INPUT DEVICE KEYBOARD

The keyboard is the most common and widely used input device.

It is made up of buttons called 'keys'. The keys are arranged into sections:

• Letters of the alphabet
• Numerals and Symbols

Most keyboards are called 'QWERTY' keyboards. This name comes from the first six letters on the top row of the alphabet keys.

There are two categories of keyboard the alphanumeric and the special function.

Alphanumeric – design with alphabet and numbers

Special function – design for special purpose

Concept Keyboard

Concept keyboards are used when fast input is needed and are ideally suited to selecting from a limited range of choices such as fast food restaurants. Checkout tills such as McDonalds use symbols to make ordering faster and easier. Primary schools often use them with young children. The overlay image could be a picture of a farmyard. Pressing on an animal would cause the computer to make the right animal noise.

Concept keyboards are particularly useful for people who would find using an ordinary keyboard difficult.

Braille Keyboard

This keyboard has keys marked with raised dots that help a blind person use the computer.

Left handed Keyboard

This keyboard is designed for the left handed person

 

Virtual Keyboard

This keyboard is projected on to any surface and touched. The finger registers finger movement into a keystroke. An example is that of the touch screen at the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) found at banks.