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Computer Components Worksheet 4

This document discusses different types of input devices including keyboards, touchscreens, microphones, and sensors. It provides examples of when each type would be suitable and situations where speech recognition or touchscreens may not work well. Tasks include comparing typing on different keyboards, discussing advantages of new touchscreen technologies, matching sensors to applications, and examples of monitoring and control systems using sensors to detect pollution levels and control street lights.

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Shakila.D Raks Pallikkoodam
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143 views

Computer Components Worksheet 4

This document discusses different types of input devices including keyboards, touchscreens, microphones, and sensors. It provides examples of when each type would be suitable and situations where speech recognition or touchscreens may not work well. Tasks include comparing typing on different keyboards, discussing advantages of new touchscreen technologies, matching sensors to applications, and examples of monitoring and control systems using sensors to detect pollution levels and control street lights.

Uploaded by

Shakila.D Raks Pallikkoodam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Worksheet 4 Input devices

Unit 1 Components of a computer

Worksheet 4: Input devices


Task 1 Keyboards, pointing devices and microphones

1. For this task you need access to, or experience of using, a PC or laptop mechanical
keyboard, a tablet with a touchscreen keyboard and a mobile phone with mechanical
keyboard and/or touchscreen keyboard.

Type the following into each of the devices using the keyboards:
TABLETS and MOBILE PHONES often use “virtual” keyboards or touchscreens to enter
data. Repairs to the screens can cost $60.00 or more.

PCs and laptops use “mechanical” keyboards. These can be wireless (no physical
connection) and it is usually cheaper to replace a keyboard than to repair it. Typical
replacement cost is £35.00

On completion of the typing, make notes about the following:


(i) How many errors you made using each type of keyboard
(ii) How easy it was to type in the text using each keyboard
(iii) The time taken to type in the text using each keyboard

What do you conclude? Give situations in which a touchscreen would be a suitable input
device, with reasons.

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Worksheet 4 Input devices
Unit 1 Components of a computer

2.

The person in the diagram is giving verbal commands to a computer using a


microphone and built-in analogue-to-digital converter.
What problems might occur using speech recognition in this application? Name some
situations in which this system would be useful, and some in which it would be
impractical, giving reasons in each case.

Task 2 Touchscreen technologies


1. Some modern mobile phones use what is known as OLED (Organic Light Emitting
Diode) technology – this allows the screen to be curved.
Mobile phones that use this technology have what are known as AMOLED displays.

Find out the key advantages of this new technology compared to LCD screens.
(The following website link may be useful to you:
http://www.oled-info.com/oled-mobile-phones)

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Worksheet 4 Input devices
Unit 1 Components of a computer

Task 3 Use of sensors in real life applications


Look at the following list of sensors. Then complete the table to show which type of sensor is
the most appropriate for the group of applications shown in column 2 of the table. Each type
of sensor should only be used ONCE.

List of sensors:
Acoustic Moisture/Humidity
Gas pH
Infra-red Pressure
Light Temperature

Type of sensor Applications


• control the central heating system in a house
• control or monitor the heat output in a chemical process
• control or monitor the environmental temperature in a greenhouse
• control or monitor the dampness of soil in a greenhouse
• control or monitor the dampness of the air in a greenhouse
• monitor the dampness levels in a factory making microchips
• switch street lighting on and off at dusk and dawn
• automatically switch a car’s headlights on when it gets dark
• to close or open the greenhouse blinds to maintain light levels
• turn on a car’s windscreen wipers automatically when it starts to rain
• detection of intruders in a burglar alarm system
• count the number of people entering or leaving a supermarket
• detection of intruders in a burglar alarm system
• checking the weight of a vehicle on a weigh bridge
• measurement of air pressure to forecast weather
• pick up noise levels (e.g. footsteps) in a burglar alarm system
• detect the noise of liquids dripping from a pipe in an oil refinery
• monitor the sound levels in a car factory
• monitor CO2/O2 levels in a river
• monitor CO2/O2 levels in the air in a greenhouse
• check for the carbon monoxide levels in a car exhaust system
• monitor or control the acidity levels in a chemical process
• measurement of pollution levels in a river
• check acidity levels in the soil in a greenhouse

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Worksheet 4 Input devices
Unit 1 Components of a computer

Task 4 Monitoring and control using sensors


Decide whether the following applications are examples of monitoring or control. Tick (✓)
either column 2 (Monitoring) or column 3 (Control), for each application, to indicate your
choice.

Application Monitoring Control


Automatically turning street lights on at night and
off during the day
Changing the traffic lights at a junction to control
the traffic flow
Keeping track of a patient’s vital signs (e.g. heart
rate, temperature) in a hospital
Regulating the temperature in an air conditioning
system
Checking for intruders in a burglar alarm system

Keeping track of the pollution levels in a river


Ensuring that the anti-lock braking system in a car
works effectively

Task 5 Example of a monitoring system


This monitoring system uses sensors and a computer to monitor the pollution levels in a
river. The sensors send data to an interface box from where it is transmitted to a central
computer.
The system uses oxygen level sensors and pH sensors. The people in the control room are
monitoring for:
• Oxygen levels in the river falling below 15%, and
• pH levels in the river going outside the range 6 to 8
Explain how the system can be used to show any trends so that action can be taken before
pollution levels are exceeded.

Task 6 Example of a control system


Street lamps switch on when it becomes dark and switch off again when it becomes light.
Name an input device that could be used for this application.
What are the possible problems that could arise from the use of this input device? How could
they be overcome?

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