Information and Communication Technology

2.1.35 Micrographic Equipment 

Micrographic refers to the technology by which images of text are photographically reduced and stored on films. The processed outputs are often called microforms . A large volume of information can be stored in a relatively small area. Microform readers can be used to display the information for reading as well as to produce printer outputs. Two kinds of microforms are popular: microfilm and microfiche. Microfilm is a continuous roll of film, either 16 mm or 35 mm. Microfiche is a sheet of film, usually 4 inches by 6 inches. The number of pages of text that could be stored in each frame of microfilm or in a microfiche depends on the degree of reduction. The reduced im ages are arranged in sequence in case of microfilm and in rows and columns in case of microfiche.

The information on the film or microfiche is read by users using microfilm-viewing devices either manually or with the help of a computer. In the computer as sisted retrieval (CAR) the user can ask for a particular page and the computer displays it on the screen. If the paper copy of the document is needed, a reader-printer is used to provide printed outputs.

Voice Output Computers can employ speech synthesizers to provide voice output. Speech output has been used to provide information about flight departure times, stock market prices, etc. In recent cars, these systems remind the driver to turn-off headlights or add fuel. These systems will be of great value to people with visual handicaps and reading disabilities. See the Box on Multimedia.