In computing, an input device is any peripheral (piece of computer hardware equipment) used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system such as a computer or other information appliance. Input and output devices make up the hardware interface between a computer and a scanner or 6DOF controller.

Many input devices can be classified according to:

• modality of input (e.g. mechanical motion, audio, visual, etc.)
• the input is discrete (e.g. key presses) or continuous (e.g. a mouse's position, though digitized into a discrete quantity, is fast enough to be considered continuous)
• the number of degrees of freedom involved (e.g. two-dimensional traditional mice, or three-dimensional navigators designed for CAD applications)

Pointing devices, which are input devices used to specify a position in space, can further be classified according to:

• Whether the input is direct or indirect. With direct input, the input space coincides with the display space, i.e. pointing is done in the space where visual feedback or the pointer appears. Touchscreens and light pens involve direct input. Examples involving indirect input include the mouse and trackball.
• Whether the positional information is absolute (e.g. on a touch screen) or relative (e.g. with a mouse that can be lifted and repositioned)

Direct input is almost necessarily absolute, but indirect input may be either absolute or relative. For example, digitizing graphics tablets that do not have an embedded screen involve indirect input and sense absolute positions and are often run in an absolute input mode, but they may also be set up to simulate a relative input mode where the stylus or puck can be lifted and repositioned.

Keyboards[link]

A 'keyboard' is a human interface device which is represented as a layout of buttons. Each button, or key, can be used to either input a linguistic character to a computer, or to call upon a particular function of the computer. Traditional keyboards use spring-based buttons, though newer variations employ virtual keys, or even projected keyboards.

Examples of types of keyboards include:

• Computer keyboard
• Keyer
• Chorded keyboard
• LPFK

Pointing devices[link]

A computer mouse

A pointing device is any human interface device that allows a user to input spatial data to a computer. In the case of mice and touch screens, this is usually achieved by detecting movement across a physical surface. Analog devices, such as 3D mice, joysticks, or pointing sticks, function by reporting their angle of deflection. Movements of the pointing device are echoed on the screen by movements of the pointer, creating a simple, intuitive way to navigate a computer's GUI.

High-degree of freedom input devices[link]

Some devices allow many continuous degrees of freedom as input. These can be used as pointing devices, but are generally used in ways that don't involve pointing to a location in space, such as the control of a camera angle while in 3D applications. These kinds of devices are typically used in CAVEs, where input that registers 6DOF is required.

Composite devices[link]

Wii Remote with attached strap

Microsoft Kinect sensor seen here on a TV, works by detecting human motion visually

Input devices, such as buttons and joysticks, can be combined on a single physical device that could be thought of as a composite device. Many gaming devices have controllers like this. Technically mice are composite devices, as they both track movement and provide buttons for clicking, but composite devices are generally considered to have more than two different forms of input.

• Game controller
• Gamepad (or joypad)
• Paddle (game controller)
• Wii Remote
• Microsoft Kinect Sensor

Imaging and Video input devices[link]

Video input devices are used to digitize images or video from the outside world into the computer. The information can be stored in a multitude of formats depending on the user's requirement.

• digital camera
• Webcam
• Image scanner
• Fingerprint scanner
• Barcode reader
• 3D scanner
• Laser rangefinder

Medical Imaging

• Computed tomography
• Magnetic resonance imaging
• Positron emission tomography
• Medical ultrasonography

Audio input devices[link]

In the fashion of video devices, audio devices are used to either capture or create sound. In some cases, an audio output device can be used as an input device, in order to capture produced sound.

• Microphone
• MIDI keyboard or other digital musical instrument

Further reading[link]

• N. P. Milner. 1988. A review of human performance and preferences with different input devices to computer systems. In Proceedings of the Fourth Conference of the British Computer Society on People and computers IV, D. M. Jones and R. Winder (Eds.). Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA, 341-362. ISBN 0-521-36553-8

Chris Harrison
Harrison with Jillian Harris at the premiere for The Proposal in June 2009
Born	Christopher Bryan Harrison (1971-07-26) July 26, 1971 (age 40) Dallas, Texas, United States
Occupation	television personality
Spouse	Gwen Jones (m. 1993) «start: (1993)»"Marriage: Gwen Jones to Chris Harrison" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Chris_Harrison); 2 children

Christopher Bryan "Chris" Harrison^[1] (born July 26, 1971^[2]) is an American television host, perhaps best known for his role as host of the ABC reality television dating show, The Bachelor since 2002, and its spin-offs The Bachelorette since 2003 and Bachelor Pad in 2010. He is also the co-host of Hollywood 411 on TV Guide Network^[3] and host of Designer's Challenge on HGTV and host of Mall Masters on Game Show Network. Harrison is from Dallas, Texas.

Career[link]

From 1993-99, Harrison worked as a sports reporter at CBS affiliate KWTV in Oklahoma City. He also worked briefly for TVG Network, a horse racing channel. On November 23, 2008, Harrison hosted the American Music Awards pre-show live on ABC. His co-hosts were Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba, and Pussycat Dolls member Nicole Scherzinger.

TV Guide Network announced that Harrison was signed to anchor its live red carpet awards coverage, beginning with the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards in September.^[4] In 2011, Harrison and Brooke Burns began co-hosting the game show You Deserve It.

Personal life[link]

Harrison was married to his college sweetheart, Gwen Harrison.^[5] They have two children, Joshua and Taylor. In May of 2012, after 18 years of marriage, Harrison and his wife announced their separation.^[6]

He graduated from Lake Highlands High School in 1989.^[7] He attended Oklahoma City University on a soccer scholarship.^{[citation needed]}

References[link]

External links[link]

• ABC Profile

Raymond Scott Hudson is a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Washington State University. Hudson was educated at Caltech, where he received his bachelor's degree in engineering and applied science in 1985, his master's degree in electrical engineering in 1986, and his PhD in electrical engineering in 1990. His research interests include radar imaging, optical signal processing, and radar astronomy.

From August 19 to 22 of 1989, Hudson and Steven Ostro observed asteroid 4769 Castalia from the Arecibo Observatory, producing the first direct image of an asteroid. 5723 Hudson was named in his honour.

External links[link]

• Profile of Scott Hudson

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