Other Input Devices
Digital Camera
A digital camera works by allowing reflected light into the camera via a shutter, the data is immediately converted into digital signals, pieces of data called pixels that are stored electronically in the camera.
Microphone
The microphone allows you to input and store sound on your computer. The microphone takes the sound waves and converts the vibrations into data which can be stored and manipulated. This data is usually stored as a .WAV or .MP3 file that will be played by media plating application. A microphone can be used for voice recognition where voice data is received and interpreted dictation so that the computer can understand and carry out spoken commands .
Webcams
A webcam is a device which works in a similar way to a microphone and a digital camera. It takes a stream of moving images in the form of a video and coverts the data into a digital format.
Light Pens/Stylus pen
A Light/Stylus Pen is a device which acts in a similar way to a mouse. The user of the pen moves it around over any flat surface in a normal way by writing as though the pen was a standard ink pen. This motion is transmitted to the computer and electronically stored in a digital format on the computer.
RFIDs
Radio Frequency Identification (RFIDs) are tiny devices that store relevant data for an object. The device is implanted or embedded into an article which can be scanned, and the data extracted. For example, a RFID device could be embedded in an item in a shop and when the shopper arrives at the till, the items are automatically read and the total owed can be calculated. Another useful example would be to implant a RFID device into the arm of a person which has all their allergies and medical history stored. If, heaven forbid, the person is in a car accident and is unconscious, the medical personnel can access the chip and get all that relevant medical data. Also, many pet owners have a RFID chip with their details implanted into their pets so that if the pet gets lost, the pet can be identified and returned.