Does anyone have any photos, thoughts or links on any ergonomic keyboards that just aren't available anymore?
There was a boom of development around 1990, sadly, soon followed by a bust.
The typing injury faq showcases a wide range of design - (some of it still available).
http://www.tifaq.org/keyboards/
Edit: It is called the DataStealth, and all info about it had been on the web: protomic.com, which is down, and archive.org is also down... argh..http://web.archive.org/web/20000601172323/http://www.protomic.com/products/products_01.htm
One of my projects was concerned with the design and testing of an ergonomically improved keyboard for professional data entry typists. We went through 31 design iterations before making six of them for a field trial. The design process required not only expert knowledge of how to use CAD solid modeling software, knowledge of plastic design, molds, of wall thickness in relation to material strengths, of clickable design for ease of assembly for when (and if) it went into production, and so on and on. These six models (only the last in the series) cost more than my automobile at its new price to make by laser sintering in polyamice, paint, finish, assemble, and test. Each model, that is. Each prototyped keyboard cost more than a new family sedan, and it took me years to get to the final design. That is what making objects from drawings costs.
Findecanor, It was such a shame the DataStealth didn't really make it, the design is just amazing. I managed to get in contact with the company about a year ago (it might have been a company that took them over - I can't remember). All I got back was that they discontinued the project, but it might be possible to coax out a bit more.I wonder if anyone can track down a working email for Benjamin Rossen. All of his old domains seem to be defunct, which makes it tricky. He’d be the best person to ask.
I wonder if anyone can track down a working email for Benjamin Rossen. All of his old domains seem to be defunct, which makes it tricky. He’d be the best person to ask.As I understand it, the DataStealth keyboard was discontinued, to the benefit of its successor the Flinder keyboard. There was info about that one on the domain www.flinder.com that I could find on the Internet Archive, but that one is also defunct now.
I like the mean green typing machine with the trackball. I wish I had one to play with!From their business plan document, it sounds like the had some kind of interesting trackball patent(s), and were aiming these things at CAD pros. It definitely seems like a generally useful device. Nowadays, it would probably make sense to add a touchscreen somewhere too.
According to the text, only six were made through 3D-printing, and each one cost more than his car cost new.Huh, yeah, I wonder what the images are of the previous prototypes (e.g. the DataStealth), and how those were made.
Still same :))
http://www.esrille.com/keyboard/ (http://www.esrille.com/keyboard/)
http://shiki.esrille.com/ (http://shiki.esrille.com/)
I do not know, you can ask directly to esrille :)Still same :))
http://www.esrille.com/keyboard/ (http://www.esrille.com/keyboard/)
http://shiki.esrille.com/ (http://shiki.esrille.com/)
Wow, that looks awesome!!
Is it possible to buy?
I wonder if it was an attempt to get a classier look. The navigation keys suggest that aesthetics might have been more important.
Funnily enough, Maltron sells bags for the larger keyboards, but I don't remember any that would fit the executive.
Keyboard Porn! https://geektimes.ru/post/258534/ Okay, so not all of them are extinct -- there are a fair number of modded ErgoDox -- but a lot of them are obscure. And you'll need to use Google Translate or something unless you read Russian.Great collection of stuff, a lot of it from various geekhack threads. I think this page has been linked from geekhack before, but I’m only finding links to others of his posts. Written by geekhack user philpirj (https://geekhack.org/index.php?action=profile;u=23145).
Now here’s a fun picture, via reddit:Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/2e9i04X.jpg)
http://www.gettyimages.de/detail/nachrichtenfoto/futuristic-office-composed-of-a-typewriter-television-nachrichtenfoto/104417789
"A Futurist Desk In Hanover In 1969: A futuristic office composed of a typewriter, television screens, a video recorder and a photocopier are presented at the exhibition of Hanover in Germany."