Collecting
 What
are some Tools for Information
Processes?
 Collecting
is the information process that
involves deciding what to collect, locating it
and collecting it. A range of hardware
devices are used to collect different types of
data. Software is used to direct the hardware
collecting device. Non-computer tools are
used to collect data particular sources.
 Hardware

There are many types of hardware collecting
devices used for different types of data. The
devices that are used specifically to enter data
into a computer system are referred to as input
devices.

An Input device should be convenient to use,
reliable and allow data to be entered accurately.
The data may be in a number of forms, including
text, numbers, images, audio, and video.
 Pointing



devices-
Mouse – is a small hand-held input device that is
moved over a flat surface to control the
movement of a pointer.
Trackball – is a pointing device that is similar to a
mouse except that the ball is on the top of the
device instead of the bottom.
Pointing Stick – is a small device also known as
trackpoint is shaped like a pencil eraser. It moves
the pointer by sensing the direction and amount
of pressure applied to the device.
 Mouse
 Trackball
 Pointing-Stick




Touchpad – is a flat rectangular surface that
senses the movement of a finger.
Graphics Tablet – is an input device that consists
of a special electronic pad and pen called a
stylus.
Joystick – is a pointing device consisting of a
small base unit with a rod that can be tilted in
all direction to move the pointer on the screen
Light Pen – is a pointing device consisting of a
small rod that looks like a pen. The tip of the
pen has a light detector that senses the intensity
of the light in a screen and emit signals to that
the computer can calculate its position.
 Touchpad
 Graphics
 Joystick
 Light
Pen
Tablet

Touch Screen – allows data to be entered directly
by detecting the touch of your finger.

Pen Input – is a device that is becoming
increasingly popular. When the pen touches the
screen, the computer determines the coordinates
of the contact point and darkens that area. Pen
input are mostly used in the personal digital
assistants (PDAs).
 Touch
 Pen
Screen
Input

Hand-held Scanners – are used for entering text
and images that are less than a page wide.

Flatbed Scanners – looks similar to a small
photocopier with the document remaining flat
and stationary during the scanning.

Overhead Scanner – looks like an overhead
projector. Documents are placed face up on the
scanning bed and a small overhead tower moves
across the page.
 Hand-held
 Flatbed
Scanner
Scanner
 Overhead
Scanner
 Digital
Cameras – are input devices that
capture and store images in digital form
rather than on film.
 Video
Camera – is used to create a video clip
in either analog or digital form. This type of
video camera captures videos and sound and
exports them onto a videotape.

Digital Video Camera – is an input device that
captures video in a compressed digital format
such as MPEG. These video files are transferred
directly to a computer.

Microphones are input devices that capture
sound. Sound travels through the air in waves
which is analog data.

Keyboards are input devices consisting of series
of keys in a standard layout. It allows the entry
of text, numbers, instructions and commands.

The Keyboard is divided into four major areas:




Alphanumeric Keys – Letters and numbers
Cursor Control keys – Arrow keys, Page down, Home etc..
Special Keys – Enter, Return tab, Space, Caps Lock etc..
Function Keys – F1, F2, F3, ....F12
 Optical
Recognition Devices – use a light
source to read characters and barcodes.
They convert these characters into digital
data.


Optical Character Recognition (OCR) devices are
scanners that read typed text and in some cases,
handwritten text.
Barcode Reader – are used extensively in retail
industries to input product identification at point
of sale.
 Optical
Character Recognition (OCR)
 Barcode
Reader