PHERIPHERAL DEVICES

A peripheral device is generally defined as any auxiliary device such as a

computer mouse or keyboard that connects to and works with the
computer in some way. Other examples of peripherals are image
scanners, tape drives, microphones, loudspeakers, webcams, and digital
cameras. Many modern devices, such as digital watches, smartphones
and tablet computers, have interfaces that allow them to be used as a
peripheral by desktop computers, although they are not
host-dependent in the same way as other peripheral devices.Common
input peripherals include keyboards, computer mice, graphic tablets,
touchscreens, barcode readers, image scanners, microphones,
webcams, game controllers, light pens, and digital cameras. Common
output peripherals include computer displays, printers, projectors, and
computer speakers.

computer keyboard
In computing, a computer keyboard is a typewriter-style device, which uses an
arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic
switches. Following the decline of punch cards and paper tape, interaction via
teleprinter-style keyboards became the main input device for computers.
A keyboard typically has characters engraved or printed on the keys and each
press of a key typically corresponds to a single written symbol. However, to
produce some symbols requires pressing and holding several keys simultaneously
or in sequence. While most keyboard keys produce letters, numbers or signs
(characters), other keys or simultaneous key presses can produce actions or
execute computer commands.
In normal usage, the keyboard is used as a text entry interface to type text and

numbers into a word processor, text editor or other programs. In a modern

computer, the interpretation of key presses is generally left to the software. A
computer keyboard distinguishes each physical key from every other and reports
all key presses to the controlling software. Keyboards are also used for computer
gaming, either with regular keyboards or by using keyboards with special gaming
features, which can expedite frequently used keystroke combinations. A keyboard
is also used to give commands to the operating system of a computer, such as
Windows' Control-Alt-Delete combination, which brings up a task window or shuts
down the machine.

TYPES OF KEYBOARDS
Keyboards are an indispensable accessory for a computer. One of the
most basic input devices, computer keyboards are used in navigation,
execution of processes, programming and several other purposes.
Several software based application directly derive their existence from a
keyboard. For instance, social networking websites, programming
languages, navigation over the computer menus etc. utilize a computer
key oard. E en this ery arti le ouldnt ha e een possi le ithout a
keyboard.
This device has not undergone too much of a transformation ever since
it was introduced. Additional keys have been added, and of course, and
it is available in a customized version in every electronic appliance with
practically the same format (save a few keys here and there), like the
laptop, iPad, smartphones, etc. However, some of the most common
keyboards are:
82-key Apple standard keyboard
108-key Apple Extended keyboard

101-key Enhanced keyboard

104-key Windows keyboard
Types Of keyboards are as follows:

AZERTY
AZERTY is a specific layout for the characters of the Latin alphabet on
typewriter keys and computer keyboards. The layout takes its name
from the first six letters to appear on the first row of alphabetical keys.
Like the German QWERTZ layout, it is modelled on the English QWERTY
layout. It is used by most French speakers based in Europe, though
France and Belgium each have their own national variations on the
layout. Luxembourg and Switzerland use the Swiss QWERTZ keyboard.
Most of the residents of Quebec, the mainly French-speaking province
of Canada, use a QWERTY keyboard that has been adapted to the
French language, although the government of Quebec and the Canadian
federal government stipulate and use the Multilingual Standard
keyboard CAN/CSA Z243.200-92

ERGONOMIC KEYBOARD
The artifact of this keyboard is slightly broader and different in shape,
when compared
with the normal keyboard. In this key board
certain space will be existing between the two sets of keys and the
countered shape of this key board allow the users to place their hands
in the natural position to type. These key boards are mostly used by the
people who often work with the key board as their usage is easier and is
less stressful for the wrist. The following figure: Ergonomic keyboard

shows how the set of keys are separated with gaps in between.

MINI PS/2
The MINI PS/2 keyboards are very small in size and are compatible with
the PS/2 computers. This keyboard resembles the laptop keyboard and
it is square in shape. This keyboard is composed of fewer key and do
not have detach numeric keypad.
Comes with a full QWERTY keyboard, and has a num-lock number pad.
Nearly all microcontrollers have existing PS/2 keyboard examples that
would work fine with this keyboard

TECHNICAL DETAILS OF MINI PS2

83 Keys
Plastic case dimensions: 8.75" x 4.65" x 0.6" (220mm x 118mm x 16mm)
Weight: 220 grams
USB or PS/2 protocol
Cable length: 48 inches / 1.25m

MULTIMEDIA
A multimedia keyboard is designed to make it simple for the user to
access often-used programs. There are special keys used to access the
Internet, music, and other frequently used programs such as email. A
typical example contains buttons that control various computer
processes, such as turning on the computer's power, putting the CPU to
sleep, and waking it up again.The web browser keys on a multimedia

keyboard should be familiar to most Internet users. Back, forward, stop,

and refresh buttons are usually present, along with buttons to access
bookmarked favorites, search, and whatever web page the user has set
up as their browser's preference as the initially loaded homepage. Most
of these keyboards also have a hotkey for the computer's calculator
program, a well as a key to open the computer's access screen for
navigation of applications and files.Volume control is another handy
function that many such keyboards possess.

INTERNET
The Internet keyboards are designed for wider range of multimedia
applications, these keyboards are specially designed for the intense
Internet user. The special keys included in this keyboard are the home
key, back and forward key, e-mail launch key, and browser launch key
etc. these keys carry out the same functionality as of the buttons on the
webpage. In order use these extra keys the computer must be
embedded with right operating system.

WIRELESS
A wireless keyboard, the name itself doles the meaning that this
keyboard can be operated without addressing a wired connection to the
processor. The wireless keyboards are also referred as Cordless
keyboards; these keyboards require batteries to provide the electricity
hi h usually deli ered through a P/2 or UB a le. AA or AAA
batteries are most widely used standard batteries for wireless
keyboards. Apple Macs are known to revolutionize the wireless

keyboard by making them thinner than the wired ones. These

keyboards usually work at 2.4 GHz frequency and come with a dongle
that connects and makes them communicate with the computer.

GAMING
As the name suggest, gaming keyboards are those who are into gaming
and need easy access to the keys that are usually utilized in gaming.
These keyboards are composed of particular gaming-oriented features
such as key lighting, programmable keys, and/or extra controls of
volume and brightness. These keyboards are available in wired and
wireless, in case if wired, it usually supports the USB port.

MEMBRANE
Membrane keyboards are one of the keyboard types, which are used
very rarely. The keys integrated in this keyboard are non-moving
pressure-sensitive keys. The keys in this keyboard are so close, so that
there is no scope for spilling liquids into the keyboard. Such keyboard
types are also used in mobile phones and old landline phones.
Keyboards are slowly being incorporated into touch screens that are
being widely incorporated in various phones and tablet computers.
Named as touch screen keyboards, these are virtual keyboard units
have a QWERTY and numeric appearance so that message typing and
number calling are quite easy. Also, gaming consoles that provide social
networking such as the PlayStation 3 have an on-screen keyboard which
can be accessed by user joystick.

Types of Keys
The device we use at present was modeled in the 1940s based on the
technology of a typewriter keyboard. In general, most of the keyboards
contain 80 to 110 keys, depending on the OS, the manufacturer, or the
application it is made for. There are four basic types of keys:
Function keys
Typing keys
Numerical keys
Control keys

Function keys
Every keyboard comes with a set of function keys (F1 through F12) but
do you know functionalities of those function keys (or fn keys)?
Sometimes in multimedia keyboard or compact keyboard, these
function keys come as secondary functions on other keys like
brightness, sleep, play media, player, mute. In such keyboard, to use
function keys, you may need to press another special key 'fn' (beside
Windows key) and then any function key. These function keys can be
used with combination of other keys like ctrl or alt or shift.
Each function key is built to perform specific task but it may vary based
upon operating system and the kind of program you are using right
now.

NUMERICAL keys

A numeric keypad, number pad, numpad, or ten key, is the palm-sized,

17-key section of a standard computer keyboard, usually on the far
right. It provides calculator-style efficiency for entering
numbers.Numeric keypads usually operate in two modes. When Num
Lock is off, keys 8, 6, 2, and 4 act like arrow/navigation keys up, right,
down, and left; and 7, 9, 3, and 1 act like Home, PgUp, PgDn, and End.
When Num Lock is on, digit keys produce the corresponding digit. On
Apple Macintosh computers, which lack a Num Lock key, the numeric
keypad always produces only numbers; the Num Lock key is replaced by
the Clear key.

How keyboard works:

the keboard work as : Inside the keyboard, there are metallic plate,
circuit board (key matrix) and processor, which are responsible for
transferring information from the keyboard to the computer.
Depending upon the working principle, there are two main types of
keys, namely, capacitive and hard-contact. Let's discuss in brief about
the functioning of capacitive and hard contact key.

Capacitive Key
On the underside of a capacitive key, a metal plunger is fixed, which
helps in activating the circuit flow. When a capacitive key is pressed, the
metal plunger applies a gentle pressure to the circuit board. The
pressure is identified by the computer and the circuit flow is initiated,
resulting in the transfer of information from the circuit to the currently
installed software.

Hard Contact Key

A hard contact key is attached with a metallic plate that helps in
connecting the circuit board. When the hard contact key is pressed, it
pushes a metallic plate, which in turn touches the metallic portion of
the circuit plate. This overall process of completing a circuit results in a
circuit flow, allowing the transfer of the message to the central
processing unit (CPU), which is further transmitted to the software.

In both the key types, the circuit signals the processor to read and/or
identify the character that has been pressed. For example, in a hard
contact key, the processor reads that pressing 'shift' and 'a' keys at the
same time corresponds to 'A'. Hence accordingly, the letter, sign or
symbol is displayed on the screen. Releasing the pressed key breaks the
circuit flow, after which the key retains its original position. The
communication between a computer keyboard and main computer is
bi-directional, meaning that message or information can be sent within
each other.