DocumentCode
1888073
Title
The Maltron keyboards
Author
Hobday, Stephen W.
Author_Institution
PCD Maltron Ltd., East Molesey, UK
fYear
1996
fDate
35158
Firstpage
42583
Lastpage
810
Abstract
A group of computer input keyboards have been designed to be fully ergonomic. Left and right single handed, dual handed and a mouth/head stick or single finger unit. The hand units are shaped to use easy and natural movements of fingers and thumbs. The single keyboards have a specially developed letter layout to reduce finger work as much as possible. The two handed unit offers an immediately selectable option of either the usual Qwerty letter layout or the new Maltron layout which, in combination with the improved shape, has demonstrated a 10:1 reduction in errors and up to 4:1 reduction in learning time. The reduced strain of the fully ergonomic shape has also been effective in enabling, to date, over 200 sufferers of RSI (repetitive strain injury) or WRULD (work related upper limb disorder) to return to, or continue their careers. Some case histories are given
Keywords
keyboards; Maltron keyboards; Maltron layout; Qwerty letter layout; RSI; WRULD; computer input keyboards; dual handed unit; errors; fingers; fully ergonomic keyboards; head stick; learning time; left single handed unit; letter layout; mouth stick; natural movements; repetitive strain injury; right single handed unit; single finger unit; thumbs; work related upper limb disorder;
fLanguage
English
Publisher
iet
Conference_Titel
IEE Colloquium on Interfaces - The Leading Edge (Digest No.1996/126)
Conference_Location
Dundee
Type
conf
DOI
10.1049/ic:19960796
Filename
543398
Link To Document