VR (Virtual Reality)

Short for Virtual Reality, VR is a computer-generated artificial environment that allows a user to view, explore, and manipulate the environment and a term popularized by Jaron Lanier. Virtual reality is a computer generated reality manipulated and explored using input devices, such as headsets, headphones, gloves, or a computer. Using these devices, a user can browse throughout a virtual world or pickup and manipulate virtual objects. The picture shows a NASA employee using a VR system.

Touch Screen

A Touch Screen is a display device that allows the user to interact with a computer by using their finger or stylus. They can be a useful alternative to a mouse or keyboard for navigating a GUI (graphical user interface). Touch screens are used on a variety of devices, such as computer and laptop display, smartphones, tablets, cash registers, and information kiosks. Some touch screens use a grid of infrared beams to sense the presence of a finger instead of utilizing touch-sensitive input.

Touch Screen History

The idea of a touch screen was first described and published by E.A. Johnson in 1965. In the early 1970s, the first touch screen was developed by CERN engineers Frank Beck and Bent Stumpe. The physical product was first created and utilized in 1973. The first resistive touch screen was developed by George Samuel Hurst in 1975 but wasn't produced and used until 1982.

How do you use the touch screen?

Note

Not all touch screens have the same functions, but the actions below are the most common.

Tap - A single touch or tap on the screen with a finger opens an app or select an object. When compared to a traditional computer, a tap is the same as clicking with a mouse.

Double-tap - A double-tap can have different functions depending on where it is utilized. For example, in a browser, double-tapping the screen zooms the view, centered at the tap location. Double-tapping in a text editor can be used to select a word or section of words.

Touch and hold - Pressing and holding your finger to a touch screen selects or highlight an object. For example, you could touch and hold an icon, and then drag it somewhere else on the screen. See our long press page for further information on this term.

Drag - If you press and hold your finger on an object (such as an app shortcut) on the screen, you can move your finger to "pull" the object to a different location. The same action, used with text, allows you to highlight text. Lift your finger when you are done moving or highlighting.

Swipe - Swiping your finger across the screen can be used to scroll in a certain direction or change pages. For example, pressing your finger at the bottom of the screen and quickly moving it up (swiping) scrolls the screen down. See our swipe page for further information and related links.

Pinch - Placing two fingers on the screen in different spots and then pinching them together zooms in. Pinching your fingers together and then moving them away from each other, zooms out on the screen. See our pinch-to-zoom page for further information on this term.

Why is a touch screen an input device?

Any computer device (including a touch screen) that takes input from the person operating the device is considered an input device. When you touch your finger on a touch screen to interact with an icon, text, or another object that is considered input because you're telling the computer what you'd like for it to do. Your finger is very similar to a computer mouse on a desktop computer, which is also another type of input device.

Note

Technically speaking, a touch screen is an input/output device. Not only is it capable of accepting input, but it also displays the output from the computer.

How is a touch screen different than a mouse?

A computer mouse and touch screen have many similarities. Many of them are mentioned in the how do you use the touch screen section above.

One of the most significant differences between a mouse and a touch screen is the ability to hover. Almost all touch screens can only detect input when your finger is in direct contact with the screen. However, a computer mouse uses a cursor that allows the user to view information by moving the pointer over an object, but not clicking on it. For example, this link to Computer Hope shows the text "Visit the Computer Hope Page" when hovered over using a computer mouse. However, a user with a touch screen cannot see this text because if they place their finger on the link, it opens the link.

Note

Some web pages and apps may simulate the hover feature by making the first tap do the hover feature and the second tap open the link or app. Also, some Apple devices use Force Touch, which can offer features similar to hovering.

Where are touch screens used?

Today, the touch screen is one of the most popular types of input devices. Below are some places and examples of where touch screens may be used.

· All-in-One computer

· Arcade game

· ATM

· Car GPS

· Camera

· Car stereo

· Cash register

· Digital camcorder

· E-book

· Electronic whiteboard

· Factory machine

· Fitness machine

· Gas station

· Grocery self-checkout machine

· Handheld game console

· In-flight entertainment screen

· Kiosk

· Laptop

· Large interactive screen

· Medical equipment

· POS machine

· Sewing machine

· Signature pads

· Smartphone

· Tablet

· Ticket machine

· Touch screen printer

Why are touch screens used?

Below are some of the reasons a manufacturer may decide to use a touch screen in their products instead of another input method, such as buttons.

1.    Touch screens are intuitive and usually simpler to use.

2.    Having one touch screen instead of dozens of buttons can make a device smaller.

3.    Can be cheaper to design and manufacture a device with one screen instead of on with a screen and buttons.

Touch screen technologies

Not all touch screens are the same. Different technologies can be utilized to allow a user to interact with a screen. Some technologies may work with only your finger and other technologies may allow other tools, like a stylus. Below is a brief description of each of these technologies.

Capacitives

A capacitives touch screen is coated with a special material that stores an electrical charge that is monitored by circuits at each corner of the screen. When you touch a capacitive touch screen, a small amount of the electrical charge is drawn from the point of contact to indicate where you touched the screen.

To use a capacitive screen, you must use your bare finger or a specially designed capacitive stylus. Most users experience this type of screen technology when attempting to use a smartphone touch screen while wearing gloves and being unable to do anything.

Tip

There are specially designed gloves that allow one or more fingers to interact with a capacitive screen.

Resistive

A resistive touch screen is coated with a metallic electrically conductive and resistive layer that detects the pressure of your finger or another object. This technology is often a more affordable solution when compared to capacitive, but can be damaged by sharp objects touching the screen.

Surface acoustic wave

A SAW (surface acoustic wave) or surface wave touch screen sends ultrasonic waves and detects when the screen is touched by registering changes in the waves. This technology is more advanced than the other two, but does not work with hard materials that do not absorb the pulse and can be affected by outside elements.

Infrared

Infrared touch screens utilize a matrix of infrared beams that are transmitted by LEDs with a phototransistor receiving end. When a finger or other object is near the display, the infrared beam is blocked, and that interruption gives the device input to where your finger or another object is positioned.

Do touch screens have a keyboard?

To input letters and numbers, touch screens utilize a virtual keyboard that allows the user to tap the virtual keys with their finger. Also, devices like smartphones and tablets have voice recognition that can be used to input information into the device.

Is it "touch screen," "touchscreen," or "touch-screen"?

In all forms of writing, when used as a phrase touch screen should be written as two words. If the word is used as an adjective, hyphenate the word. Never use "touchscreen" as one word, unless you're writing instructions where "touchscreen" is used.

Tip

The Associated Press Stylebook, Oxford Dictionary of Computing, and Microsoft Computer Dictionary recommend and use touch screen as two words.

Monitor

It is an output device. It shows result of processing as well as the input being provided. So that it is called an input/output device. It is also called a VDU (Visual Display Unit). It looks like a television screen. The output is formed in monitor by Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). The internal layer of monitor is coated by phosphorus. When electrons are sent to the layer of phosphorus they start glowing. Monitor produces characters using a set of dots on the screen. Those dots are called pixels (picture element). The maximum number of pixels which can be displayed by monitor is called Resolution of monitor. As many pixels are formed then the production quality of a monitor will be better. Monitor shows output with the help of only three colors beam. These are Red, Green and Blue; the characters are generally redisplayed up to 75 times and more in a second in monitor. It is termed as its Refresh Rate.

The electronic circuit which control formation of characters on the screen is called display adaptor.

Following types of display adaptors being used for monitors: 
MGA – Monochrome Graphics Adaptor (supports two colors Black and white)

CGA –  Color Graphics Adaptor (supports up to 16 colors)

VGA – Video Graphics Array (supports up to 256 colors)

SVGA – Super Video Graphics Array (supports up to 2¹⁶ to 2³² colors)

 A general monitor consumes 60 to 90 watts electrical power.

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)/ Light Emitting Diode (LED):- It is a special type of display device which is used for laptop computer and TFT (Thin Film Transistor) monitor. It consumes only 25 to 40 watts electrical power. It shows color as well as black and white output. But the output quality of LCD is poor than CRT monitors.

A monitor may refer to any of the following:

1. Alternatively referred to as a VDT (video display terminal) and VDU (video display unit), a monitor is an output device that displays video images and text. A monitor is made up of circuitry, a screen, a power supply, buttons to adjust screen settings, and casing that holds all of these components.

Like most early TVs, the first computer monitors were comprised of a CRT (cathode ray tube) and a fluorescent screen. Today, all monitors are created using flat panel display technology, usually backlit with LEDs. The image to the right shows an ASUS LCD 
When was the first computer monitor invented?
The first computer monitor was part of the Xerox Alto computer system, which was released on March 1, 1973.
What are the different types of monitors?
There are essentially two types of monitors, with the second having two variations based on backlighting (CCFL vs. LED). The first (and oldest) is the CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitor, which was based on the same technology as early televisions. The second is the LCD (liquid-crystal display) monitor.
Why is a monitor an output device?
A traditional monitor is only used to display (output) information from a computer and provides no source of input. For this reason, a computer monitor is considered an output device.

Note

Newer PCs, smartphones, and tablets have touch screens, which allow the user to interact with their computer by touching what is shown on the screen with their finger. If the monitor has touch screen capabilities, it is considered an Input/Output devices. However, if it has no source of input it is only considered an output device.

Types of monitor connections

Computer monitors have at least one of the following types of monitor connectors to connect to a computer.

Tip

Video adapters are available to convert from one type of connector to another, such as DVI to VGA or HDMI to VGA, and vice versa.

2. Monitor is a term used to describe the act of watching over someone or something.

3. A resident monitor was system software used with machines utilizing punch card input. Resident monitors came before, but was very similar to, an operating system.

Webcam

A Webcam is a hardware camera and input device that connects to a computer and the Internet and captures either still pictures or motion video of a user or another object. The picture of the Logitech Webcam C270 is an example of what a webcam may look. Today, most webcams are either embedded into the display with laptop computers or connected to the USB or FireWire port on the computer.

Note

Unlike a digital camera and digital camcorder, a webcam does not have any built-in storage. Instead, it is always connected to a computer and uses the computer hard drive as its storage.

The first webcam

The first widely-publicized webcam was the XCoffee, also known as the Trojan Room coffee pot. The camera started in 1991 with the help of Quentin Stafford-Fraser and Paul Jardetzky and connected to the Internet in November 1993 with the help of Daniel Gordon and Martyn Johnson.

The XCoffee webcam monitored a coffee pot outside the Trojan Room in the University of Cambridge, so people didn't have to make trips to the coffee pot when it didn't have any coffee. After being mentioned in the news, the website had over 150,000 people online watching the coffee pot. The webcam went offline on August 22, 2001. The picture to the left is an example of how the XCoffee appeared online.

Computer Mouse

A Computer Mouse is a handheld hardware input device that controls a cursor in a GUI (graphical user interface) and can move and select text, icons, files, and folders on your computer.

For desktop computers, the mouse is placed on a flat surface such as a mouse pad or a desk and is placed in front of your computer. The picture is an example of a desktop computer mouse with two buttons and a wheel.

Who invented the mouse?

The mouse was originally known as the X-Y Position Indicator for a Display System and was invented by Douglas Engelbart in 1963 while working at Xerox PARC. But, due to Alto's lack of success, the first widely used application of the mouse was with the Apple Lisa computer. Today, this pointing device is on virtually every computer.

What are the uses of a mouse?

Below is a list of each of the computer mouse functions that help a user use their computer and gives you an idea of all the things a mouse is capable of doing.

1.    Move the mouse cursor - The primary function is to move the mouse pointer on the screen.

2.    Open or execute a program - Once you've moved the pointer to an icon, folder, or other object clicking or double clicking that object opens the document or executes the program.

3.    Select - A mouse also allows you to select text or a file or highlight and select multiple files at once.

4.    Drag-and-drop - Once something is selected, it can also be moved using the drag-and-drop method.

5.    Hover - Moving the mouse cursor over objects with hover information can help discover the function of each object on the screen. For example, hover the mouse over the "hover" link to see an example.

6.    Scroll - When working with a long document, or viewing a long web page, you may need to scroll up or down. To scroll, use the mouse wheel, or click and drag the scroll bar.

7.    Perform other functions - Many desktop mice also have buttons that can be programmed to perform any function. For example, many mice have two side buttons on the thumb portion of the mouse the button closest to the palm can be programmed to go back on web pages.

Tip

See our how to use a mouse guide for help with using a mouse and performing all the above functions.

How has the mouse increased computer usability?

By using a computer mouse, you don't have to memorize commands, such as those utilized in a text-based command line environment like MS-DOS. For example, in MS-DOS you would need to know the cd command and dir command and type the commands on the keyboard to open a directory (folder) and view its files. Whereas a Windows user only has to double-click to open a folder and see its contents.

Types of computer mice

Below is a listing of all the types of computer mice and pointing devices used with a computer. Today, for a desktop computer the most common type of mouse is an optical mouse that connects to the USB port and known as a USB mouse. For laptop computers, the most common type of mouse is the touchpad.

· Cordless (Wireless)

· Foot mouse

· IntelliMouse (Wheel mouse)

· J-Mouse

· Joystick

· Mechanical

· Optical

· Touchpad (Glide Point)

· Trackball

· TrackPoint

Computer mouse ports

Today, most computer mice connect to a computer using a USB port. Below is a listing of all the type of ports and wireless connections that a mouse is capable of using or has used in the past.

· Bluetooth

· Infrared

· PS/2 Port

· Serial Port

· USB

What are the parts of a computer mouse?

The parts of a computer mouse can vary by the type of computer mouse. Below is a general overview of the parts found on most computer mice.

Buttons

Today, almost all computer mice have at least two buttons, a left button and right button for clicking and manipulating objects and text. In the past, there have been mice with only one button. For example, many of the early Apple computer mice only had one button.

Ball, laser, or LED

A desktop mouse may contain a ball and rollers if it is a mechanical mouse or a laser or LED if it is an optical mouse. These components track the movement of the mouse on an x-axis and y-axis and move the mouse cursor on the screen.

Mouse wheel

Today's desktop computer mice also usually include a mouse wheel that allows you to scroll up and down on a page.

Tip

Instead of rolling the wheel if you push in on the wheel it can be used as a third button.

Circuit board

To take all the signal information, clicks, and other information created by the mouse and input it to the computer it must also have a circuit board with integrated circuits.

Cable or wireless receiver

For a corded mouse, it also includes a cable with a plug that connects to the computer. Today, most corded mice connect to the USB port. If your computer has a wireless mouse, it needs a USB wireless receiver to receive the wireless signal and input it into the computer.

Other parts

If you're using a laptop, some of the above components mentioned earlier are not required. For example, a touchpad does not use a ball, laser, or LED to control movement it uses your finger on the touchpad. Other parts include a ball for trackball mice, extra buttons that may be on the thumb side of the mouse, and nubs that may be used with laptop mice.

What does a laptop use for a mouse?

Because a laptop is designed for portability almost all laptops today use a touchpad as the mouse, and some Lenovo laptops still use a TrackPoint. Also, all laptop computers can have a USB corded or wireless mouse also attached to them.

Do smartphones use a mouse?

Smartphones and tablets use a touch screen as their primary input device, and therefore your finger is the mouse on these devices. With most tablets, you also have the option to connect a computer mouse and use it on the tablet.

What hand should I use to control the mouse?

By default, a computer mouse is set up to be used with your right hand. However, if you are left-handed, it can be set up to be used with your left hand.

Note

Although any mouse can be set up to be used with your left hand, keep in mind that some mice are molded to fit a right hand and may feel uncomfortable with your left hand.

How can I use or practice using the mouse?

Below is a page we created to explain all the basics of the mouse, how it's held, how to connect it, and how to use it on your computer. Included in the page is interactive examples that can be used to help practice with additional information about each of the mouse features.

How do I change my mouse's batteries?

To change the batteries in your mouse, you slide back the cover on the bottom, switch out the old batteries, and then replace the cover.

Mouse vs. mice or mouses

When talking about one (singular), refer to a computer mouse as a "mouse." When talking about two or more (plural), refer to them as "mice" (preferred), or "mouses."

Tip

To help prevent confusion, some companies and writers avoid using either plural form of a mouse by referring to multiple mice as "mouse devices."

Is "mouse" an acronym?

No. Some believe that mouse is short for "manually-operated user-select equipment." However, when Douglas Engelbart helped invent the mouse, he called it a mouse because the device resembled the rodent.