointing device