DIGITAL DEVICES AND INTERFACES
Menu-Driven Interface
❖ Displays a list of options in a menu.
❖ Each option either triggers a command or leads to another menu with
more options.
❖ Easier to use than command-line interfaces but can be slower since users
navigate multiple menus.
❖ Used in devices like ATMs, televisions, and older mobile phones.
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
✓ Uses a screen with windows, icons, menus, and pointers (WIMP).
✓ More intuitive but requires more memory and storage than command-line
interfaces.
✓ Commonly used in operating systems and applications.
Below is a graphical user interface showing windows, icons, menus, and
pointers.
Voice Interface
❖ Allows users to speak commands to a device.
❖ Uses voice recognition software to match spoken words against a stored
library.
❖ Often requires internet access for updated libraries.
❖ Disadvantage: Sometimes fails to recognize words correctly.
❖ Advantage: Hands-free operation, useful in vehicles and smart home
devices.
Below is a voice interface with a waveform representing spoken commands.
Below are smart speakers used for voice interfaces in home automation.
Gesture Interface
❖ Enables users to control a device by swiping or pinching fingers on a
touchscreen.
❖ Common in smartphones and tablets.
Connectivity
• Devices can connect via wired or wireless methods.
• Backup: Important to store copies of data to prevent loss.
• Wireless connectivity risks: Can be less reliable than wired connections
and poses safety hazards (e.g., tripping over cables in wired networks).
Media Support
• Devices read and write data to different storage formats, such as SD
cards, memory cards, and DVDs.
• Some laptops lack built-in optical drives, requiring an external drive.
Energy Consumption
❖ Digital devices require electricity.
❖ Mobile devices benefit from lower energy consumption, leading to longer
battery life.
❖ Manufacturers are designing energy-efficient devices to be
environmentally responsible.
❖ Data centers use a lot of energy, with a significant portion allocated to
cooling systems.
Security Features
❖ Digital devices store private and public data.
❖ Security measures are required to protect users’ data.
DIGITAL DEVICES AND SECURITY
Software Security
❖ Digital devices include security features to prevent unauthorized access.
❖ Common security methods:
✓ Passwords and PINs (Personal Identification Numbers): Users must
enter a PIN or password to unlock a device.
✓ Screen Locks: Devices lock after a period of inactivity and require
reauthentication.
✓ Retry Limits and Data Wipe: Some devices limit the number of
incorrect attempts and may wipe data after multiple failed entries.
❖ Longer and more complex passwords are more secure.
❖ Pattern PINs: Used in smartphones, offering more combinations than
numeric PINs.
✓ A four-digit numeric PIN has 10,000 possible combinations.
✓ A four-point pattern PIN has 389,112 possible combinations.
Diagram below shows smartphone's lock screen displaying a pattern PIN
interface.
Physical Security
❖ Preventing device theft is crucial.
❖ Security measures include:
✓ Security locks – Devices have security slots to attach locks,
preventing unauthorized removal.
✓ Specialist locks – Some locks require screws to attach them securely
to devices.
A Kensington security lock in use.
Biometric Security
❖ Some devices use biometric scanners (e.g., Apple® Touch ID®) to grant
authorized users access.
❖ Biometrics provide an added layer of security.
Activity: Drones and Security
1. Search and watch these drone-related videos:
✓ TU Delft – Ambulance Drone
✓ Drone Racing: First Person View (FPV) Lateline
✓ Amazon® Prime Air’s First Custom Delivery
✓ Analyze how the drones' features contribute to their functionality.
2. Search for ‘Eagles drones Dutch Police’ and read about how police
handle the misuse of drones.
Types of Peripheral Devices
❖ Peripheral devices are external devices that can be connected to a
computer.
❖ They are categorized into three types:
✓ Input devices – Used to enter data into the computer (e.g.,
keyboards, mice).
✓ Output devices – Display or output data from the computer (e.g.,
monitors, printers).
✓ Storage devices – Store data externally (e.g., USB flash drives,
external hard drives).
The diagram showing data input (keyboard), processing (computer), and
output (screen).
Characteristics of Peripheral Devices
Activity: Investigating Peripheral Devices
❖ Create posters highlighting the characteristics and uses of different types
of peripheral devices.
❖ Divide the work among class members:
✓ Some investigate input peripherals.
✓ Some investigate output peripherals.
✓ Others investigate storage peripherals.
Input Peripherals
• Devices that send data to the computer.
• Allow users to control the computer or input data from external sources.
Keyboards
• Keyboards use keys (buttons) to input text or interact with software.
• Connected via wired or wireless technology.
• Different keyboards are designed for different:
✓ Operating systems.
✓ Language requirements.
✓ Functions.
Keyboard Shortcuts
• Combination of key presses to access common commands faster.
• Some users learn touch-typing, which improves typing speed by
eliminating the need to look at the keyboard
Specialized keyboard for video software, with keys mapped to
commands.
Pointing Devices
Devices used to control a pointer on a screen to interact with objects.
Mouse
• Uses an optical sensor to detect movement and position.
• Some mice use roller balls to control the cursor.
Roller ball mouse.
Tracker Ball
• Stationary device where the user rolls a ball to move the pointer.
• Unlike a traditional mouse, no buttons need to be pressed.
Trackpad
❖ A touch-sensitive surface that detects finger movements, touches, and
presses.
❖ Built into laptops to save space.
Joystick and Graphics Tablet
• Joystick:
✓ Commonly used in game controllers to move sprites (on-screen
graphics).
• Graphics Tablet:
✓ Flat pad used with a stylus for drawing or writing.
✓ Preferred by digital artists and designers.
SCANNER (INCLUDING OMR AND OCR)
