Welcome to the home of interactive3d learning objects

This i3dlo helps you to understand and distinguish between mainframe computers, network computers, personal computers (pc’s), laptops, and personal digital assistants (PDA’s) in terms of capacity, speed, cost, typical applications and number of users.

Main parts of a pc

This information addressed by this learning object involves all aspects related to what makes up a typical working pc, including the CPU, motherboard, memory, hard disk, CDROM, stiffy drive, power supply and peripheral cards.

Stiffy disk

The stiffy disk learning object is used to show what a stiffy drive looks like inside and how it actually reads a stiffy disk.

Hard drive

This learning object of a typical hard drive (sometimes also called a hard disk) shows what it looks like and also allows you to open it up to see what it looks like inside. It also shows how the disk platters work together with the read heads to store and read information.

CD-ROM

A CD-ROM is one of the key components of a computer. This learning object demonstrates how it works when reading a CD-ROM.

CPU

The CPU learning object addresses some of the typical functions of a CPU in terms of the calculations it performs, logic control used to manage applications and the memory used to perform certain functions.

Memory size

This learning object explains what the concept of memory size means by using an analogy of books in a library.

RAM and ROM

This i3dlo demonstrates the difference between read-only memory (ROM) and random-access memory (RAM) in terms of how information is stored in the memory chips.

Input devices

As examples, two types of input devices are shown, namely the mouse and the keyboard. Other input devices, such as the trackball, scanner touchpad, light pen, joystick, digital camera and microphone are not included, but could be developed at a later stage.

LCD monitor

The LCD monitor is an increasingly popular type of monitor in use today. This i3dlo shows what it typically looks like.

Inkjet printer

The inkjet printer is one of the more commonly used printers and this learning object shows where the print cartridge is situated and what happens when a sheet of paper is printed and how.

Touch screen

The touch screen is another type of monitor available for today. This learning object uses a hand that you can use to interact with a screen.

Analog vs. digital

The analog vs digital learning object shows the basic difference between an analog or digital signal. It uses some basic audio and very simple animations to highlight these differences.

Computer performance

The i3dlo addressing computer performance is used to show the factors that impact on a computer’s performance, e.g. CPU speed, RAM size and the number of applications running at a specific point in time.

The telephone network

This i3dlo explains the concept of a standard telephone network (PSTN) and a digital network (ISDN or ADSL). It shows the last-mile delivery differences for each type of telephone network.