zeigegerät

A Zeigegerät, literally translated from German as "pointing device," refers to any hardware input device that allows a user to control a cursor or pointer on a computer display. This enables direct manipulation of graphical user interface elements such as icons, menus, and buttons.

The most common type of Zeigegerät is the mouse, which typically uses a ball or optical sensor to detect movement on a surface. Another prevalent example is the touchpad, commonly found on laptops, which uses a capacitive or resistive surface to detect finger movement. Styluses and graphics tablets also fall under this category, offering precise control often used in digital art and design.

Touchscreens, integrated into many modern devices like smartphones and tablets, are another form of Zeigegerät where the display itself acts as the input surface. Joysticks, trackballs, and even specialized controllers for gaming or industrial applications can also be considered Zeigegeräte, depending on their function to direct an on-screen pointer. The primary purpose of all Zeigegeräte is to bridge the physical interaction of the user with the digital environment of the computer.