We explain what input and output devices are in computing, also called mixed or bidirectional peripherals.
What are input and output devices?
In computing, it is known as mixed or bidirectional input and output devices or peripherals, those electronic attachments that allow the entry and exit of information, that is, to introduce and extract data from the system, either as part of a rigid support mechanism (physical) or not.
In other words, the input and output devices perform the tasks of input devices and output devices at the same time, which is why they are called “mixed”, or Input / Output (I / O), often said in English: Input / Output (I / O).
In this context, when we speak of input or inputWe refer specifically to the act of feeding information to the computerized system, that is, enlarging the content of its database. This can be done using input devices such as keyboard, mouse, or camera.
On the other hand, when we talk about exit or output, we refer to the recovery or copying of the information available in the computerized system, often transferring it to a physical or other support. This can be done using output devices such as a printer, a screen or monitor, or a digital projector.
Examples of input and output devices
Some simple examples of I / O devices are as follows:
- Multifunctional printers. They were very fashionable in the early 2000s, and allowed both printing documents (output), and scanning (input). And they even had a photocopying (entry / exit) function.
- Touchscreens. Like the one that our mobile phone has, in which we can see the information that the system emits for us (output) and at the same time enter information by pressing it with our fingers (input).
- Network devices. Modems and network cards are devices that allow our system to connect to larger computer networks, from which it can extract or download information (input) or send it (output), as when we add a photo to an email.
- Virtual Reality Helmets. These devices are placed on the head to simulate a real presence in a virtual environment, emitting a virtual world in the viewers arranged in front of our eyes (output) and receiving responses from our behavior when moving the head (input) in a feedback process. that can be perfectly seen in video games.