Deck 2.3
Output Devices
Visual, Physical, Audio, & Tactile
ICT 110: IT for Business
Today's Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to evaluate the strategic role of various output technologies in business operations.
- ✅ Visual: Analyze how monitors and projectors impact productivity in Finance and HR.
- ✅ Physical: Select the correct printer technology (Laser vs. Inkjet vs. Thermal) for specific business needs.
- ✅ Audio & Tactile: Explain how sound and haptics enhance communication, safety, and training.
- ✅ Integration: Justify device selection based on cost, durability, and function.
What are Output Devices?
An output device converts machine-readable information (binary data) into a human-understandable format (Text, Image, Sound, or Touch).
Input
→ Processing (CPU) →
Output Device
→
Human
1. Visual Output
Monitors & Projectors
Monitors: The Business Interface
Key Technologies
- LED/LCD: Standard, energy-efficient. Good for general office work.
- IPS: Better color & viewing angles. Essential for collaboration.
- OLED: Superior contrast & color. Critical for Creative/Marketing roles.
- CRT (Legacy): Bulky, older tech. Largely obsolete but used in some niche legacy systems.
Business Application
- 💰 Finance: Multiple monitors (Dual/Quad setup) to view spreadhseets and live market data simultaneously.
- ⚙️ Operations: Ruggedized, dust-proof screens for factory floors.
- 🤝 HR/Admin: Standard HD monitors for document processing and HRIS management.
Projectors: Shared Viewing
Technologies
- LCD (Liquid Crystal Display): Sharp, color-rich. Good for detailed graphs.
- DLP (Digital Light Processing): High contrast, smooth motion. Great for video.
Business Use
Transforming individual work into a shared group experience.
Strategy Meetings
Boardrooms use high-lumens projectors to display financial results and strategic plans to stakeholders.
Training (HR)
Delivering compliance training or software tutorials to large groups of employees at once.
Operations
Command centers use projected walls to visualize logistics flows, maps, or project timelines (Gantt).
2. Physical Output
Printers & 3D Fabrication
Printers: Digital to Hard Copy
Choosing the right printer affects cost (OpEx) and quality.
| Type |
Best For |
Business Use Case |
| Laser |
High volume, text, speed. Low cost per page. |
Finance/Admin: Invoices, Contracts, Reports. |
| Inkjet |
High quality, color, photos. Higher cost. |
Marketing: Brochures, proofs, client handouts. |
| Thermal |
Durable labels, receipts. No ink needed. |
Ops/Logistics: Shipping labels, Barcodes, POS receipts. |
| 3D Printer |
Physical prototypes from digital models. |
R&D: Prototyping new product designs before mass mfgr. |
3. Audio & Tactile
Sound & Touch
Audio Output in Business
🔊 Communication
- VoIP/Conferencing: Headsets enable clear communication for remote teams and call centers (Support/Sales).
- PA Systems: Announcements in large facilities (Factories, Malls) for logistics or emergencies.
- Surround Sound: Immersive audio for Boardrooms and immersive marketing presentations.
⚠️ Alerts & Monitoring
- Operations: Audible alarms on machinery signal malfunctions immediately.
- Finance: Trading terminals use sound cues for market opening/closing or significant stock drops.
Tactile (Haptic) Output
Haptics: Using touch (vibration/force) to convey information.
UseCase: Immersive Training (VR)
Scenario: Training new employees on heavy machinery or surgical procedures.
Tech: Haptic gloves/controllers simulate the "resistance" of a lever or the "weight" of an object.
Benefit: Safe learning environment (zero risk), builds muscle memory, reduces insurance costs.
- Braille Readers: Tactile lines of text for visually impaired employees. Critical for Accessibility and inclusion (HR).
- Wearables: Smartwatches vibrate for silent notifications (Executives in meetings) or health/safety alerts (Field workers).
Practical Application in Nepal 🇳🇵
💰 FinTech (eSewa/Khalti)
- Visual: Fraud teams monitor transaction dashboards on ultra-wide screens.
- Audio: App sounds confirm successful payments for merchants instantly.
🛵 Logistics (Pathao/Daraz)
- Tactile: Rider phones vibrate strongly to signal new ride requests in noisy traffic.
- Physical: Thermal printers generate thousands of shipping labels daily at sorting hubs.
Future Tech: BCI
Brain-Computer Interfaces
Direct communication between the brain and an external device.
Currently in R&D, but holds massive potential for Accessibility—allowing employees with severe motor disabilities to control computers, type, and communicate using only thought.
Summary: The Right Tool for the Job
- ✅ Efficiency: Laser printers for volume (Finance), Thermal for speed (Logistics).
- ✅ Quality: OLED/IPS monitors for creators (Marketing).
- ✅ Safety & Speed: Haptic alerts and Audio alarms for real-time reaction (Ops).
Output devices transform abstract data into actionable business reality.
Thank You!
Any Questions?
Next Topic: Processing Hardware (CPU & Memory)
Back to Start
Deck 2.3 Output Devices Visual, Physical, Audio, & Tactile ICT 110: IT for Business