Return to the archive index

Re: Home made wearable with corded keyboards.

From: Jim Richardson <>
Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2001 17:31:08 -0700

On Tue, Apr 03, 2001 at 09:59:39AM +0100, Simon Wood wrote:
> As the subject suggests I'm after building up a system based around a 
> crappy laptop in a rucksack and a corded keyboard/small LCD character 
> display hung off the parallel port.
> 
> I've got the rucksack and laptop (468sx33), so I'm now looking at keyboard. 
> I've got an engineering background so I'm most comfortable with the 'build it 
> for no money' point of view.
> 
> I shall be converting which ever system to use the parallel port with Linux.
> 
> I've found 2 systems so far, what I'm interested in is if anyone have experience 
> or comments about the ease of use (from an ergonomically view) of them.
> 
> 1). PicKey - Telephone keypad mounted facing away from user. Your fingers 
> wrap around and pull keys towards body - Fingers need to access 3 columns 
> of keys and therefore need to move quite a bit... may be difficult on fingers.
> 
> 2). 7-Key system - Four keys facing away from user for the fingers and 3 for 
> thumb on top of device (a bit like a jet fighter joy-stick) - seems like a more 
> comfortable arrangement....
> 
> Anyone got any comments?
> Simon Wood

The comfort key to these things seems to be that the keys require very
light pressure and little movement from the fingers. I'd go for the 7
key gripstick approach. Somthing on a tether or strapped to the body
somewhere?
 I have been considering a half keypad mounted on the left upper chest
(I am right handed.) Not suitable for writing the magnum opus, arm would
get tired, but out of the way and accessible without having to
fumble/look. That or mounted on the left forearm, or upper arm. Cording
keyboard might make more sense though.

-- 
Jim Richardson
	Anarchist, pagan and proud of it
WWW.eskimo.com/~warlock
	Linux, because life's too short for a buggy OS.

--
Subscription/unsubscription/info requests: send e-mail with subject of
"subscribe", "unsubscribe", or "info" to 
Wear-Hard Mailing List Archive (searchable): http://wearables.blu.org
please, Please, *PLEASE* don't subscribe through a forward/false domain

+Previous Message in Thread | Next Message in Thread

From Wear-Hard Mailing list Archive (WH)
Maintained by R. Paul McCarty

Archive created with babymail