Patented in 1869 by Milwaukee newspaper editor Christopher Sholes with partners S.W. Soule and G. Glidden, the first typewriters went into production at Remington Arms Co. in 1873. Essentially, they were word processors without a display or memory. They also were unforgiving in terms of user-input errors, since they lacked spellcheck or even correctable tape. Yet the typewriter is notable for its alphanumeric layout (Fig. 1).
Sholes first arranged the keys in rows with the letters in alphabetical order from left to right. This required many often-used letters on the end of thin metal bars that impact the paper to be next to each other. When a typist got up to speed, the bars would frequently tangle up with each other. Rectifying this in 1874, Sholes rearranged the letters so the bars would strike the paper from different directions.
This new layout, known as the QWERTY design because they are the first six letters of the keyboard’s top row, has been with us ever since. Rarely used now, the typewriter became an indispensable business tool in its day and has undergone a logical evolution from a purely mechanical unit to electromechanical to standalone word processors. However, its user-input component, the keyboard, lives on as an indispensable accessory for today’s most powerful tool, the computer, as well as myriad other components and systems requiring alphanumeric input from humans.
The QWERTY keyboard survives most commonly in the form of keyboards for desktop and laptop computers. Yet the technologies behind these keyboards and their variations are most likely beyond anything the inventors of the typewriter could have foreseen.
VARIATIONS ON A THEME
Virtual keyboards may primarily address disabled users who can’t work with physical keyboards, but they’re catching on with portable- product users and gamers. They consist of software and/or additional hardware to create a functional, though non-mechanical, replica of the keyboard. This replica could be a light projection of the keyboard onto a convenient surface, i.e., the desktop. Or, it could transform the monitor or LCD into a touchscreen.
The CL800BT system developed by Korean company Celluon uses a red laser diode to project a functioning QWERTY keyboard image measuring approximately 240 by 105 mm onto a non-reflective, opaque flat surface (Fig. 2). The keyboard is visible in ambient light ranging from 1000 to 5000 lux, and it provides an effective keystroke distance of 2 mm. In terms of detection rate, users may type at speeds up to 400 characters per minute.
Powered by an integral lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, the system’s red-laser projector module measures 93 by 39 by 37 mm and weighs 109 g. It interfaces with a PC or portable device via the RS-232C protocol. Compatible operating systems include Windows 2000/XP/ Vista/Mobile Pocket PC & Smart Phone, plus Palm OS, BlackBerry, and Symbian.
Eyeing users with mobility impairments, tablet PC users, video-game developers, and manufacturers of machine tools, medical equipment, and point-of-sale kiosks, the Touch-It software utility from Swiss company Chessware SA displays a keyboard on the computer monitor, turning it into a working touchscreen. In addition to mimicking a standard QWERTY keyboard, the application includes tools for creating keyboards via preset templates or unique layouts from scratch (Fig. 3).
Operating with Windows 2000/XP/Vista/ Server 2003, Touch-It supports all of the languages in Windows’ input settings as well as language switching. Developers can address Touch-It from a third application through Windows messages or the COM interface. It can also send Windows messages to developers’ applications, invoke callback procedures into their libraries, or call COM methods.
Furthermore, Touch- It can make keyboards appear on the edge of the screen and behave like application bars. Its typing rates and delays match those set by users in Windows. It offers multimonitor and alpha-blending support. And, it can load user libraries in the Touch-It environment and manage callbacks in real time.
TOUCHSCREEN TRENDS
In most applications, from commercial to industrial and portables, touchscreens have replaced keyboards and mechanical buttons— and with good reason. They’re reliable and easy to use. Also, they’re nearly vandal-proof. They aren’t subject to the wear and tear resulting from repetitive actuations, and they’re resistant to liquids. Naturally, development in this area is rather strong.
Patented in Japan in April, Neonode’s zForce touchscreen technology eliminates the need for a stylus or keys for user input in a range of portable products. The Swedish mobile-phone company’s technology relies on photodiodes and LEDs to provide a sunlight-visible display. The photodiodes and LEDs accept stimuli from finger touches and sweeps and require very little pressure for response.
Continue on Page 2
Reprints
