Direct data entry devices Cambridge IGCSE Information & Communication Technology revision
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In plain words
Typing is slow and people make mistakes. Direct data entry devices read data straight from its source: a card, a tag, a form, a printed code. No typing, so it is faster and far more accurate.
6 things to know
- A magnetic stripe reader reads the data held on the stripe on the back of a card. It is fast, but the stripe can be damaged by magnets or wear, and it holds little data.
- A chip and PIN reader reads the chip on a card, and the user types a PIN to prove the card is theirs. It is more secure than a stripe and a signature.
- A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader uses radio waves to read a tag from a distance, with no line of sight needed. Many tags can be read at once. It is used for tracking stock, passports and contactless payment.
- Optical mark recognition (OMR) reads marks made in set positions on a form, such as multiple-choice answer sheets and school registers. It is very fast, but the forms must be filled in exactly.
- Optical character recognition (OCR) reads printed or handwritten characters and turns them into text that can be edited. It is used to read number plates and to scan documents.
- A bar code reader reads the lines of a bar code to identify a product. A QR scanner reads a square code that holds more data, such as a web address, and can be read by a phone camera.
Worked example
A school wants to mark 500 multiple-choice test papers quickly. Which method of data entry should it use?
- Each answer is a mark in a set position on a printed form.
- Optical mark recognition reads the positions of marks.
- It can read hundreds of forms in minutes, and makes fewer errors than a person marking by hand.
Tips and tricks
- OMR reads marks in positions. OCR reads characters. Mixing them up is the commonest slip in this topic.
- For RFID, the key points are radio waves, no line of sight, and several tags read at once.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Direct data entry devices: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
Which device reads marks made on a multiple-choice answer sheet?
Optical mark recognition reads the position of each mark.
Which technology converts a scanned page of printed text into text that can be edited?
Optical character recognition.
Which technology reads data using radio waves?
No line of sight is needed.
Why is chip and PIN more secure than a magnetic stripe and a signature?
A stolen card is useless without the PIN.
Which code can hold a web address and be read by a phone camera?
It holds much more data than a bar code.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
2 questions, 5 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Direct data entry devices
Cambridge IGCSE Information & Communication Technology 0417 · 5 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
Give two advantages of using direct data entry devices compared with typing data on a keyboard.[2]
Show answerHide answer
Data is entered faster. Fewer errors are made, because nothing is typed.
Describe three differences between a bar code and an RFID tag as ways of identifying stock.[3]
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A bar code must be in the reader's line of sight, but an RFID tag does not. Bar codes are read one at a time, but many RFID tags can be read at once. An RFID tag can be read from further away. (Also: a tag can hold more data.)
Answers: Direct data entry devices
- 1. Data is entered faster. Fewer errors are made, because nothing is typed.
- 2. A bar code must be in the reader's line of sight, but an RFID tag does not. Bar codes are read one at a time, but many RFID tags can be read at once. An RFID tag can be read from further away. (Also: a tag can hold more data.)