Ergonomics and Input Devices Provide custom input to the game Audiovisual Input Devices

Ergonomics: which is the study of the physical Modern controllers offer feedback Microphones
relationship between people and their tools—such as Two broad Categories ◦Used to record speech
computers—addresses these issues. ◦Joystick ◦Speech recognition
People recognize the importance of having ergonomically ◦Game pad “Understands” human speech
correct computer furniture Joystick Allows dictation or control of computer
Ergonomically correct: means that a tool or a workplace Around for long time Matches spoken sound to known phonemes
is designed to work properly with the human body, and Can be used other than games Enters best match into document
thus reduces the risk of strain and injuries. enable the user to “ fly” or “ drive” through a game, Speech Recognition
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI): an injury of the directing a vehicle or character. popular in racing and demand for translating spoken words into text.
musculoskeletal and nervous systems that may be flying games. One variant is the racing game controller, Translating voice to text is a capability known as speech
caused by which includes an actual steering wheel some racing recognition (or voice recognition). With it, you can
repetitive tasks, game controllers even include foot pedals and gearshifts dictate to the computer instead of typing, and you can
forceful exertions, control the computer with simple commands translates
vibrations, Game Pad: is a small, flat device that usually provides Phonemes into text or commands
mechanical compression (pressing against hard surfaces), two sets of controls—one for each hand. extremely Other type of Audio Input
sustained, or flexible and are used to control many kinds of games. If Computers can accept many kinds of audio input
awkward positions you do not have a joystick, you can use a game pad to Sound card with the appropriate plugs
Caused by continuous misuse of the body in ways it was control most racing and flying games. Many computer ◦a compact disc
not designed to work games still provide support for a mouse or keyboard, so a ◦a tape player
Many professions suffer from RSI dedicated game controller is not always required ◦a radio or even a record player
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome If the audio source outputs sound in the form of analog,
Carpal tunnel is a passage way in the wrist through which Optical Input Devices sound card must convert the analog signals into digital
nerves pass Allows the computer to see input code so the computer can store and use it.
Holds nerves and tendons Bar code readers Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)
Prolonged keyboarding swells tendons ◦Converts bar codes to numbers Connects musical instruments to computer
Median nerve is compressed at wrist UPC Universal Product Code Digital recording or playback of music
Resulting in numbness or pain or the inability to use the ◦Computer find number in a database Musicians can produce professional results
hands ◦Works by reflecting light Video Input
victims can miss weeks or months of work. Amount of reflected light indicates number With growth of multimedia and the Internet, computer
In extreme cases, surgery is required. Bar Code Reading Process users are adding video input capabilities to their systems
Avoiding Keyboard Related Injuries reader emits a beam of that is reflected by the bar code in great numbers
To avoid RSIs set the workspace in an ergonomically image Applications such as video conferencing enable people to
friendly way light-sensitive detector identifies the bar code image by use full-motion video images
Choose comfortable office furniture recognizing special bars at both ends of the image Videos are commonly used in presentations and on Web
Office chair should: special bars are different, so the reader can tell whether pages
◦Allow you to adjust its height. the bar code has been read right-side up or upside down. Video Camera and Webcam
◦Provide good lower-back support. After detector has identified the bar code, it converts the video cameras used with computers digitize images by
◦Have adjustable armrests individual bar patterns into numeric digits code the breaking them into individual pixels
The desk should computer can understand reader then feeds the data pixels one or more dots that express a portion of an
◦hold your keyboard and mouse at the proper height, into the computer image
◦your hands are at the same height as your elbows (or a Image Scanners Each pixel’s color and other characteristics are stored as
few inches lower) when you hold them over the Converts printed media into electronic digital code
keyboard. Reflects light on the image With Webcam the user can “capture” images of himself
Techniques to Avoid RSI Sensors read the intensity or herself while working at the computer
Use an ergonomic keyboard Filters determine color depths Digital Cameras
Sit up straight How an Image is Scanned portable, handheld devices that capture still images
Have a padded wrist support A light source is moved across a printed page. The light digitizes the image
Keep your arms straight bounces off the page and is passed through a lens. And compresses it, and
Keyboard properly onto the light sensitive diodes which converts light to stores it on a special memory card.
Take frequent breaks electricity. There are usually 300-600 diodes per inch. A user can then copy the information to a PC, where the
Few Basics: Input Devices circuit board converts the electricity to numbers and image can be edited, copied, printed, embedded in a
Mouse, Keyboard Joystick Light pen Bar Code Reader send the information to the computers document, or transmitted to another user
Tablet Camera Microphone Color Scanners Digital cameras have become standard equipment for
Devices for the Hand -Pen use filters to separate the components of color into the designers of all kinds.
◦Tablet PCs, PDA Pen used to write data Pen used as a primary additive colors (red, green, and blue) at each In Web page design, digital cameras enable designers to
pointer Handwriting recognition is difficult On screen point. Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) are primary additive shoot a subject and quickly load the images onto their
keyboard Not used for inputting large volume of data colors because they can be combined to create any other computers.
Touch Screens color. The image scanner is useful because it translates This process saves the step of acquiring existing
accept input by allowing the user to place a fingertip printed images into an electronic format that can be photographs or developing and printing film-based
directly on the computer screen. Use sensors to detect stored in a computer’s memory photos—which must be scanned into the computer.
touch. Well suited for simple applications Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Designers can update a Web site’s illustrations quickly
◦ATM Converts scanned image into editable text and regularly using digital cameras.
◦Public information kiosk Image is stored in the computer’s memory as a bitmap. Graphic designers can edit and enhance digital
work well in environments where dirt or weather would Bitmap is a grid of dots, each dot represented by one or photographs in innumerable ways, using photo-editing
render keyboards and pointing devices useless, and more bits software.
where a simple, intuitive interface is important. translate that array of dots into text that the computer
Touch screens have become common in can interpret as letters and numbers
◦fast-food restaurants, Scanner types
◦department stores, Handheld scanners
◦drugstores, and supermarkets, ◦more portable but typically require multiple passes to
◦where they are used for all kinds of purposes, from scan a single page
creating personalized greeting cards to selling lottery Flatbed scanners
tickets. ◦offer higher-quality reproduction than do handheld
Game Controllers scanners and
Enhances gaming experience ◦can scan a page in a single pass