Hardware

Hardware is a general term that refers to the physical artifacts of a technology.It may also mean the physical components of a computer system.

Hardware historically meant the metal parts and fittings that were used to make wooden products stronger, more functional, longer lasting and easier to fabricate or assemble. In modern usage it includes equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, corners, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts, especially when they are made of metal. In the United States, this type of hardware has been traditionally sold in hardware stores, a term also used to a lesser extent in the UK.

In the electronics and especially computer industries, computer hardware specifically means the physical or tangible parts of the equipment, such as circuit boards, keyboards, monitors etc., in contrast to non-physical software running on the computer or other device.

In a more colloquial sense, hardware can refer to major items of military equipment, such as tanks, aircraft or ships.

In slang, the term refers to trophies and other physical representations of awards.

Electronics

Electronics is the study of the flow of charge through various materials and devices such as, semiconductors, resistors, inductors, capacitors, nano-structures, and vacuum tubes. All applications of electronics involve the transmission of power and possibly information. Although considered to be a theoretical branch of physics, the design and construction of electronic circuits to solve practical problems is an essential technique in the fields of electronics engineering and computer engineering.

The study of new semiconductor devices and surrounding technology is sometimes considered a branch of physics. This article focuses on engineering aspects of electronics. Other important topics include electronic waste and occupational health impacts of semiconductor manufacturing.

Computer hardware

Computer hardware is the physical part of a computer, including the digital circuitry, as distinguished from the computersoftware that executes within the hardware. The hardware of a computer is infrequently changed, in comparison with software and data, which are "soft" in the sense that they are readily created, modified or erased on the computer. Firmware is a special type of software that rarely, if ever, needs to be changed and so is stored on hardware devices such as ROM where it is not readily changed (and is, therefore, "firm" rather than just "soft").

Motherboard

The motherboard is the "heart" of the computer, through which all other components interface.

Description

Computers and Electronics in Agriculture provides international coverage of advances in the application of computer hardware, software and electronic instrumentation and control systems to agriculture, forestry and related industries. The latter include horticulture (in both its food and amenity aspects), forest products, aquaculture, animal/livestock science, veterinary medicine and food processing.

The journal publishes original papers, reviews, applications notes and book reviews on topics including computerized decision-support aids (e.g., expert systems and simulation models) pertaining to any aspect of the aforementioned industries; electronic monitoring or control of any aspect of livestock/crop production (e.g. soil and water, environment, growth, health, waste products) and post-harvest operations (such as drying, storage, production assessment, trimming and dissection of plant and animal material). Relevant areas of technology include artificial intelligence, sensors, machine vision, robotics and simulation modelling.