Input/output facts for kids

In computing, input/output (often called I/O) is how a computer or other digital system talks to the outside world. This "outside world" could be a person, another computer, or a different device.

Think of it like a conversation:

• Inputs are the messages or data the computer receives.
• Outputs are the messages or data the computer sends out.

What are Input Devices?

Input devices are tools that let you give information or commands to a computer. They take your actions and turn them into digital signals the computer can understand.

For example:

• A keyboard lets you type words and numbers. When you press a key, it sends a signal to the computer.
• A mouse lets you move a pointer on the screen and click things. Your hand movements are turned into signals.
• A microphone takes your voice (sound waves) and turns it into digital audio data for the computer.
• A webcam captures images or videos from the real world and sends them to the computer.

What are Output Devices?

Output devices are tools that let a computer show or send information back to you or another system. They take the computer's digital signals and turn them into something you can see, hear, or touch.

For example:

• A monitor shows you pictures, videos, and text on a screen. The computer sends signals to the monitor, which then displays them.
• A printer takes digital documents and prints them onto paper.
• Speakers play sounds and music that the computer creates.
• A projector takes what's on your computer screen and projects it onto a larger surface, like a wall.

Devices That Do Both: Input and Output

Some devices are clever because they can handle both input and output! They can send information to the computer and also receive information from it.

Here are some examples:

• A modem helps your computer connect to the internet. It takes data from your computer (output) and sends it out, and it receives data from the internet (input) and sends it to your computer.
• A network card (like the one in your computer for Wi-Fi or Ethernet) lets your computer send and receive data over a network.
• A touchscreen is a great example. You use your finger to touch the screen (input), and the screen also displays information (output).
• A headset with a microphone lets you listen to sounds (output) and also talk (input).

How Computers Understand Information

Computers are digital machines. This means they only work with information that is in a digital format, like ones and zeros. So, any input a computer receives, whether it's from a keyboard, mouse, or microphone, must first be changed into digital signals. This process is called digitizing the information.

For example, when you speak into a microphone, your voice (which is an analog sound wave) is converted into digital data that the computer can store and process.