What is a Light Pen?

A light pen is a type of pointing input device that detects light and is frequently used to select or alter text or data on a screen. These devices, when used with a CRT (cathode ray tube) monitor, were an early method of highlighting and modifying data on the screen.

What is a Light Pen?

A light pen is a computer input device. It works just like a mouse and It’s a pointing device that can help us to touch any icon on the screen and open it. It’s connected to the monitor. It has a tip with light which helps to detect the location of the pen on the screen. A light pen is used to draw lines or images on the screen and edit text. Light pens do not generate any light, instead, they contain photocells to detect the presence of light. When is detected from the screen enabling the computer to identify the location of the pen on the screen. It basically works as Enter and OK. As well as we can call it an electronic pen. It was invented by BEN GURLY in 1959 with the idea of a mouse.

Characteristics of the light pen:

• When drawing graphics, a light pen comes in very handy.
• Objects on the display screen are selected with a light pen.

Light Pen

History of Light Pen

A light pen was made in 1955 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where the “Whirlwind” was a part of the project then its prototype was ready in America in 1950. Its complete credit goes to Ben Gurly. He looked after the mouse and then he got the idea of making a light pen. It is known as a light gun as well. At the 1960s, the light pen was presented for text-only terminals and then IBM 2250 became on graphics terminals. Its usage was expanded in music workstations in 1980.

Uses of Light Pen

A light pen is a flexible tool that can work in many of the applications. Such as-

• Graphic Designs: It is widely used in graphical representation to draw directly on screen with the help of a pointer device (light pen).
• Highlighting: It’s used to point to any image on the screen or highlight and edit text. It depends on the users for what task they have to use this device.
• Locator: It is used to pin the location or select the point or icons on the screen and can be used in certain applications.
• Presentation: If it’s a school, college, company, or business meeting everyone uses PowerPoint presentations in their works, and for displaying or identifying or you can say in pointing they all use this device on the projector.
• Painting: It is a flexible way to draw digital art with the help of a light pen.

Types of Light Pen

• Corded light pens: It’s the oldest light pen. Although, It has a cord that is joined with the back side of the pen and there is no need to recharge the pen. It can connect cables with computers and monitors.
• Battery light pens: It can generate light on the screen and it can go on and work for a long duration. This doesn’t need even a port cable to connect with the device.
• Design light Pens: This device helps in designing, sketching, or drawing. All graphics designs are directly represented on the screen by drawing with the help of a pointer.
• Led light pens: It is a light source that helps to point, write, or interact with any digital displays, among other things.

Advantages of Light Pen

• Easy to use: Light pens are easy to use as many of devices work as a touch screens some works with keyboards. As same we can use light pen for pointing device directly with the help of light pen. In selection of any content or folder.
• Text Detecting: It makes it easy to detect the characters by moving pen on screen by editing text ,selecting text or formatting text. It works accurately but not with all the devices with some supportable devices only that support it’s interaction with device.
• Drawing on Screen: Light pens can draw graphics or representations directly on the screen by supporting it may be in selection of shapes, lines or any kind of representations and it’s work by interacting with screen.
• Professional use: It’s better used in artistic or graphic designing or it may hold in companies, industries in all the meeting holds wherever everyone use the pointing device to represent the screen folder or presentations.
• Organized work: It’s helpful to highlight the text or edit text on the screen by easy selecting it’s completely provide us a organized work as we want. So, It makes our work quiet easier and faster according to other devices.

Disadvantages of Light Pen

• Easy damage: Light pens can be easily damaged because it’s not made up of heavy structure and it’s pointing device is made up of rod if it damaged in any way that can’t support the screen working.
• Not Supportable for each device: They can only be used on some screens like CRT screens, It can’t work with LCD screens because LCD screens supports a touchscreens advantages or remote working only they can’t support pointing devices like light pens.
• Barcode Readers: When used as barcode readers, they have a high error rate. They actually made for supporting the editing text or selection process. For supporting barcode reading wide range device is needed for scanning it.
• Glossy Surface: It can’t work on glossy surfaces because it can distract the working of pen. as light reflect on glossy surface that can effect the light pen sensors while working that can create the inaccuracy .
• Applications: It’s not suitable for all the applications as we know some of devices working comfortably with mouse, some with touchscreens than some of the devices supports pointing devices like light pens.

FAQs on Light Pen

Q.1: Can a Light Pen written on paper?

Answer:

This device looks same as a pen but it is not used to write on a paper. It is an electronic pen. light pen can only be used to write on a screen.

Q.2: How pointer device can be helpful in Graphic design?

Answer:

It is widely used in graphical representation to draw directly on the screen with the help of a pointer device.

Q.3: From where does the cord join and in which type of pens it is located?

Answer:

It’s the oldest light pen that cord is joined with the back side of the pen and it is located in a corded light pens.