A human interface device or HID is a type of computer device that interacts directly with and takes input from humans, such as the computer keyboard, computer mouse, joystick, graphics tablet, and the like. The term was coined by Microsoft.
When plugging in a USB keyboard or mouse, Microsoft Windows (and possibly other operating systems) will often show an "HID-compliant device" being recognised. This is generally not the case with the direct PS/2 5-pin DIN connectors which preceded USB, as these are recognised as native hardware by the BIOS firmware upon booting.
See also human-computer interaction
