4. Touchpad
A touchpad is an input device which is usually found on a laptop computer.
Because a laptop is meant to be portable, people aren't always able to attach a traditional mouse, it might be too much hassle or there might not be enough room to use one. A touchpad can be used in place of a mouse.
By dragging your finger over the surface of the touchpad, sensors underneath detect the movement direction and speed. The sensors only react to a fingertip and not a pencil or other object. There are usually two buttons next to the touchpad which are used to replace the left and right mouse button.
| Advantages of touchpads | Disadvantages of touchpads |
|---|---|
| Useful for laptops when using a mouse isn't practical | Takes practice and skill to control the position of the cursor using the touchpad |
| The pad's position is fixed compared to the keyboard, unlike with a traditional mouse | Gloves cannot be worn i.e. in a clean room or industrial environment where gloves need to be worn. |
| Very short finger movements are required to move the cursor | Moist, sweaty or calloused fingers can disrupt the signals picked up by the sensors. |
Challenge see if you can find out one extra fact on this topic that we haven't already told you
Click on this link: Touchpad Mouse