KeyBoards that are Kinder to Hands
The recognition that using special keyboards may
be a solution to repetitive strain injury (RSI) and
similar conditions, has refocused attention on such
users worldwide who find it difficult to cope with
the conventional version.
According to Maltron, a British ergonomic keyboards
specialist company, more than 600 previous sufferers
are now able to continue their work and careers.
One of them is Dr. Geoffrey Barton of
the European Bioinformatics Institute in Cambridge,
eastern England. He wrote: “Having
learned to type at the age of 14, I had been touch-typing
for about 20 years, though only intensively for the last
10 years, before I started to get a serious repetitive
strain injury problem. Though I don’t think typing
was the only cause, I got to the point where I could
not type for more than five minutes before needing a
long break. “I reviewed RSI and alternative keyboards
on the Internet and quickly identified the Maltron as
the only keyboard that took the problem of shaping a
keyboard to fit the human hands really seriously. Now,
three years on, I hate using a conventional keyboard
and wish I had a Maltron 10 years ago.”
Dr.
Barton’s comments are a testimony
about the special product and the users worldwide who,
for medical and other
reasons, find it difficult to cope with conventional keyboards. If electronic commerce (e-commerce) is going to be
the most important mode of communication in 2000 and
beyond as predicted, then Maltron adaptive keyboards
are the perfectly designed equipment to help people with
special requirements due to disability to participate
effectively.
There are four types of keyboards but all have one
common feature: they are designed and shaped to fit the
easy movements of hands, fingers and thumbs. The keys
have been grouped specifically to eliminate wrist twist
and allow a central number cluster which can be used
by either hand as preferred. Titled keys and pads minimise
palms downward movement to further reduce muscle tension.
The advanced letter layout is available at the touch
of a special key and the most used letters are on the
center row, helping to reduce finger movement.
For those who need to type with only one hand, the special
shape and letter-layout have been carefully planned taking
into account the limited number of keys that can be accessed
quickly and comfortably. There are keyboards for use
with either the left hand or the right hand and training
manuals for touch-typing. The keyboards have push-on
push-off keys for shift, control and alt functions that
are essential for single-hand operation.
Maltron also caters for those who have completely lost
the use of both hands, with a unique keyboard designed
for use with a single finger or head/mouth stick. The
shape matches head movement and the key arrangement minimises
finger or stick activity, raising speed and reducing
frustration. An optional articulated arm holds keyboard
in almost any position to suit the head or stick use.
Warwick
University physiotherapist Sue Welford has the last
word: “For a tenosynovitis case, using Maltronic
was of more benefit than treatment.”
Source:
Success & Ability
Vol.4 No.3, Oct-Dec 1999
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