1. Push Buttons
- What it is: A simple switch that you press to send an “on” or “off” signal.
- How it works: When you press a button, it either connects or disconnects an electrical circuit. This sends a signal to the device (like a microcontroller) saying “button pressed” or “button not pressed.”
- Common use: Turning something on or off, like a power button or a reset button.
2. Rotary Encoder
- What it is: A device that turns like a dial (think of adjusting volume on a speaker).
- How it works: It detects rotational movement and can track how much the dial has turned. It sends signals to a device that indicates the position or movement (turning left or right).
- Common use: Adjusting volume, changing settings, or controlling things like brightness on a screen.
3. Keypad (e.g., 4×4 Matrix)
- What it is: A set of buttons arranged in rows and columns (like a phone keypad).
- How it works: When you press a button, it sends a combination of row and column signals that correspond to a specific key. A 4×4 matrix means there are 4 rows and 4 columns, so 16 buttons in total.
- Common use: Entering numbers or letters, like on an ATM or entering a password.
4. Joystick Module
- What it is: A small device with a stick that you can move in different directions (like a game controller joystick).
- How it works: It uses sensors to detect how much you move the joystick along the X (left-right) and Y (up-down) axes. It sends the information to the device to tell it how far you moved.
- Common use: Video game controllers, controlling robots, or navigating menus.
5. Potentiometer (for analog input)
- What it is: A knob that you can turn to adjust something (like volume control).
- How it works: It adjusts the resistance inside it when you turn the knob. This change in resistance translates into a variable voltage that can be read by a device to know how much you’ve turned the knob.
- Common use: Adjusting volume, brightness, or any other setting that requires continuous input.
6. LCD/OLED Display (for showing data)
- What it is: A screen that displays text, numbers, or images (LCD is liquid crystal display, OLED is organic light-emitting diode).
- How it works: It takes input from a device (like a microcontroller) and shows information visually. For example, it can show numbers, time, or messages.
- Common use: Showing output like time, temperature, or any data in devices like clocks, calculators, or digital thermometers.
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