The ATM machine is now a universal device. You can find it in almost any part of the neighborhood, particularly places where there are more people. They’ve proven themselves to be excellent sources of income as well. When your store is located in a perfect spot, you could earn quite a significant amount of cash from transaction fees. In any case, do you know what different parts make up an automated teller machine?
These are the parts that make up an ATM machine:
1. Keypad
The keypad serves as the interface between the user and the artificial intelligence behind the machine. This device accepts input from you, as the user. These include your Personal Identification Number or PIN, and others. In addition to the numerical keypad, you also have other buttons besides the screen. These correspond to various options as programmed into the ATM.
Newer ATM machines also come with touchscreen keypads in a bid to be more secure from cloning attempts. Cloning is when hackers install a second keypad on top of the first to record keystrokes. These keystrokes are then analyzed to obtain clients’ sensitive data without their knowledge.
2. Card Reader
The card reader itself is made up of a set of ATM parts. The most prominent part is the slot in which you insert your card to begin your transaction. Embedded inside the card reader is the magnetic strip scanner. This contraption reads the data stored in the magnetic strip of your ATM card. This strip contains your security data, like your PIN as well as authentication details needed to process your transaction with the bank server.
In addition to the slot-based card reader, more modern machines now feature contactless technology. The United Kingdom’s Barclays bank, which was also the first bank to field an automated device, is one of the first institutions to roll out this feature. Instead of inserting their cards into the slot reader, card owners tap them into an RFID reader. Once authenticated, they can continue with their withdrawals or balance inquiries as needed.
3. Video Monitor
The video monitors are the most recognizable of all the ATM parts. This is the component of the machine that displays the information you need. In a way, the video monitor is the interface through which the CPU communicates with you as the end-user.
Unlike computer monitors, ATM video monitors are compact and are capable only of VGA resolutions.
4. Central Processing Unit
The ATM is a specialized computer, and it needs a central processing unit to operate and facilitate its functions. The CPU manages the tasks that the machine undertakes, like reading the card data, sending the information through a modem to the host server, and initiating the transfer of cash from the safe to the dispenser.
The ATM is very sophisticated and complex in design, but very simple in use and concept. It’s able to accomplish its tasks with the help of the many components that make up its design.