From: Paul Fernhout <pdfernhout@kurtz-fernhout.com>
All -
Since Doug has advocated chord keyboards in the past, I thought it
appropriate to post some recent initial experience with one. A chord
keyboard requires pressing multiple keys at once to make some letters.
http://www.tifaq.com/keyboards/chording-keyboards.html
Last Saturday, I ordered a "twiddler" one handed chord keyboard from:
http://www.handykey.com/
http://www.handykey.com/colorpic.html
I received it on Wednesday. (The web site suggests a two week backlog
but it was not the case.) Total cost with shipping was around $225.
The twiddler can be used both as a keyboard and as a pointing device (by
tilting it). The twiddler had twelve keys on the front as three columns
of four pressed by the four fingers and six keys on the back in a circle
on the back pressed by the thumb. It can produce any IBM key
combination. When your thumb presses the mouse button, you can move the
screen pointer by tilting the device like a joystick, and click by
pressing various front buttons.
It works alongside an exisiting mouse and keyboard, using the serial
port for input (it also requires a keyboard passthrough cable for
power). You could type with it in one hand and use a mouse in the other.
You could use it as a mouse and use a regular keyboard for typing --
although that combination would make little sense as it seems harder to
use for occasional pointing than a mouse since it needs to be lifted in
the air.
So far I have practiced with the twiddler a total of around five or six
hours, as well as mentally thinking about key combinations for several
more hours. I have been practicing the alphabet and not any punctuation
symbols yet. I am up to about five to six words per minute without
looking at the keyboard.
For reference, I can type about 40 - 60 words per minute on the split
Goldtouch keyboard http://www.keyalt.com I use, but I am not a touch
typist and have to look at the keys. Both my wife and I prefer the
discontinued IBM split keyboard, and also like the Apple split keyboard,
and dislike the Microsoft Natural keyboard.
I have been practicing by just typing words as I think them up, starting
with simple ones. Somehow I assumed the device would come with a
tutorial suggestions or learning software -- more or less all there is a
a key map and you are on your own to learn as best you can.
I find using the twiddler reminds me some of when I played the violin.
However, despite ergonomic claims, I find it awkward to hold and the
first couple of hours I used it lead to wrist strain and finger cramp.
Also, despite claims to accomodate a wide range of hand sizes, I have
fairly long fingers (an advantage when playing the flute or piano) which
feel cramped using this device. Since then I often hold it in one hand
and use it in the other to allow more space for my fingers which feels
better. If it was about an inch wider it would feel much better for me,
and I might try to modify it somehow by attaching a spacer. My wife also
has long fingers (which helps with her piano playing) and found the
device awkward to use for the same reasons I did. She also thinks the
keys are hard to push, and I somewhat agree.
The twiddler key combinations are layed out in a more or less
alphabetical sequence. It seems to me a sequence based on frequency
might be easier to use (although harder to learn). You can remap the
chords as desired, although of course now I have invested in learning
the default for the alphabet. Also, as a programmer, several symbols
that are commonly used like [] or {} seem to be mapped to more complex
key combinations than I would like.
I am learning to use the twiddler with my left hand although I am right
handed (and use the mouse with my right). Primarily this is from
thinking of reducing the potential for RSI http://www.tifaq.com/ to my
right hand.
I'm hoping to eventually interface the twiddler to a Palm device.
http://www.1stresource.com/~mistered/twiddle.htm
I often think of things as I am falling asleep, or when I wake up in the
morning, or when I go on a walk, and I would like the option of entering
text when lying down or walking. I can do that with a Palm now with
graffiti, but it is awkward and slow and requires using two hands and
generally looking at the device.
Here is some more background on "One-Handed Typing Devices":
http://www.stanford.edu/~valya/hci.html
Note: I typed this on a regular keyboard and mouse -- I'm still too slow
on the twiddler. At this point I have to decide if I will invest more
time to get up to the 35+ words per minute suggested by the sales
literature, or if it will end up as one more unused "toy".
P.S. Typed this PS with the twiddler while petting a dog. Also note the
NT driver when running keeps my computer from sleeping. Also partially
edited this email with the twiddler.
-Paul Fernhout
Kurtz-Fernhout Software
=========================================================
Developers of custom software and educational simulations
Creators of the Garden with Insight(TM) garden simulator
http://www.kurtz-fernhout.com
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