Fundamentals of Hardware and Software

FUNDAMENTALS OF
HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE
PREPARED BY: Jada Cameron
 A Computer is an electronic device, operating under the
control of instructions stored in its memory.
 User: A user is someone who communicates with the
computer or uses information it generates.
 Data is the collection of raw unprocessed facts, figures and
symbols. Computer processes data to create Information
hence information is data that is organized, meaningful and
useful.
 Hardware are the physical components contained in a
computer system. For example; printers, monitor and speaker.
 Peripheral Device any hardware device connected to and
controlled by the central processing unit. Example of
peripherals are modems, disk drives, printers, scanners and
keyboard.
 Software also called program is a series of instructions that
tells the hardware how to perform tasks. Without software
most hardware are useless
INTRODUCTION  Backing store: Storage external to the computer used for large
quantities of data or large programs. Backing
 store is also known as secondary store, auxiliary store or
external store.
INFROMATION
PROCESSING
CYCLE
• Input is any data or instructions you can enter a
computer. Output is the data that has been processed into
information and displayed to the user. Computer input
(DATA) into output (INFORMATION). Storage is an
area in a computer that can hold data and information for
future use. The series of input, process, output, and
storage activities is called Information Processing cycle
Major hardware components of a
computer
A Computer contains many electric, electronic and mechanical components known as hardware. These
components include input devices, output devices, a system unit, storage devices and communication device.
The main components of a computer system will be further discussed in this Section. These include:
• Input Devices
• Output Devices
• Secondary Storage Media
• Central Processing Unit (Processor)
• Memory
Keyboard: Contains key that allows you to
type letters of that alphabet, numbers, spaces,
An input device is any hardware components punctuation marks and other symbols. A
that allow a user to enter data and instructions computer keyboard also contains other keys
into a computer. Most used input devices and that allow you to enter data and instructions
media are discussed below. into a computer. Braille keyboards are also
available which contains Braille symbols on
each keyboard keys.
INPUT Mouse: Is a small handheld pointing device

that contains at least one button. The mouse
controls that movement of a symbol on the
Light Pen: A light pen is a handheld pointing
input device that can detect the presence of
DEVICES screen called a pointer. E.g., as you move the

mouse on a flat surface, the pointer on the
screen also moves. With the mouse you can
light. To select objects on the screen, a user
presses the light pen against the surface of the
screen or points the light pen at the screen and
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make choices, start a process and selects then presses a button on the pen.
objects.
Digital Camera: Allows you to take digital

pictures. Images viewable immediately on
camera and can be Downloaded to the
computer or posted pictures to the web.
INPUT DEVICES AND MEDIA
Joystick: Users running game software or flight Touch Screen /Touch terminal: Allows users to
and driving stimulation software often use a enter limited amounts of data by touching the
joystick as a pointing device. A joystick is a surface of a sensitized video display monitor with Scanner: Reads printed text and
vertical lever mounted on a base. You move the a finger or a pointer. Because they require a lot of
arm movements, you do not enter large amounts
pictures and then translate the
lever in different directions to control the
actions of the simulated vehicle or player. The
of data into touch screens. Instead, you touch results in a digital form the
lever usually includes buttons called triggers
words, pictures, numbers, or locations identified
on the screen. Touch screens are often found in
computer can use.
you press to activate certain events. retail stores, restaurants, and shopping malls.
Graphic Tablet (or digitizing tablet, graphics pad, drawing

Magnetic Ink Character (MICR): Used Microphone: Voice input device that table): is a computer input device that allows one to hand-
primarily in cheque processing for the banking draw images and graphics, similar to the way one draws
industry. Characters on the bottom of a check
captures sound and into digital form images with a pencil and paper. These tablets may also be
identify the bank, checking account, and check for processing by the computer. used to capture data or handwritten signatures. A graphics
tablet consists of a flat surface upon which the user may
number and are preprinted using special Microphones can serve as input "draw" an image using an attached stylus, a pen-like
magnetic ink. A MICR reader translates these devices for music, spoken words and drawing apparatus. The image generally does not appear
characters into digital form for the computer. on the tablet itself but, rather, is displayed on the computer
other sounds. monitor
Webcam :Web cam is used to capture

video and still images, send e-mail
messages with video attachments,
add live images to instant messages,
broadcast live images over the
Internet, and to make video
telephone calls on Internet
 Biometrics Systems: Biometrics refers to methods used to authenticate person’s identity by
verifying unique personal characteristic based upon one or more physical or behavioral traits.
Examples are Fingerprint reader which captures curves and indentations of fingerprint Hand
geometry system measures shape and size of person’s hand voice verification system compares
live speech with stored voice pattern signature verification system recognizes shape of
signature Iris recognition system reads patterns in blood vessels behind retina
 Sensors: This is a device that collects data directly from the environment for input into the
computer. There are many types of sensors that are used to measure things like heat, or wind
speed. Sensors could be used to monitor the temperature in a furnace.
 Voice Response Unit: A voice response unit responds to voice commands, rather than input
from a keystroke or a mouse. This device enables output from a computer system in the form
of user recorded words/phrases, music, alarms or anything that can be recorded as sounds.
INPUT DEVICES 

Remote Control: is an electronic device used for the remote operation of a machine e.g., a
multimedia projector remote control.
OPTICAL READERS An Optical Reader is a device that uses a light source to read characters,
AND MEDIA
marks and codes, and then converts them into digital data that a computer can process. Two
technologies used by optical readers are optical characters recognition and optical mark
recognition.
 Optical Mark Reader (OMR): This is a technology that reads hand drawn marks such as small
circles or rectangles. A person places these marks on a form, such as test, survey, or
questionnaire answer sheet. With a test, the OMR device first scans the answer key sheet to
record correct answers based on the pattern of the light. The OMR device then scans the
remaining documents and matches their patterns of light against the answer key sheet.
 Optical character recognition (OCR): Is a technology that involves reading typewritten,

computer-printed, or hand-printed characters from ordinary documents and translating the
images in a form that the computer can process. Most OCR devices include a small optical
scanner for reading characters and sophisticated software to analyze what is read.
 Bar Code reader: A bar code scanner is an optical reader that uses laser beams to read bar
codes. A bar code is an identification code that consists of a set of vertical lines and spaces of
different widths. The bar code identifies the manufacturer and the item.
OUTPUT DEVICES
• An output device is any hardware component that can convey information to a user. Three commonly used
are: AUDIO OUTPUT
• Speaker: speakers allow you to hear music, voice and other sounds generated by the computer.
• Head-phones: A pair of listening devices joined by a band across the top of the head and worn in or over the
ears
• Earphones: allow you to hear music, voice and other sounds by placing the ends of the earphones directly into
the ear.

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FUNDAMENTALS OF

INPUT Mouse: Is a small handheld pointing device

DEVICES screen called a pointer. E.g., as you move the

Digital Camera: Allows you to take digital

Graphic Tablet (or digitizing tablet, graphics pad, drawing

Webcam :Web cam is used to capture

 Optical character recognition (OCR): Is a technology that involves reading typewritten,

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