Chapter 2

Input & Output devices

 Keyboards
 input device on computers, tablets, mobile phones and many other electronic items
 Usb or wireless connection
 Physical or touchscreen virtual keyboard
 When the character on the keyboard is pressed, it is converted into a digital signal
 Frequent use can lead to repetitive strain injury (RSI) in the hands and wrists.
 Use ergonomic keyboard to overcome RSI
Ergonomic keyboard
 How keyboard works
 There is a membrane or circuit board at the base of the keys.
 The CPU in the computer can then determine which key has been pressed.
 The CPU refers to an index file to identify which character the key press represents.
 Keyboard
Uses Advantages Disadvantages
• Input data into software • Fast entry • Difficult for people with limited
• Typing commands (Prnt Scrn, • Easy to use hand use
Ctrl+P to print out) • Easier to do verification checks • Slower than optical mark
(compare wih source docs, recognition (direct data entry)
typewriters don’t) • Takes space
 Numeric keypads
Uses Advantages Disadvantages
• ATM (PIN No) • Faster than standard keyboards • Small keys - difficult to key in
• Phone calls for numbers • The order of numbers – not
• POS terminals (Barcode) • Small, easy to carry around intuitive
• Chip and PIN devices
• Fast entry of numeric to
spreadsheet

Used to enter numbers only

 Mouse
 a pointing device
 Optical mouse – movement detected by reflected light rather than moving ball
 Cordless or wireless mouse – transmits signals to USB wireless receiver plugged into computer
 Modern optical mouse has no moving parts so does not pick up any dirt and robust

Uses
• Open, close, minimize software
• Grouping, moving, deleting files
• Image editing
• Select menu, icon, scroll
up/down
Mouse
Advantages Disadvantages
• Faster to choose an option than • Difficult for people with
keyboard restricted hand than keyboard
• Quick to navigate apps and • Easy to damage, older type can
internet be clogged up with dirt (bc of
• Take smaller space than tracking ball at bottom)
keyboard • Difficult to use without flat
surface
 Touchpad
 a pointing device in laptop
 controlled by the user moving their finger on the touchpad

Uses Advantages Disadvantages

Same as mouse • Faster than keyboard to choose • Difficult for people with limited
options hand/wrist
• Integrated in laptop so portable and • More difficult to control than mouse
no need flat surface • More difficult to use for certain
operations (Eg. Drag and drop)
 Trackerball

• a ball is on the top or the side of the device

• Control the pointer movement by rotating the ball
• Easier to use for people with limited hand/wrist
• Some have left and right buttons
• Some have third button for double click
 Trackerball
Uses Advantages Disadvantages
• User with disability (RSI) • Easier to use than a mouse • More costly
• Used in control room where for disabled • May need training to use
faster navigation through • More accurate positioning of
process screen the pointer
• Used in luxury cars to select • More robust
functions • Needs less space than
keyboard or mouse
 2.1.3 Remote control
 Control operation of other devices
 Use infrared signal to control
 Used to select options

Uses Advantages Disadvantages

• Tv, satellite systems, dvd, hi-
fi (sound system)
• Control multimedia systems
• Industrial applications to
control processes, stop, start
machinery (drone, remote
controlled robots, crane
control)
• Can be operated from distance • Difficult to use for limited
(no cable, no cord) hand/wrist movement
• Hazardous chemical • Signal may be lost because of
operations can be done from thick block (wall)
distance
 2.1.4 Joysticks
 Similar functions to mouse and trackerball

Uses Advantages Disadvantages

• Video/computer games • Easier than keyboard • More difficult to control the
• Flight simulators • More realistic than mouse on-screen pointer than a
mouse
 Driving wheel
 Similar to joystick
 Connect through USB
 Realistic experience of driving with sensors which pick up left/right movement so that the user
gets the sensation of steering a car on the road

Uses Advantages Disadvantages

• Video/computer games • Easier than keyboard or • Expensive

• Car driving simulators joystick (more natural) • Too sensitive
• Realistic as in real life
 2.1.5 Touch screens

 The selection is automatically made without the need for any pointing device

Uses Advantages Disadvantages

• Self service tills
• ATMs
• POS Terminals
• Public info systems at airport
• Phone, tablets, satellite
systems
• Interactive white boards
• Computer based training
• Used also as output device
• Faster entry than keyboard and • Limited options
mouse • Straining of arm muscles, RSI
• Easy method to choose options • Screen got dirty by touching a
• User friendly lot and reduce it’s
• Zoom in screen responsiveness and difficult to
read with scratches
 2.1.6 Scanners
 Copy data from hard copy to soft copy (image)
 Flatbed scanner – made of glass panel and lid
 Hard copy (Document, Photo)  Scanned by a light source  Soft copy
(computer readable image)

Uses
• Scan documents and convert
into digital format
• Archiving (copy original
books, papers in case loss)
• Scan photos (film photos)
• Scan barcode at POS
Scanners
Advantages Disadvantages
• Images can be stored for • Limited quality depending on
editing later resolution of scanner
• Faster and accurate than • Fairly slow at scanning if color
typing again mode is on or resolution high
• Recover damaged docs and
photos by scanning, then edit
with software
 2.1.7 Digital cameras
 Replaced traditional film camera
 Store images on memory card (solid state memory)
 Transfer photo to computer by:
 reading the memory card (computer has a memory card reader slot)
 connecting the camera to the computer using a USB port
 wireless data transfer (Wi-Fi or Bluetooth)
 Images can be used in slideshow, print out as photos or import into photoshop to edit
 Digital cameras
Uses
• Take photos (better than phone
camera)
• data-capture device (in car,
back camera can see the
surrounding)
• Dentists use camera to take
photos of patient’s teeth
• Virtual reality tour around
houses, historical buildings,
industrial plants
Advantages
• Easier than traditional camera
• Easier to transfer to computer
than traditional methods (no
need scanning)
• No need to print (save money,
save environment)
• Memory card can hold several
photos
Disadvantages
• Need to understand computer
basics to transfer, edit photos
• Artistry lost due to software
auto correct features
• Low resolution
• Image need to be compressed
to save storage
• Smart phones camera are
replacing
 2.1.8 Microphones

 Input sounds
 Built into the computer or external USB mic
 Sound wave  electric current (analogue)  digital signal
 Sound card converts these signals (analogue to digital converter)

Uses
• Input speech/sounds for apps
such as music, film
• Input in voice-recognition
software (1. speech to text, 2.
voice commands)
• Mic as a sensor to detect sound
(to alarm thief)
• Video conferencing
Microphones
Advantages Disadvantages
• Faster to input text than using • Sound files use up a lot of
keyboard memory
• Possible to edit sound in real time • Voice recognition software is not
with voice effects as accurate as typing (‘their’ and
• Voice-activation system – safety ‘there’ can be mistaken)
for car drivers since they can
control with voice while driving
 2.1.9 Sensors
 Analogue sensors
 Input data to a computer
 Data is a measurement of physical quantity that is changing (temperature, light, moisture)
 These physical quantities are analogue in nature
 Because computers only understand digital data (1s and 0s), analogue data from sensor is
converted to digital using ADC (Analogue to Digital Converter)
 Used in monitoring and control applications
 When monitoring, data is transferred to a spreadsheet, for example, to record air pollution in
scientific experiment
Sensors
Uses of sensors
 Sensors

Advantages Disadvantages
• More accurate readings than human operators • Faulty sensors  false results
• Readings are continuous • Analogue sensors need to be
• Because of continuous process, warning will be started converted into digital
immediately
• Automatic systems (safe for human in hazardous
environment)
Burglar alarm system

https://
www.youtube.com/
watch?
v=YT26qg5YkZk
Automatic glass house
 2.1.12 Light pens
- Have sensors that signals to a computer when light changes are detected
- Only work with CRT monitors
- Because CRT monitor screen refresh at 50 times per sec, the computer can determine the pen’s position by noting
exactly when the device detected the electron beam passing its tip

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu-Hoj4EIjU
 Light Pens
Uses Advantages Disadvantages

• Select objects on CRT screen • Greater accuracy than touch • Lag while drawing
• Drawing screens • Only work with CRT monitors
• Small (less space needed) • Not that accurate when drawing
• Easy to use tech • Out-dated tech
 Direct data entry (DDE) devices
 Input data into a computer without the need of human interaction
 For example, barcode readers are DDE and the only human involvement is to point a reader at
the barcode.
 The transfer of the data to the computer is done automatically.
 Magnetic stripe readers
 Credit/Debit card has magnetic stripe
 Reader read information from the magnetic stripe
 Information contain account number, sort code, expiry date and start date

Uses
• Credit/debit cards to use at
ATMs or POS terminals
• Security devices for
building, room access
Magnetic stripe readers
Advantages
• Fast data entry than keyboard, keypad
• Error free (since no typing)
• Secure (non-human readable info and
since no typing, no one can observe key
strokes)
• Prevents access to restricted areas
• Not affected by oil, water, moisture
• No moving parts – physically robust
Disadvantages
• If magnetic stripe gets damaged,
data is lost (strong magnetic field
can damage the card)
• Doesn’t work at a distance
• Since information is not human
readable, disadvantage in some
apps
 Contactless card readers
 Contactless debit/credit cards can pay without entering PIN
 Cards have a small chip that emits radio waves
 Card is placed a few cm of payment terminal which picks up the signal from
chip
 Transaction steps:
1. Customers look out for the contactless symbol on the payment terminal.
2. The shop assistant enters the amount for payment.
3. The card reader informs the customer to present their contactless card.
4. The customer holds their card close to the front of the card reader.
5. The terminal display will indicate that the card has been read successfully.
 Contactless card readers

Advantages Disadvantages
• Faster transaction than magnetic stripe • More expensive than normal credit/debit cards
• Secure - 128 bit encryption to protect data • A thief with another reader could steal your card
• No typo error since no PIN needed transaction
• Retailers don’t have access to customer’s card info • Can take money twice – one for contactless, one for
• Card only transmit the encrypted unique number for chip and pin
each transaction, not customer’s account number • Limited to $50 per transaction
• Accidental tap
 Chip and PIN readers
 Use at EFTPOS terminals
 Card is inserted into slot of the card reader and PIN need to be entered to access the card.
 Similar to contactless except need PIN and does not use radio frequency technology
 Chip and PIN readers
Uses Advantages Disadvantages

• Payments at restaurants, • More secure than contactless due • Fraud – ensure no one is looking
supermarkets, etc to PIN is needed while you are typing PIN
• More robust than magnetic stripe
 2.2.2 Radio frequency identification (RFID) readers
 RFID reader use radio waves to read and capture information stored on a tag
 A tag exists inside a card
 A tag can be read from several meters distance
 RFID tag has a microchip and an antenna
 Microchip stores information
 Antenna receive and transmit data/information
 Tags can be passive or battery powered
 Passive tags use reader’s radio wave energy
 Battery powered tags use small embedded batter power

Uses
• Livestock tracking (tracking
animals on a farm)
• Retail (stock tracking, multiple
stocks can be read at the same
time)
• Admission passes (can be used as
a park entrance ticket and also
access for the playground rides)
• Libraries (check in and out
multiple books at the same time)
• Toll gate car passes
RFID readers
Advantages Disadvantages
• No line of sight is necessary; can • Tag collision (signals from two or
be read from a distance (barcode more tags collide)
scan needs line of sight) • Radio waves are easy to interrupt
• Very robust and reliable • Easy to hack data from the tag
technology • More expensive than barcode
• Very fast read rate (less than 100
milliseconds)
• Bidirectional data transfer (allow
read and write operations)
• Bulk detection possible (detect
several tags at the same time)
RFID Reader
RFID chip
RFID tag
 Useful links
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzPb9QLJu8k
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt2Gn2CoJ74
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IITY2XukZek
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-jJmZlJGnM
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFjCuXJEb0Q
 Optical mark recognition reader (OMR)
 Can read marks shaded by pen or pencil on a form
 Scanner uses light to detect the shaded area where low light(dark) presents
 In this example a pencil mark has been made between the dots on option
1.

 The position of the mark is stored in the computer’s memory after being
read by the OMR device.

Uses
• Questionnaires
• Multiple-choice papers
• Voting papers
• Forms where lines or shaded
areas are needed to fill up
OMR
Advantages
• Very fast way of input for
survey
• No typing > more accurate
• More accurate than OCR
Disadvantages
• Forms need to be carefully
designed to ensure
marks/shading are correctly
positioned to gather accurate
info
• If user filled in wrong position,
manual checking is needed,
which is time consuming
 Optical Character Recognition/Reader (OCR)

 Scans and converts the text on hard copy documents into

an electronic form
 Scanned texts are converted into digital format to be able to
use in word processors, presentation, etc.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/
8/81/Portable_scanner_and_OCR_%28video%29.webm/
Portable_scanner_and_OCR_%28video
%29.webm.480p.vp9.webm
 OCR
Uses Advantages Disadvantages

• Processing of passports and id • Faster data-entry than manually • System still has difficulty in
cards keying in reading handwriting
• Converting hard copy documents • Since no manual data entry, errors • Still not a very accurate technique
into electronic form are reduced
• automatic number plate
recognition (ANPR) systems in
car parks
• Digitising historic newspapers and
rare books so they can be archived
and used by researchers
 Comparison of OCR and OMR
OCR
Handwriting  customers can extend their answers
Poor handwriting, reading errors
Converting printed docs to editable text format
Complex recognition system
Fewer “how to fill in” instructions
Still have problems recognizing handwriting
OMR
Only multiple choices  limited answers
Only marks and shading which are scanned and
compared with the template stored in memory
Simply reads the marks so ideal for multiple-choice
exam papers
Complex forms to be generated but recognition is
simpler
More “how to fill” in instructions are needed but
easier and faster for customers to fill up
More accurate method for reading data
 Barcode readers/scanners
 Read information by scanning a barcode
 Often built into POS terminals in supermarkets
 Hand-held or wands for portability to scan on large objects

Uses
• Supermarkets and shops to track
the stock, itemized billing, etc
• Libraries to track books on loan
• Safety function to ensure
electrical equipment is checked on
regular basis for safety audit (to
check which equipment is
missing)
Barcode reader
Advantages
• Faster than keying in data
manually and fewer mistakes
• Improve safety by checking
electrical components regularly
• Automatic stock control
• Tried and trusted technology
Disadvantages
• Relatively expensive system to
administer
• Not foolproof (barcodes can be
swapped around on items)
• Easily damaged than RFID tags or
magnetic stripes
 Quick response codes (QR)
 A block of small squares (light and dark) known as pixels
 Normal barcode (30 digits)
 QR code (over 7000 digits)
 QR can hold more information than barcode
 Internet access everywhere on smartphone, so QR codes can be scanned everywhere
 Advertising of products on trains, buses, shopping malls
 Use as a boarding passe electronically at airports and train stations
 Built in camera from smartphone can read QR with appropriate apps
 Code contain website link or some other info such as phone number to order pizza
 Advantages – no need user to write down web address, just scan it
- can store web addresses/urls in magazines, trains, buses, business cards >
effective method of advertising

Uses
• Advertising (QR hold business
addresses, phone numbers, email
addresses and website addresses).
Scanning the QR code gives all
the necessary data on the
smartphone screen, or the user is
sent automatically to the website
embedded in the QR code
• Contain links to apps
• Wi-Fi connect
• Virtual online stores
QR Scanner
Advantages Disadvantages
• hold much more information than • More than one QR format is
barcode available
• fewer errors than with barcodes • QR codes can be used to transmit
(badly printed or damaged malicious codes; known as
barcodes) attagging. User may scan
• Easier and less expensive to read - malicious QR and sent to a fake
do not need expensive laser or website which has virus
LED scanners like barcodes –
only phone camera is used
• easy to transmit QR codes as text
messages or images
 2.3.1 Monitors
CRT monitors
 Cathode ray tube – least expensive monitor
 Becoming rare as TFT monitors have replaced
 Electron gun firing against a phosphor screen
 The picture is composed of tiny dots (red, green, blue)
 Intensity of each colored dots makes up the vast range
of colors interpreted by the eye
CRT Monitor
Uses
• CAD (computer aided design) –
complex diagrams can be drawn
on large screens
• Used with light pens to control
screen
Advantages
• The screen can be clearly seen at
a wider range of viewing angles
than with most LCD monitors
• Work with light pens in CAD
(computer aided design) /CAM
(computer aided modeling) apps
Disadvantages
• Heavy, and has a weight hazard
(drop on your feet, etc)
• a very large footprint on a desk
(they cover about ten times the
area of an LCD monitor).
• Hot and can cause fire if left
opened for long
• Consume more power than LCD
• Flicker, causing headaches and
eyesight problems
 LCD screens
 made up of tiny liquid crystals
 tiny crystals make up pixels which are affected by changes in electric fields
 for LCD screens to work, they require backlighting
 Modern LCD screens are backlit using light emitting diode (LED) technology
 The use of LED backlighting gives a very good contrast and brightness range
 Before LEDs, LCD screens used cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) as the back lighting
method
 LED screens
 Made up of tiny light emitting diodes (LEDs)
 Each LED is either red, green or blue in colour
 By varying the electric current sent to each LED, its brightness can be controlled, producing a
vast range of colours
 Used for large outdoor displays, due to the brilliance of the colours produced
 LED has advanced to OLED (organic LED) screens
 Advantages of LED over older LCD (CCFL)
 reach max brightness immediately (no warmup)
 A whiter light that sharpens the image and vivid color
 a brighter light which improves the colour definition
 Thinner than screens using CCFL technology
 Last long – reliable and consistent product
 consume very little power – less heat, less energy
 LCD
Uses Advantages Disadvantages

• Many LCD screens offer touch-
screen input
• Mobile phones, tablets, laptops
and portable video games all use
LCD screens
• low power consumption
• Lightweight
• Unlike CRT monitors, no screen
burn-in
• large variation of sizes
• No flickering image, unlike CRT
monitors
• Very sharp image resolution
• low electromagnetic fields
• Inconsistent (colors, contrast)
viewing angles
• Motion blur
• weak pixels
• No uniform back light may result
in shading over the screen
 Touch screen
 Touch screens can work as both an input device and as an output device
 When options appear on the screen, for example a food selection at a fast food outlet, a user can
make a selection by touching the screen (this is the input)
 Another set of options then appear on the screen, such as choosing another drink – this is the
output produced based on the previous input

Uses
• Smartphones and tablets
• ATMs at banks
• Ticket collection machines at
theatres, cinemas and railway
stations
• Information kiosks at museums or
art galleries
Touch screen
Advantages
• Faster than keyboard and mouse
• Easy for choosing options
• User-friendly – no training needed
• Can expand the screen size
Disadvantages
• Limited options
• Not good if large amount of data
are being input or output
• can get very dirty with constant
touching
• Security risk (someone may steal
your credit card details when
you’re entering)
 Multimedia projectors
 Receive analogue or digital signals from Computer, TV, DVD player
 Image is magnified and projected on a large screen
 Work with remote control, mouse and laser pointer
 Input from various types of video format

Uses
• Training presentations (whole
audience can see images)
• Advertising presentations (show
products on large screen)
• Home cinema systems (from dvd
or tv, laptop)
Projectors
Advantages Disadvantages
• Enable many people to see instead • Fuzzy(ဝေဝ) images
of crowding at single monitor • Expensive
• Avoid the need for several • Setup is difficult
computer to browse the video on
internet while everybody can see
it on one large screen with
projector
 Laser printers

 Produce high quality hard-copy output

 Print rate per page is quick for large number of pages
 Large buffer memories (data for whole documents) is stored
before print
 How Laser Printer Prints?
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDiHTK9nwYw
 Printing drum has a positive charge and it rotates
 A laser beam is scanned across the drum and apply negative charged area which exactly match
the text/image to be printed
 Then the drum is coated with toner (powdered ink) and sticks to the negatively charged area
 Paper sheet is then rolled over the drum
 The toner on the drum now sticks to the paper to produce an exact copy of the page sent to the
printer
 The paper finally goes through a fuser, which is a set of heated rollers; the heat melts the ink so
that it fixes permanently to the paper

Uses
• Low noise (good for office)
• Fast, high quality, high volume
printing
Laser printers
Advantages
• Fast printing for huge volume
• Handle large print jobs
• Quality is constantly high
• Toner cartridges last for a long
time (cost effective where color
outputs are not required)
Disadvantages
• Only fast when several copies are
made
• Color laser printers are expensive
(four color/black cartridges,
diffuser kits are expensive)
• Produce ozone and volatile
organic compounds which are not
good for health
 Inkjet printers

 Produce good quality hard copies

 Don’t have large buffers so printing is done a bit at
a time
 Printing is sometimes paused to wait for the buffer
from computer to send more data
 How inkjet printers print?
 A stepper motor and belt move the print head across the page from side to side
 A print head nozzle spray droplets of ink on to the paper to form characters
 Ink cartridges, one for each colour (blue, yellow, magenta, black)
 A paper feeder feeds the printer with pages as needed
 Inkjet printers
Uses Advantages Disadvantages

• Low output volumes (high
volume used up ink very quickly)
• Ideal for high quality printing for
small print job (good for photo-
quality printouts)
• 3-D inkjet printers are now used
in industry for prototypes
• High quality output
• Cheaper than laser printers
• Lightweight and small footprint
(space)
• Don’t produce ozone and volatile
organic compounds
• Slow output for several copies
(little buffer)
• Can’t do large print jobs (ink run
out quickly)
• Smudge (messy) if user is not
careful
• Expensive if used a lot (original
ink cartridges are expensive to
buy)
 Dot matrix printers
 Type of impact printer
 A print head which has a matrix of pins, presses against an
inked ribbon, making a mark on the paper
 Slow, noisy and low quality output
 Still useful in multi-part stationery (carbon copies) or
continuous rolls of paper
 Dot matrix printers
Uses
• Noisy or dirty environments (eg.
Garage workshops) where print
quality is not important
• Multi-part stationery (eg.
Producing wage slips)
Advantages Disadvantages
• Dusty/dirty or moist environments • Very noisy – not good for office
where laser or inkjet printers are • Initial cost is more expensive than
not suitable inkjet printer
• Carbon copies or multi-part • Very slow, poor quality printing
outputs
• Cheap to run and maintain
• Easy to use for continuous
stationery (long print jobs)
 Carbon paper
Carbon copy or multi-part stationery
 (Graph) Plotters
 Plotters use a pen, pencil or marker pen to draw multiple continuous lines, rather than a series
of dots like a printer
 Paper size can be from A4 to several metres
 Produce vector graphic drawings in conjunction with CAD and CAM (computer aided
manufacturing)
 Plotters are being replaced by wide format inkjet printers at lower cost

Uses
• Architectural drawings
• Engineering drawings
• Drawing animation characters
(cartoon characters)
(Graph) Plotters
Advantages
• Very high-quality output
• large, monochrome and colour
drawings to a high accuracy
• print on a variety of materials
(paper, aluminium, cardboard,
plastic, steel and wood)
Disadvantages
• Very slow at printing
• Expensive equipment (and
software) to purchase initially;
although running costs are low
once purchased
• a very large physical footprint
(size) compared to a printer
 3-D printers
 Print solid object using computer aided design (CAD)
 Solid object is built up layer by layer using materials such as
powdered resin, powdered metal, paper or ceramic
 3D printer sizes vary from oven size to small car size
 Additive manufacturing – the object is built up layer by layer
to form a whole object (opposite to subtractive)
 Subtractive manufacturing – the whole material is removed
layer by layer to form an object
 Traditional subtractive manufacturing and computer
controlled machine (CNC) works like carving the statue out
of solid stone
 3-D printers
 Direct 3D printing uses inkjet technology – a print head move left to right. In 3D, print head also
move up and down to build layers. Each layer is less than 0.1 mm
 Binder 3D printing is similar to direct 3D but uses two passes for each layer: the first pass sprays dry
powder, second pass, a binder (glue) is sprayed to form a solid layer
 New technologies use lasers and UV light to harden liquid polymers and more diverse products can
be made
 The alloy wheel in Figure 2.36 was made using an industrial 3D printer
 It was made from many layers of powdered metal (0.1 mm thick) using
a technology known as binder 3D printing
 3-D printers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zgKC3853d0
Steps to create solid objects using 3D Printer
 3-D printers
Uses Advantages Disadvantages

• Prosthetic limbs to replace injured • Everyone can create their own
body parts
• Reconstructive surgery (facial
reconstruction) – precise
technique as it’s made from exact
scanning of skulls
• Aeroplane parts such as wings –
lightweight and precision parts
• Fashion and art
• Producing rare parts (e.g. Parts for
vintage car)
• Possible to make counterfeit or
design and print customized fake items that infringe others’
products copyright
• Rapid prototyping – short amount • Potential to be misused by wrong
of time to convert design into people printing dangerous or
working prototype illegal items
• Even though 3D is very • Potential for job losses while
expensive, still less than labour companies have benefits of low
costs and other manufacturing production costs
costs in manufacturing factory.
The cost is the same for small
scale and mass production
• In medical, artificial organs,
prosthetics, plastic surgery
• Parts that are no longer made in
factories can be produced with 3D
printers. (car body parts)
 Speakers
 The digital data (sound file on a computer) first need to be converted to analogue (an electric
current) using DAC (Digital to Analogue Converter)
 Electric current generated by DAC is very small so it then pass through the amplifier to create a
large current
 This electric current is then fed to a loudspeaker where it is converted into sound
 Speaker
Uses Advantages Disadvantages

• Built into most computers, phones • Sounds amplified through • Loud speaker output can be
• Outputs sound from multimedia speakers can be much louder than disturbing to others
presentations the original sound so more people • To get high-quality sound,
• Helps visually impaired people by can hear expensive speaker is needed
reading aloud text on the screen • Everyone in a conference can hear • take up a lot of desk space
• Plays downloaded sound files the output from a computer
• Create a good atmosphere when
making a presentation
• help visually impaired people
• Very simple technology
 Actuators
 When a computer is used to control devices, such as a
conveyer belt or a valve, it uses an actuator to start/stop
the conveyer belt or open/close the valve
 Actuators take signals from computer and convert them
into motion like muscles in human body to enable
energy to create the movement of the body
 An actuator is a mechanical or electromechanical device.
E.g., Operating motors, pumps, switches and valves
 As control process, digital signals are sent from
computer to actuator to operate a device (conversion of
digital to analogue is done first)
 In computer HDD, actuator move the hard drive head
arm.

Uses
• Used to control motors, pumps,
switches, buzzers
• Allow a computer to control
physical devices that normally
require analogue inputs
Actuators
Advantages
• Allow remote operation of many
devices (for example, pumps in a
nuclear reactor where remote
operation is a big safety factor)
• Inexpensive devices
Disadvantages
• An additional device in the system
that could go wrong
• Because they are usually analogue
devices, computer signals need to
converted using a DAC to enable
computer control