A dot matrix is a 2-dimensional array of dots used to generate characters, symbols and images. In Computer science an array is a Data structure consisting of a group of elements that are accessed by indexing.

Typically the dot matrix is used in older computer printers and many digital display devices. A display device is an Output device for presentation of Information for Visual or Tactile reception acquired stored or transmitted In printers, the dots are usually the darkened areas of the paper. In displays, the dots may light up, as in an LED or CRT display, or darken, as in an LCD, however multicolour LCDs are sometimes initially dark and light up. The cathode ray tube (CRT is a Vacuum tube containing an Electron gun (a source of electrons and a Fluorescent screen with internal or

In the context of printers, the term mainly refers to impact printers, with a column of 8, 9 or 24 "pins" hitting an ink-impregnated fabric ribbon, like a typewriter ribbon, onto the paper. A typewriter is a mechanical or Electromechanical device with a set of "keys" that when pressed cause characters to be printed on a medium It was originally contrasted with daisy wheel printers and line printers. A daisy wheel printer is a printing technology which produces high-quality output comparable to that produced by high-end typewriters such as the IBM Selectric. The line printer is a form of high speed impact printer in which one line of type is printed at a time

Almost all modern computer printers also create their output as matrices of dots, but use a different technology like laser printing or inkjet printing, and are not called Dot Matrix printers. A laser printer is a common type of Computer printer that rapidly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper Inkjet printers operate by propelling variably-sized droplets of liquid or molten material ( Ink) onto almost any sized page Dot Matrix printers survive where multi-part forms are needed, as the impact can make a carbonless copy, for security purposes. Carbonless copy paper, non-carbon copy paper, or NCR paper is an alternative to Carbon paper, used to make a copy of an original handwritten document without

A dot matrix is useful for marking materials other than paper. In manufacturing industry, many marking applications use dot matrix inkjet or impact methods. This can also be used to print 2D matrix codes, e. g. Datamatrix. A Data Matrix code is a two-dimensional matrix Barcode consisting of black and white square modules arranged in either a square or rectangular

"Bling Bling": Dot matrix-style skywriting. Skywriting is the process of using a small Aircraft, able to expel special Smoke during flight to fly in certain patterns to create Writing readable by

See also

• Dot matrix display
• Dot matrix printer

External links

• Flatbed Dot Matrix Printer Technology