VisorCentral.com - Portable Ergonomic Keyboard?

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Posted by MitzEclipse on 09-19-2002 07:14 PM:

Portable Ergonomic Keyboard?

Hi All,

I was wondering if any manufactures produced an Ergonomic Keyboard that is Portable?

I travel constantly, and I need a keyboard that isn't so painful on my wrists. I already haul around a MS Optical Trackball - saves my wrist from that "pencil eraser" in between my laptop!

I love the MS Natural Keyboards, but they're not that portable. Maybe something like the Stowaway, but with the ergonomic gap between they keys?

Does anyone have any suggestions? It can be PS/2 or USB - USB Preferred.

Thanks!

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Posted by MitzEclipse on 09-20-2002 05:26 PM:

Does anyone know?

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Posted by ToolkiT on 09-21-2002 03:14 PM:

never seen anything like that... sorry..

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Posted by MitzEclipse on 09-21-2002 06:27 PM:

Darn, someone's gotta make one - this is a great opportunity!

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Posted by Appleman on 09-22-2002 01:37 AM:

Well I think the thought behind it is, that you are not doing a "lot" of typing on it, so why make it ergonomic.

Although, the way the stowaway comes apart and folds this way and that, it wouldn't seem all that difficult to pop it up and slip it in the middle, like the ergonomic ones.

Posted by MitzEclipse on 09-22-2002 10:50 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Appleman
Well I think the thought behind it is, that you are not doing a "lot" of typing on it, so why make it ergonomic.

Although, the way the stowaway comes apart and folds this way and that, it wouldn't seem all that difficult to pop it up and slip it in the middle, like the ergonomic ones.

Unless you travel 100% of the time and are never in the same office - that's when you need an ergonomic keyboard!

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Posted by Madkins007 on 09-23-2002 04:02 PM:

By the time you put an add-on keyboard on the laptop, you will need so much desk space that you may as well be bringing a full-size keyboard anyway!

Some options to consider...

1.) Wrist rests. I know, I know- these are far from perfect solutions, but they work better of you can angle your keyboard downwards- opposite of the 'normal' way so your wrists don't have to do that upward hitch.

2.) Just angling the keyboard so the space bar is the highest may be enough to relieve the wrist pain.

-As you know, the two big contributers to the wrist problem are the upward cocked angle most keyboards inflict on you, and the outward rotation from straight out of your wrists. Relieving one is better than nothing.

3.) Consider the "Virtually Indestructable Keyboard"- it is nice and flat, making it easier to use a wrist rest or other positioning aid better, and it is nicely portable. (I got one at CompUSA and have seen them nearly everywhere, but do not have a website on hand for them!)

4.) They can be expensive, but some of the special keyboards made for people with disabilities might help- some are very compact, others are designed for alternative entry, etc. Try www.tashinc.com or www.intellitools.com as starting points.

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Posted by MitzEclipse on 09-24-2002 04:53 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Madkins007
By the time you put an add-on keyboard on the laptop, you will need so much desk space that you may as well be bringing a full-size keyboard anyway!

That's okay! Because I'm out at client sites for 8+ hours at a time, daily, and I have large enough workspaces... I just want something I can "fold up" in my bag or bring with me on the plane - but not have it take so much space!

quote:
1.) Wrist rests. I know, I know- these are far from perfect solutions, but they work better of you can angle your keyboard downwards- opposite of the 'normal' way so your wrists don't have to do that upward hitch.

Yep, using those right now...

quote:
3.) Consider the "Virtually Indestructable Keyboard"- it is nice and flat, making it easier to use a wrist rest or other positioning aid better, and it is nicely portable. (I got one at CompUSA and have seen them nearly everywhere, but do not have a website on hand for them!)

Is this the product you're talking about? http://indestructiblekeyboard.com/

My question is how is the feedback on those things? Does it FEEL like a normal keyboard? I emailed the company to see if they produce portable ergonomic keyboards - there wasn't one on their website that I found.

quote:
4.) They can be expensive, but some of the special keyboards made for people with disabilities might help- some are very compact, others are designed for alternative entry, etc. Try www.tashinc.com or www.intellitools.com as starting points.

Thanks for those links, but I went to those sites and didn't find any "normal" QWERTY keyboard that was portable and ergonomic....

Any other suggestions much appreciated!

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Posted by MitzEclipse on 09-24-2002 05:12 PM:

Well, I just got this reply from indestructiblekeyboard.com in regards to producing a portable ergonomic keyboard:

quote:
No, we do not. Sorry.

Doh! Someone's gotta make one !

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Posted by Madkins007 on 09-24-2002 05:16 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by MitzEclipse
Is this the product you're talking about? http://indestructiblekeyboard.com/

My question is how is the feedback on those things? Does it FEEL like a normal keyboard? I emailed the company to see if they produce portable ergonomic keyboards - there wasn't one on their website that I found.

Yep- that's it. It is a pretty decent keyboard- good feedback/tactile response, etc. It is flatter and thinner than a regular keyboard, which by itself is not a big help except that it helps make wrist rests more effective.

I had a rather odd idea you might enjoy- use two of the Mini-Indestructable Keyboards (and a USB splitter or other adaptor) and position one for each hand. They can overlap with no problem- and it might work out perfectly for you since you can spread them to fit your exact needs!

In fact, you could lay one on each thigh and not need any additional table-top space AND have your arms, wrists, and hands in a nearly perfect ergonomic position! The silicon rubber would 'stick' to your clothes well enough that they should not slip or slide too much in use, and I'd bet you'd adapt to the unusual position quickly enough.

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Posted by MitzEclipse on 09-24-2002 05:34 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Madkins007

Yep- that's it. It is a pretty decent keyboard- good feedback/tactile response, etc. It is flatter and thinner than a regular keyboard, which by itself is not a big help except that it helps make wrist rests more effective.

I had a rather odd idea you might enjoy- use two of the Mini-Indestructable Keyboards (and a USB splitter or other adaptor) and position one for each hand. They can overlap with no problem- and it might work out perfectly for you since you can spread them to fit your exact needs!

In fact, you could lay one on each thigh and not need any additional table-top space AND have your arms, wrists, and hands in a nearly perfect ergonomic position! The silicon rubber would 'stick' to your clothes well enough that they should not slip or slide too much in use, and I'd bet you'd adapt to the unusual position quickly enough.

Hm..thanks for the tips - I'm going to go to CompUSA this weekend to see how well I'll like the keyboard...

Thanks again!

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Posted by cml on 09-25-2002 09:46 PM:

BAT Chord Keyboard

http://www.nanopac.com/Keyboard.htm

It would require a little relearning but looks worth it. It also looks small enough to tote around easily.

The web site wants $199 for it, but a catalog I get (LS&S, 1-800-468-4789, no www) only wants $185.

- cml

Posted by MitzEclipse on 09-25-2002 10:08 PM:

Re: BAT Chord Keyboard

quote:
Originally posted by cml
http://www.nanopac.com/Keyboard.htm

It would require a little relearning but looks worth it. It also looks small enough to tote around easily.

The web site wants $199 for it, but a catalog I get (LS&S, 1-800-468-4789, no www) only wants $185.

- cml

thanks for the link, omg that thing looks hard to use! looks a lot harder to adapt to then the half-keyboard for pda's!

I'll look into it, but I really wish there was a keyboard that you could just 'fold in half'!

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Posted by ToolkiT on 09-25-2002 11:12 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by MitzEclipse

Hm..thanks for the tips - I'm going to go to CompUSA this weekend to see how well I'll like the keyboard...

Thanks again!

I've seen that thing before, the concept is great, but I think QWERTY will win due to its huge userbase...
The lerning curve with that thing is too great I'm afraid...but once you master it, it is very cool...

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Posted by Madkins007 on 09-26-2002 03:46 PM:

Re: BAT Chord Keyboard

quote:
Originally posted by cml
http://www.nanopac.com/Keyboard.htm

It would require a little relearning but looks worth it. It also looks small enough to tote around easily.

The web site wants $199 for it, but a catalog I get (LS&S, 1-800-468-4789, no www) only wants $185.

- cml

Thanks for the link- that is the adaptive 'keyboard' I was thinking of, but could not find my link to!

The BAT uses 'chords'- a combination of keys for each letter. It has a pretty decent reputation. Although I don't have one here in my adaptive tech lab (none of my clients are quite right for it), I HAVE played with one.

The chords are not too difficult to learn- most are about as intuitive as Grafitti and a LOT more intuititive than Morse Code- which is another interesting input method that experienced users can do about as fast as most of us can type- and they just need two fingers to do it with!

With proper positioning, the BAT greatly reduces repetetive stresses, and it does pack away pretty small.

A folding ergonomic keyboard would be great, but the mechanics of folding the two angled planes with enough seperation to make a difference is pretty tough. Someone USED to make a keyboard that was split in half so you could position each half independently, but I have not seen it in years.

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Posted by MitzEclipse on 09-26-2002 04:55 PM:

Re: Re: BAT Chord Keyboard

quote:
Originally posted by Madkins007

Someone USED to make a keyboard that was split in half so you could position each half independently, but I have not seen it in years.

Do you know who? Where could I see a picture of this? I'm sure there's pics somewhere on images.google....

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Posted by mcristia on 09-27-2002 04:05 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by MitzEclipse
Well, I just got this reply from indestructiblekeyboard.com in regards to producing a portable ergonomic keyboard:

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No, we do not. Sorry.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doh! Someone's gotta make one !

Funny! Their web site shows one, due in September.

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Posted by Appleman on 09-27-2002 09:55 PM:

That is not an ergonomic keyboard on their website. It is a flexible one that is "bulged" up, to show that it is flexible.

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