
88 ◾ Information Systems: What Every Business Student Needs to Know
Smartphone health monitoring applications count how many stairs you climb. In business,
a truck computer can monitor how smoothly a driver operates his or her vehicle.
Specialized systems have input devices designed for specic tasks. Store checkout com-
puters have bar code readers to identify what was purchased and magnetic stripe readers
for debit and credit cards, two examples of source data automation. Bar codes can also
track merchandise in a warehouse or an automobile as it moves along an assembly line. As
the cost of electronics continues to drop, bar codes are being ...