Laser printer - printing is formed due to the effects of xerography

Jet printer – printing is formed by micro drops of special ink.

Dot matrix printer – forms characters using several needles located in the printer head. The paper is pulled in by a shaft, and an ink ribbon is placed between the paper and the printer head.

Matrix (needle) printers

Dot-matrix-Printer , also known as matrix) has long been a standard output device for PCs. In the recent past, when inkjet printers still performed unsatisfactorily and the price of laser printers was quite high, needle printers were widely used. They are still often used today. The advantages of these printers are determined primarily by the printing speed and their versatility, which consists in the ability to work with any paper, as well as the low cost of printing.

When choosing a printer, you should always proceed from the tasks that will be assigned to it. If you need a printer that needs to print various forms all day without interruption, or printing speed is more important than quality, then it is cheaper to use a needle printer. If you want to get a high-quality image on paper, then use an inkjet or laser printer, but in this case, naturally, the cost of each sheet will increase significantly. Pin printers have a significant advantage - the ability to print several carbon copies of a document at once. The disadvantage of such printers is the noise they produce during operation.

The principle by which a needle printer prints characters on paper is very simple. A pin printer produces characters using multiple pins located in the printer head. The mechanics of paper feeding are simple: the paper is pulled in using a shaft, and an ink ribbon is placed between the paper and the printer head. When a needle hits this tape, a painted mark remains on the paper. The needles located inside the head are usually activated electromagnetically. The head moves along a horizontal guide and is controlled by a stepper motor.

There are heads: 9*9 needles, 9*18, 18*18, 24*37. The needles are arranged in one or two rows. Using a multi-color ink ribbon, color printing is possible.

Inkjet printers

The first company to produce an inkjet printer is Hewlett Packard. The basic operating principle of inkjet printers is somewhat reminiscent of the operation of needle printers, but instead of needles, they use nozzles (very small holes) that are located in the printer head. This head contains a reservoir of liquid ink, which is transferred through nozzles, like microparticles, onto the media material. The number of nozzles depends on the printer model and manufacturer.

Ink supply methods:

The printer head is integrated with the ink tank; Replacing the ink tank simultaneously involves replacing the head

- a separate reservoir is used, which supplies the printer head with ink through a capillary system; replacing the head is associated only with its wear

Color printing using inkjet printers is quite high quality, which has led to the widespread use of inkjet printers.

Typically, a color image is formed when printing by superimposing three primary colors on each other: cyan (Cyan) , purple (Magenta) and yellow (Yellow) . Although in theory the superposition of these three colors should result in black, in practice most cases result in gray or brown, and so black is added as a fourth primary color. Based on this, this color model is called CMYK ( C yan- M agenta - Y ellow-Blac k ).

Laser printers

Despite strong competition from inkjet printers, laser printers can achieve significantly more High Quality print. The quality of the image obtained with their help is close to photographic. Thus, to obtain high-quality black and white or color printouts, you should prefer a laser printer over an inkjet printer.

Most manufacturers laser printers uses a printing mechanism that is used in photocopiers. The most important structural element of a laser printer is the rotating drum, which is used to transfer the image onto paper. The drum is a metal cylinder coated with a thin film of photoconductive semiconductor. The static charge is evenly distributed over the surface of the drum. For this purpose, a thin wire or mesh is used, called a corona wire. This wire is supplied high voltage, causing the appearance of a luminous ionized region around it, called the corona. The laser, controlled by a microcontroller, generates a thin beam of light that is reflected from a rotating mirror. This ray, coming to the drum, changes it electric charge at the point of contact. Thus, on the drum there is hidden copy Images. In the next working step, toner is applied to the phototypesetting drum - tiny ink dust. Under the influence of a static charge, these small particles are easily attracted to the surface of the drum at the exposed points and form an image. The paper is pulled from the input tray and moved to the drum by a roller system. Just before the drum, a static charge is imparted to the paper. The paper then comes into contact with the drum and, due to its charge, attracts toner particles from the drum. To fix the toner, the paper is recharged and passed between two rollers at a temperature of about 180 ° C. After the printing process itself, the drum is completely discharged, cleaned of adhering excess particles and is ready for a new printing process.

Laser printers of this class are equipped with a large amount of memory, a processor and, as a rule, their own hard drive. The hard drive contains a variety of fonts and special programs, which control operation, monitor status, and optimize printer performance.

Thermal printers

Color laser printers are not yet perfect. To obtain photographic quality color images, thermal printers or, as they are also called, high-end color printers are used.

There are three technologies for color thermal printing:

Jet transfer of molten dye (thermoplastic printing)

Contact transfer of molten dye (thermal wax printing)

Thermal dye transfer (sublimation printing)

What the last two technologies have in common is heating the dye and transferring it to paper (film) in the liquid or gaseous phase. Multicolor dye is usually applied to a thin lavsan film (5 microns thick). The film is moved using a tape mechanism, which is structurally similar to a similar unit in a needle printer. Matrix heating elements Forms a color image in 3-4 passes.

Printers that use molten ink jet transfer are also called solid ink wax printers. When printing, blocks of colored wax are melted and splattered onto the media, creating vibrant, rich colors on any surface.

Let us list the main qualities of printers that determine their comparative merits from the user’s point of view.

Print quality and speed - does the printer provide the required print quality, and if so, at what speed.

Reliability - How reliable is the printer when printing typical documents and when working with the user's existing paper?

Changing ink elements - how long does the printer operate with a given ink element?

Compatible with existing programs.

Printers are almost always connected to a parallel port on an LPT (Line Printer, 25-pin Sub-D connector). Wireless infrared printers are rare and are used mainly by notebook PC users.

Plotter (graph plotter) - PA lotter is an output device that is used only in special areas. Plotters are usually used in conjunction with CAD programs. The result of almost any such program is a set of design or technological documentation, a significant part of which consists of graphic materials. Thus, the plotter's domain is drawings, diagrams, graphs, diagrams, etc. For this, the plotter is equipped with special auxiliary tools. The plotter's drawing field corresponds to A4 - A0 formats.

All modern plotters can be classified into two large classes;

Flatbed for AZ-A2 (less often A1-A0) formats with sheet fixation electrically, less often magnetically or mechanically

Drum (roll) plotters for printing on A1 or A0 paper, with roller sheet feed, mechanical or vacuum clamp.

Frequency synthesis is based on the fact that to obtain any sound, mathematical formulas (models) are used that describe the frequency spectrum of a particular musical instrument. The sounds produced by this technology are characterized by a metallic tint.

Wave synthesis is based on the use digital recording real instruments, the so-called samples (samples). Samples - these are sound samplesvarious realinstruments stored in memory sound card.

When playing sounds using wave synthesis technology, the user hears the sounds of real instruments, so the created sound picture is closer to the natural sound of the instruments.

Samples can be stored in two ways: either permanently in ROM, or loaded into RAM sound card before using them. There is a large variety of samples , which allows you to create an almost endless variety of sounds.

Output devices

Monitor. Monitor is a universal information output device and connects to the video card installed in the computer.

The image in computer format (in the form of sequences of zeros and ones) is stored in video memory located on the video card. The image on the monitor screen is formed by reading the contents of video memory and displaying it on the screen.

The frequency of image reading affects the stability of the image on the screen. In modern monitors, image updating usually occurs at a frequency of 75 or more times per second, which ensures comfortable perception of the image by the computer user (a person does not notice the flickering of the image). For comparison, we can recall that the frame rate in cinema is 24 frames per second.

Desktop computers typically use cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors - Fig. 4.14.

The image on the monitor screen is created by a beam of electrons emitted by an electron gun. This beam of electrons is accelerated by high electrical voltage (tens of kilovolts) and falls on the inner surface of the screen, coated with a phosphor (a substance that glows under the influence of an electron beam).

Rice. 4.14. CRT monitor

The beam control system forces it to run across the entire screen line by line (creates a raster), and also regulates its intensity (accordingly, the brightness of the phosphor dot). The user sees the image on the monitor screen, since the phosphor emits light rays in the visible part of the spectrum. The smaller the size of the image dot (phosphor dot), the higher the image quality; in high-quality monitors, the dot size is 0.22 mm.

However, the monitor is also a source of high static electrical potential, electromagnetic radiation and x-ray radiation, which may have adverse effects on human health. Modern monitors are practically safe, as they meet strict sanitary and hygienic requirements specified in international standard safety TSO"99.

Laptop and pocket computers use flat-panel liquid crystal (LCD) monitors. Recently, such monitors have begun to be used in desktop computers.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display, LCD monitors- rice. 4.15) are made of a substance that is in a liquid state, but at the same time has some properties inherent in crystalline bodies. In fact, these are liquids that have anisotropy of properties (in particular, optical ones) associated with order in the orientation of molecules. Molecules of liquid crystals under the influence of electrical voltage can change their orientation and, as a result, change the properties of the light beam passing through them.

Rice. 4.15. LCD monitor

The advantage of LCD monitors over CRT monitors is the absence of electromagnetic radiation harmful to humans and their compactness.

Monitors may have different screen sizes. Screen diagonal size is measured in inches (1 inch = 2.54 cm) and is usually 15, 17 or more inches.

Printers. Printers are intended for printing on paper (creating a “hard copy”) of numerical, text and graphic information. According to their operating principle, printers are divided into matrix, inkjet and laser.

Dot matrix printers(Fig. 4.16) are impact printers. The print head of a dot matrix printer consists of a vertical column of small rods (usually 9 or 24) that, under the influence of a magnetic field, are "popped" out of the head and strike the paper (through the ink ribbon). As the print head moves, it leaves a string of characters on the paper.

Rice. 4.16. Matrix printer

The disadvantages of dot matrix printers are that they print slowly, produce a lot of noise, and print quality is poor (about the quality of a typewriter).

In recent years, black-and-white and color inkjet printers have become widespread (Fig. 4.17). They use an ink print head that, under pressure, releases ink from a series of tiny holes onto the paper. As the print head moves along the paper, it leaves a line of characters or a strip of image.

Rice. 4.17. Jet printer

Inkjet printers can print quite quickly (up to several pages per minute) and produce little noise. The quality of printing (including color) is determined by the resolution of inkjet printers, which can reach photographic quality of 2400 dpi. This means that a 1-inch horizontal stripe of image is formed from 2400 dots (ink drops).

Laser printers(Fig. 4.18) provide virtually silent printing. Laser printers achieve high printing speeds (up to 30 pages per minute) through page-by-page printing, in which the entire page is printed at once.

Acoustic speakers and headphones. To listen to sound, use speakers or headphones that are connected to the output of the sound card.

Questions to Consider

1. What physical parameters affect the quality of the image on the monitor screen?

Practical tasks

4.6. Get acquainted with the computer structure and history computer technology by visiting virtual computer museums on the Internet.

I welcome you to the vastness of the blog about computers - site. In today's third lesson we will talk about additional devices that can be connected to a computer.

You can learn about the main devices of a computer in the lesson. Additional devices may be used for input, output and input/output of information from the computer.

Output devices– these are devices that convert digital data (located in a computer) into a form that is convenient for a person to perceive. For example, there is some document on the computer that you can print on a printer. A printer, on the other hand, is an output device, meaning it outputs into tangible form what you see on your computer screen.

Input Devices- These are devices that are used to enter information into a computer. If the previous term meant that we take information from a computer, then here it’s the other way around. For example, computer mouse is an input device. We turn mechanical actions into digital signal, which is transmitted to the computer.

Let's consider what devices for input and output of information can be. Let's take the main ones, which are used by both beginners and hardcore computer users.

Output devices

Let's start with the device that was mentioned above - the printer.

Printer is a device that translates text and graphics from a computer onto a sheet of paper. This is the output of information from electronic form to physical.

Columns And headphones — sound devices output, they convert the electrical signal that the computer produces into sound. I think everyone is familiar with them, I won’t go too deep.

Projector– a device for outputting graphic and text information from a computer. Projects an image on a flat surface, magnifying it several times.

A monitor (display) is also an output device; in fact, without it it is impossible to work on a computer (you may have seen it in the first lesson).

Input Devices

The most used input devices are the mouse and keyboard. The mouse can be called a continuous input device because it changes its position quite often and quickly. They are basic, but in today's article we are talking about additional devices, so we move on.

Microphone- a device that converts sound into vibrations electric current. The computer picks up these same current fluctuations and converts them into information (into a sound track), which you can record and later listen to on the same speakers.

Scanner– a device that converts text and graphics from a physical object to an electronic one. Simply put, a scanner is the opposite of a printer.

Joystick– an input device that is often used in games. Replaces mouse and keyboard.

I/O devices

These devices can both input information into a computer and output it. These devices include:

Flash drive(flash drive) is a device that stores information. This information can be manipulated. For example, copy files from a computer to a flash drive and vice versa.

Drive– allows you to record information from a computer onto a medium (disk), and then copy it from the medium to the computer (for example, you recorded a hundred of your favorite songs and gave them to a friend, he copied them to his computer).

On this optimistic note, we end our tour of input and output devices. What did we learn in this lesson? We learned what additional computer devices there are, what input and output devices are, and looked at examples of what they can be and their purpose. I wish you easy learning without pain!

Monitor

A monitor is a device for visually displaying all types of information that is connected to a PC video card.

There are monochrome and color monitors, alphanumeric and graphic monitors, cathode ray tube monitors and liquid crystal monitors.

Cathode ray monitors ($CRT$)

The image is created using a beam of electrons produced by an electron gun. High electrical voltage accelerates a beam of electrons, which falls on the inner surface of the screen, coated with a phosphor (a substance that glows when exposed to a beam of electrons). The beam control system drives it line by line across the entire screen (creates a raster) and regulates its intensity (the brightness of the phosphor dot).

The $CRT$ monitor emits electromagnetic and x-ray waves, high static electric potential, which have an adverse effect on human health.

Figure 1. CRT monitor

LCD monitors ($LCD$) based on liquid crystals

Liquid crystal monitors (LCDs) are made of a liquid substance that has some of the properties of crystalline solids. When exposed to electrical voltage, liquid crystal molecules can change their orientation and change the properties of the light beam that passes through them.

The advantage of LCD monitors over $CRT$ monitors is the absence of electromagnetic radiation harmful to humans and their compactness.

Image in digital form stored in video memory, which is located on the video card. The image is displayed on the monitor screen after reading the contents of the video memory and displaying it on the screen.

The stability of the image on the monitor screen depends on the frequency of image reading. The image refresh rate of modern monitors is $75$ or more per second, which makes image flickering invisible.

Figure 2. LCD monitor

Printer

Definition 2

Printer - peripheral device, designed to display numerical, text and graphic information on paper. Based on the principle of operation, laser, inkjet and matrix printers are distinguished.

Provides virtually silent printing, which is formed due to the effects of xerography. The entire page is printed at once, which ensures high printing speed (up to $30$ pages per minute). High print quality of laser printers is ensured by the high resolution of the printer.

Figure 3. Laser printer

Provides virtually silent printing at a fairly high speed (up to several pages per minute). In inkjet printers, printing is performed by an ink print head, which releases ink under pressure from tiny holes onto the paper. The print head, moving along the paper, leaves a line of characters or a strip of image. Print quality inkjet printer depends on the resolution, which can reach photographic quality.

Figure 4. Inkjet printer

It is an impact printer that produces characters using several needles located in the printer head. The paper is pulled in by a rotating shaft, and an ink ribbon passes between the paper and the printer head.

On the print head of a dot matrix printer is a vertical column of small rods (usually $9 or $24) that are "pushed" out of the head by a magnetic field and hit the paper (through the ink ribbon). The print head, as it moves, leaves a string of characters on the paper.

Dot matrix printers print at low speed, produce a lot of noise, and have poor print quality.

Figure 5. Dot Matrix Printer

Plotter (plotter)

Definition 3

A device designed for complex and wide-format graphic objects (posters, drawings, electrical and electronic circuits, etc.) under PC control.

The image is drawn with a pen. Used to obtain complex design drawings, architectural plans, geographic and meteorological maps, and business diagrams.

Figure 6. Plotter

Projector

Definition 4

Multimedia projector (multimedia projector) is a stand-alone device that provides transmission (projection) to big screen information from an external source, which can be a computer (laptop), VCR, DVD player, video camera, document camera, television tuner, etc.

$LCD$ projectors. The image is formed using a translucent liquid crystal matrix, of which $3LCD$ models have three (one for each of the three primary colors). $LCD$ technology is relatively inexpensive, therefore it is often used in models of various classes and purposes.

Figure 7. LCD projector

$DLP$ projectors. The image is formed by a reflective matrix and a color wheel, which allows one matrix to be used to consistently display all three primary colors.

Figure 8. DLP projector

$CRT$-projectors. The image is formed using three cathode ray tubes of basic colors. Now they are practically not used.

Figure 9. CRT projector

$LED$ projectors. The image is formed using an LED light emitter. The advantages include a long service life, which is several times longer than the service life of projectors with a lamp, and the ability to create ultra-portable models that can even fit into a pocket.

Figure 10. LED projector

$LDT$-projectors. The models use several laser light generators. The technology makes it possible to create compact projectors with very high brightness.

Audio output devices

Built-in speaker

Definition 5

Built-in speaker- the simplest device designed to play sound on a PC. The built-in speaker was the main audio reproduction device until inexpensive sound cards became available.

In modern PCs, the speaker is used to signal errors, in particular when running the POST program. Some programs (for example, Skype) always duplicate the ringing signal to the speaker, but do not output the sound of the conversation through it.

64-bit Windows does not support the built-in speaker, which is due to a conflict between the recovery and power management tools of the sound card.

Devices for outputting audio information that are connected to the output of the sound card.

Figure 11. Speakers and headphones

Today, the vast majority of desktop PC users are armed with a familiar mouse and keyboard. These input devices have long proven their viability and are the most versatile tools for most common tasks today. However, in addition to these two “pillars”, there are a huge number of very diverse designs and purposes. alternative devices input popular with certain user groups or existing only in the form of a few demonstration prototypes. This review is devoted to the consideration of such devices.

Non-traditional keyboards

It seems that the principle “the best is the enemy of the good” has long been discarded as unnecessary by the developers of computer keyboards. It would seem that there is nothing left to improve: by trial and error, the optimal sizes of the keys, their layout, etc. were found. But keyboard manufacturers are constantly implementing new ideas and trying very unusual and daring technical solutions. And in this case we are not talking about such cosmetic measures as placing a group of additional shortcut buttons (now this is already perceived more as the norm), but about much more serious design changes.

About four years ago the first production models flexible keyboards. One of the pioneers in this direction was Flexis, which released the FX100 keyboard for use with keyboardless PDAs. Silicone is used as the main material for the manufacture of such a keyboard, since its properties allow the product to completely restore its original shape even after prolonged storage in a deformed (folded) form. In addition, the silicone keyboard is moisture and dust resistant, which significantly increases its reliability and durability, especially when working in field conditions. If the surface of the keyboard is heavily soiled, you can wash it under running tap water (of course, remembering to close the interface connector first). Another positive point is the extremely small thickness and weight - only 68 g with dimensions of 85 x 250 x 4 mm. Unlike many models of hard keyboards produced for use with PDAs, Flexis does not require batteries to operate, receiving the necessary current from the device itself.

Currently, Flexis produces a whole series of flexible keyboards designed for PDAs (with a universal interface that allows you to connect to models different manufacturers), and for desktop computers and laptops (with USB interface). Flexible keyboards are also produced by Plycon and some other manufacturers.

Another interesting direction is “crossing” keyboards of different types. Late last year, Creative released the Prodikeys keyboard, which features a regular 104-key computer keyboard at the top and a three-octave music keyboard with pressure-sensitive keys at the bottom. The music section of the keyboard (37 keys) can be closed with the included lid, which also doubles as a wrist rest when working with a regular keyboard. In addition to the music keys, on the left side there are two MIDI control wheels (which control transposition and volume) and a music software shortcut button.

While some manufacturers are increasing the number of buttons on keyboards, others are trying to reduce their number as much as possible. The main goal of such innovations is to reduce the size of the keyboard while maintaining ease of use. The developers of the small American company FrogPad are actively engaged in experiments in this area. The mini-keyboard they created with the same name (127 x 89 x 10 mm) has only 15 main full-size keys and 5 modifier keys. The FrogPad design is optimized for one-handed typing and, despite the small number of buttons, allows you not only to enter all letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and standard symbols, but also to use function and navigation keys. In this case, the user does not need to press more than two keys simultaneously.

According to the developers, due to the intuitive layout of the keys, you can master typing on the FrogPad in 6-10 hours.

And thanks to its small size, this keyboard can be used when working with desktop PCs, laptops, pocket and tablet computers(FrogPad modifications with USB and Bluetooth interfaces are available). Currently available versions of FrogPad are adapted for typing in English and Japanese. Whether localized versions of FrogPad will appear for other languages ​​is still unknown: unlike regular keyboards, which can be “localized” using transparent stickers, FrogPad will require serious software development.

Projected keyboard in action. Perhaps in the future such solutions will become widespread in the CCP

The creators of the so-called virtual keyboard from iBiz Technology, who decided to do without buttons altogether. The keyboard image is projected using a laser onto any flat surface, and special sensors track the “presses” of the user’s fingers on the virtual buttons. This device is the size of a lighter and weighs approximately 60 g. It is used as a self-contained power source. lithium ion battery, providing from 3 to 4 hours of operation without recharging.

Modifications of the virtual keyboard have been developed for various models PDAs, as well as desktops and laptops. The device is ready to go into mass production, and pre-orders have already begun to be accepted on the iBiz website. Deliveries of iBiz Technology virtual keyboards were supposed to begin this spring, but the company encountered certain difficulties in finding a partner willing to provide its production capacity for the serial production of these devices.

Trackballs

Currently, trackballs have almost been forgotten, but it is impossible not to mention them: firstly, some models of these devices are still produced to this day, and secondly, trackballs are suitable for a number of tasks that require special precision (for example, architectural and design programs) much better than mice.

If we abstract from the details, the trackball is a classic mouse 1, turned upside down. Accordingly, it is controlled not by moving the manipulator itself (as in the case of a traditional mouse), but by rotating the ball in the desired direction using the fingers or the back of the hand.

The diameter of the trackball ball is much larger than that of a mouse, but, as a rule, it is lighter. This allows trackballs to provide more precise control than mice. In addition, a trackball requires significantly less space than a mouse, since it does not need to be moved around the table while working. By the way, this reduces the load on the arm muscles and significantly reduces the risk of associated occupational diseases. Another advantage of the trackball is the possibility of full control even if the manipulator is not on the table, but directly in the user’s hands (this can be useful, in particular, for controlling an electronic presentation).

Unlike mice, different models trackballs can vary significantly in design. In traditional trackball designs, the ball is located in the center of the manipulator, and in this position it can be scrolled with the index, middle and ring fingers or the back of the hand. However, today you can find the most unexpected and sometimes very controversial designs: the ball can be shifted to the side or located on the side (under the thumb or under the ring and index fingers).

Like mice, almost all modern trackball models use optical sensors; this allows you to avoid problems associated with the loss of functionality of the manipulator when the ball becomes dirty. And in addition to the two main buttons inherited from mice, modern trackball models are often equipped with additional controls - a scroll wheel and additional keys.

1 In this context, we are talking about mechanical and optical-mechanical models of mice, the main design element of which was a rubberized ball that drives the axes of the displacement sensors.

Graphic tablets

to work with many graphic applications The mouse often turns out to be an overly rough and inconvenient tool, significantly limiting the potential capabilities of these products. More specifically, a mouse of a traditional design does not allow obtaining the necessary positioning accuracy and (even more importantly) is not able to perceive changes in pressure (pressure), which, in turn, does not make it possible to use the traditional technique of drawing with a pencil and brush. To verify this, you can conduct a simple experiment: try using your mouse to draw your autograph in the window of any graphic editor in the vast majority of cases, the result is very far from the desired one.

To fully work with graphics applications, special devices were created - graphics tablets, or, as they are sometimes called, digitizers. Tablets work with special tools - pens (styli) and mouse-like manipulators. The first models of such devices were very expensive and were intended mainly for professional use in systems computer graphics and computer-aided design.

A qualitative leap in the development of digitizers occurred largely thanks to the efforts of developers Wacom. They were the first to create a tablet that was pressure sensitive with a stylus, as well as a tablet with a wireless pen.

Wacom Volito inexpensive graphics tablet with wireless, battery-free pen and mouse

Thanks to the advent of such devices, artists were able to use traditional techniques of working with charcoal, pencil and paint to create works on the computer. Then models appeared with a wireless, battery-free pen that received power directly from the active area of ​​the tablet.

In the late 90s, they began to appear on the market budget models graphics tablets aimed at the non-professional market (mainly home PC users), and today almost anyone can purchase an inexpensive graphics tablet home computer. In addition, recently the number of small-sized tablet models aimed at office use has been increasing (such models are often equipped with programs for handwriting recognition).

Recently, there are more and more graphics tablets aimed at working with office applications.

Currently, Wacom products account for about 80% of the graphics tablet market. In addition, on Russian market Devices manufactured by KYE Systems (Genius) and Aiptek are also presented.

Wacom Cintiq 18sx "hybrid" 18" LCD monitor and professional graphics tablet

In 1998, Wacom introduced a conceptually new product: an LCD display combined with a graphics tablet. Compared to traditional graphics tablets, this device is more convenient because it allows you to draw directly on the screen, almost the same way as on paper or canvas. However, due to the high price, such devices are not widely used.

Currently, Wacom produces two models of display tablets called Cintiq based on 15-inch (1024 x 768) and 18.1-inch (1280 x 1024) LCD displays. These devices can be connected to both analog (VGA) and digital (DVI-D) outputs of the video adapter, and a serial port and USB are provided for entering information into the computer.

It is also worth mentioning that attempts were made to create a stylus that could be used without a tablet at all. Thus, in the line of input devices produced by Logitech there is a digital pen io Personal Digital Pen. This device looks like a regular fountain pen and allows you to write with ink on regular paper, and a sensor hidden inside the body tracks the trajectory of the pen on the paper and stores it in the built-in memory, which can hold the contents of up to 40 handwritten pages.

Recharging the io Personal Digital Pen and copying drawings stored in the device’s memory to a PC is carried out using a special cradle connected to a USB port. Software installed on a computer allows you to recognize handwritten text and edit it electronically.

Handheld scanners

oddly enough, hand-held scanners remain in the arsenal to this day PC users, although, of course, modern representatives of this type of device have little in common with hand-held scanners produced in the early 90s.

C-Pen handheld scanners are designed for line-by-line input of text and numeric data from various opaque originals: books, printouts, magazines, newspapers, etc. This is a very convenient tool for those who work with large volumes of printed materials, selecting individual quotes, numerical data, addresses, etc. In order to enter a single line, word or character, you do not need to scan the entire page; you just need to move the scanner tip over the desired section of text, as is done when highlighting fragments of text with a marker.

The C-Pen 10 handheld scanner allows you to enter text information from a variety of originals

The C-Pen 10 scanner connects to your computer via USB interface, from the port of which it also receives the power necessary for operation. In terms of dimensions (122 x 19 x 23 mm), this model is quite comparable to a conventional marker. The size of the input area is 7.2×5.5 mm, and the scanning resolution is about 400 ppi. The characteristics of the C-Pen 10 allow it to be used to enter printed text in font size from 5 to 22 points, with a maximum speed of 15 cm/s. The scanner comes with a special software under Windows OS, allowing automatic recognition of numbers and texts in 23 languages.

In combination with the special mat included in the package, the C-Pen 10 can also be used as a pointing device (instead of a mouse or touchpad). There are 10 areas on the mat that act as customizable shortcut keys.

The C-Pen 600mx model is actually a specialized mini-computer for processing text data and allows text recognition in offline mode. In addition to the scanning unit, the C-Pen 600mx is equipped with a monochrome graphic LCD display, a universal control (rocker wheel) and an infrared interface. Thus, the C-Pen 600mx allows you to scan and automatically recognize text (unlike the C-Pen 10, this operation is carried out within the device itself), save recognized text fragments in the internal memory, exchange various text data with desktop, laptop and pocket PCs, and also recognize letters and numbers “written” by the user using the C-Pen. In addition, the C-Pen 600mx can also be used as a pocket translator: for this you only need to download the dictionary databases of the desired language from the manufacturer’s website.

Interactive touch screens

Interactive touch screens can significantly expand the functionality of large screen display panels used in educational institutions, in press centers, at exhibitions, etc. The touch screen with a transparent pressure-sensitive surface is mounted directly on the body of the LCD or plasma display panel. SMART Technologies produces a wide range of interactive touch screens under the SmartBoard brand for display panels from various manufacturers.

Touch screens can significantly expand the functionality of display panels with large screen sizes

By installing the SmartBoard touch screen on the display panel and connecting it to your computer, you can control the cursor movement using your finger (pointing at the desired point on the screen). In order to focus the audience's attention on a certain part of the image or text, special markers are provided, located on a special stand (Pen Tray). You can use on-screen markers to draw lines, shade areas, and write handwritten notes. The applied elements appear directly on the screen image, which allows you, if necessary, to save or print the current picture with the added marks. To remove unnecessary lines or inscriptions, the user has a special tool at his disposal - the “eraser”.

An important component of the touch screen is specialized software. In the program settings, you can set the color and line thickness for each of the markers used, and also activate the text underlining mode (in this case, the letters are displayed over the line drawn by the marker). In addition, the software package includes applications that implement virtual keyboard and handwriting recognition modes.

One of the undoubted advantages of interactive touch screens is the ease of their development usually a few minutes are enough to learn, thanks to which even people who do not know a computer at all can work with them.

Game controllers

If we evaluate the degree of popularity of various types of alternative input devices, then, apparently, the main contenders for the top position will be game controllers. With the development of such game genres as simulators of various vehicles, it became clear that the use of a traditional keyboard and mouse, in principle, does not provide adequate convenience and flexibility in controlling the game process. As a result, entire classes of specialized game controllers have emerged, the design of which is optimized in accordance with the characteristics of games of one type or another. Perhaps one of the most important events that had a huge impact on the development of devices of this class was the appearance in 1995 of tactile feedback technology (more about it in the sidebar).

The use of tactile feedback mechanisms has caused significant changes in the internal structure of game controllers. Firstly, electric motors appeared in them, acting through special drives on the controls and the manipulator body to create “power” effects. Secondly, to control the operation of electric drives (which requires real-time processing large flow information coming from both the computer and control sensors) they began to use a specialized processor built directly into the manipulator body. Thus, game controllers, which were initially quite primitive designs built on the basis of several passive elements, turned into very complex ones in a very short time electronic devices, equipped with their own microprocessors.

Joysticks

Joysticks of a classic design, that is, made in the form of a vertical lever, became the first mass-produced type of computer gaming controllers. These joysticks are most popular among fans of aviation simulators and other games related to controlling a variety of aircraft.

Logitech WingMan Force 3D classic joystick design with haptic feedback mechanism

Since their inception, joysticks have gone through several stages of evolution, and today on sale you can find both very simple and very intricate designs, equipped with tactile feedback mechanisms and equipped with handles of the most bizarre shapes. Some manufacturers are experimenting with “crossing” manipulators of different classes: for example, the Saitek SP550 Pad & Stick Fusion is an original combination of a classic joystick and gamepad.

Currently, quite a few models of specialized aviation joysticks are produced, made in the form of controls for real existing aircraft models (in particular, the TrustMaster HOTAS Cougar copies the controls of the American F-16 military aircraft). Such manipulators are equipped with an additional motor control handle (Throttle), which in some cases is made in a separate housing and, if necessary, can be disconnected from the main module.

TrustMaster HOTAS Cougar exact copy F-16 aircraft controls

Recently, joystick models equipped with a tactile feedback mechanism have become increasingly popular among fans of aviation simulators. The most striking example is the TrustMaster Top Gun AfterBurner Force Feedback, which has a removable block with a motor control handle. Tactile feedback mechanism of this device implemented using Immersion TouchSense technology: two powerful electric motor located inside the joystick, simulate the vibrations of the aircraft body, the aerodynamic load on controls, shocks during collisions, shocks when launching missiles and other effects.

Gamepads

Gaming tablets, or, as they are more often called, gamepads, came to the world of computer accessories from the related field of television game consoles. A typical gamepad is a compact block with buttons placed on it. Thanks to the smaller number of buttons (compared to a standard computer keyboard) and the special shape of the case, the gamepad is convenient to use while holding it in your hands.

TrustMaster Firestorm Digital 2 gamepad of traditional design

As gamepads developed, their design gradually became more complex. Along with the usual buttons for this class of manipulators, other controls began to appear over time. Thus, in modern gamepad models, a mini-joystick is widely used - a small four-position rocking pointer that can be controlled with one finger. On sale you can find gamepad models equipped with either one or two mini-joysticks.

Some gamepad models have flat multi-position pointers. Functionally, they are similar to mini-joysticks, but are made in the form of a flat rocking key, which allows, depending on the design, to perceive presses in four or eight directions.

A number of models of modern gamepads (for example, Logitech WingMan RumblePad) even have slide controls that make it possible to smoothly change the values ​​of parameters associated with them.

Manufacturers are also experimenting with unconventional management methods. Thus, a number of gamepad models (usually with the word tilt in their name) use special sensors (accelerometers) that allow recording the tilt of the manipulator body in four directions (forward, backward, left and right). Examples of such devices include the Gravis Destroyer Tilt and the Saitek P2000 Tilt Pad. True, such solutions have not yet become widespread.

Models of gamepads with a tactile feedback mechanism are also produced, but most of them support only a limited set of tactile influences, namely rumble feedback.

Belkin Nostromo SpeedPad n52 left-handed gamepad that complements the mouse

In addition to the many gamepads made in the now familiar “two-horned” body, very original designs are also produced. For example, this year Belkin introduced a device called the Nostromo SpeedPad n52, designed for use with a computer mouse. The design of this gamepad, installed on a table surface, is designed for the left hand. The Nostromo SpeedPad n52 is equipped with ten “keyboard” buttons, a flat eight-way pointer located under the thumb, and a rotating wheel.

TrustMaster Tacticalboard gamepad for lovers of strategy games

Until recently, manufacturers of game controllers did not pay attention to fans of strategy games. But TrustMaster has filled this gap with a dedicated strategy gamepad called the Tacticalboard. It is equipped with 42 keys, for user convenience, colored in different colors and distributed across several functional groups.

Steering wheels and pedals

A significant part of the currently released computer games are car simulators just remember last year’s triumph Need for Speed: Underground or the agonizing wait new version Colin McRae Rally. Therefore, it is not surprising that every year the number of game manipulators designed as ground control tools is increasing. Vehicle steering wheels and pedals. Currently, steering wheels with a tactile feedback mechanism are in greatest demand.

In addition to the steering wheel itself, most models of manipulators of this class are equipped with steering column levers (one or two pairs). Most often, these control tools are ordinary switches (usually used to control the gearbox), however, in some models of manipulators (for example, in the TrustMaster F1 Force Feedback Racing Wheel), steering column levers allow you to smoothly change the values ​​​​of the parameters associated with them in this case they can be used instead of the accelerator and brake pedals.

Steering wheel with paddle shifters and gearshift lever (on the right), operating in sequential mode

A less common control is the gear shift lever, which can be mounted directly on the steering wheel unit or made as a separate module. In most models of manipulators, the lever deflects in two directions, allowing only sequential (sequential) gear shifting. However, a number of expensive models of automobile manipulators provide the ability to randomly change gears in an H-shaped pattern that is more familiar to road cars. For example, in addition to the basic set of the Act Labs Force RS manipulator, you can purchase a separate RS Shifter unit, which allows you to change gears both in random order (in an H-shaped pattern) and in sequential mode.

The optional RS Shifter unit produced by Act Labs allows you to control gear shifting using the H-pattern familiar to road cars.

As for the pedals, the vast majority of automotive manipulators are equipped with a floor platform with two pedals (accelerator and brake by default). For connoisseurs of absolute realism, kits are available that are equipped with three pedals, with the third pedal being removable so that the manipulator can be used in games that do not support the clutch control function. However, for such delights you have to shell out a very impressive amount, and besides, you cannot ignore the fact that only a very limited number of car simulators have the ability to fully control the clutch.

Along with automobile manipulators occupying a dominant position, the so-called motorcycle direction has recently been developing in this class. The number of models of such steering wheels is still significantly inferior to automobile manipulators, but they can be found in some domestic computer showrooms. An example of a motorcycle handlebar is the Thrustmaster FreeStyler Bike manipulator, which allows you to perceive not only the rotation of the steering wheel, but also the tilt of the upper part of the body relative to the base. The FreeStyler Bike handlebar has one rotating knob and two levers. There are also much more familiar controls: 11 buttons and a flat four-position pointer.

Towards a 3D interface

according to unofficial information, already in next version Windows OS will use three-dimensional interface elements. Similar rumors come from developers of operating systems for mobile devices. Naturally, for comfortable use of such innovations, a serious modernization of input devices will be required, and work in this direction is already underway.

It is likely that one of the key technologies of the future will be gesture recognition. The most accessible devices today that allow you to implement gesture recognition on a PC are Web cameras. A number of modern gaming applications have already implemented the ability to change the viewing area depending on the position of the user’s head, as well as enter some commands using gestures. However, it is likely that other, more reliable and easy-to-use “gesture catchers” will soon appear.

Thus, in one of the laboratories of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, work is underway to create a manipulator capable of recording movements in three dimensions. In addition to registering current coordinates in three-dimensional space, using such a manipulator it will be possible to recognize gestures and, using specialized software, convert them into certain commands.

And the research department of Toshiba has developed an unusual remote control remote control household appliances. This pager-sized remote control is attached to the wrist and, thanks to the presence of accelerometers (acceleration sensors), allows you to control equipment using gestures (a total of nine types of gestures are recognized). For example, by pointing at a particular device with your hand, you can turn it on or off, and by moving your hand up or down, you can adjust certain parameters (for example, the desired air temperature when controlling an air conditioner).

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