Author Topic: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)  (Read 8400 times)

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Offline Decoy-dk

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This is my first post in this forum, and I get by with whatever keyboard comes with my labtop, but I need your help.

A close friend has lost all use of her rigth arm following an accident, and i'm trying to find a good keyboard for her.

she cant have her rigth hand at keyboard height, and even typing in her lap, annoys and inflames torn tendons in her shoulder.

my solution so far:
 posssibly a small qwerty where her hand can span the entire keyboard, and a thump controller for her other hand to acts as mouse.

i've looked at kings assembly and a few other more special solutions does anyone here have experience with one handed typing and have an input device they can recommend in the situation ? something that gives you decent typeing speed onehanded, and is small enough to be used by a smaller hand.



Offline 3K

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 05 December 2016, 16:06:51 »
does anyone here have experience with one handed typing
Probably... everyone.

Jokes aside, would it be possible to type with the right hand at all? I'm thinking about the ergodox, a halved keyboard, which allows you to move the halves wherever you want. However I do not know if this would do the trick, or if there are cheaper alternatives.

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Offline kurplop

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 05 December 2016, 17:04:43 »
You may want to look into the Matias one handed keyboard. Not cheap, but could be just the thing.

Offline davkol

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 05 December 2016, 17:27:34 »
Many people will advocate one-handed typing on a standard keyboard with the QWERTY layout; their main (and only) argument is conformism. That's certainly possible and there's no/flat learning curve. That said, such solution is far from optimal.

A step further is a layout optimized for one-handed usage, so that the user doesn't have to move their fingers across whole keyboard all the time. There are special symbol arrangements, such as Dvorak's one-handed layouts, and there are mirrored keyboards—the user types on one half of the keyboard as normally, and uses the same keys combined with a modifier/toggle, that turns those keys into the respective keys from the other side of the keyboard… that's actually similar to, e.g., the aforementioned Matias Half QWERTY.

And then there's specialty hardware combined with the specialty symbol arrangements. This includes Matias Half QWERTY or Maltron keyboards. Or one half of an ErgoDox.

Alternatively, it's possible to type using something other than a keyboard. See, for instance, Dasher. Swiping on a high-quality trackpad would be another option.

Offline hoggy

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 06 December 2016, 00:40:15 »
You might want to take a look at mirrorboard https://blog.xkcd.com/2007/08/14/mirrorboard-a-one-handed-keyboard-layout-for-the-lazy/

It's a software version of the matias half keyboard.  You could also setup touchcursor to do the same job.

If you go with the mirror board, you don't need a full size keyboard, consider a 60% maybe. 

On to the keyboard, the Matias and the Maltron have already been mentioned and are good choices to look at.  Maltron can be picked up second hand on ebay.co.uk, or you can hire one.  I can proxy for you if needed.  You can get full keyboards that are left handed, You might find one here www.fentek-ind.com

Take a look text expansion software &/or macro recording software - Macro express is the easiest I've found, and fairly cheap.

I experimented with using a trackball with my foot (in socks, not boots), it's not great, but since the left hand is going to 'overloaded', it's worth considering.

As for a button on the right side, take a look at http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/1/AGS/AGS-bespoke.htm.

Be aware that this is a lot of change, too much at once can be really frustrating.

Interested to see how she gets on.
GH Ergonomic Guide (in progress)
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54680.0

Offline kurplop

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 06 December 2016, 01:17:38 »
Which ever way she goes, please keep us updated. It's valuable to some of us to know what works for people in special situations like this.

Wishing her the best.

Offline tp4tissue

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 06 December 2016, 06:31:54 »
if this is a temporary thing,  just use one hand on her regular board,  and get her a touch pad too , and stay off the right arm.


if this is a permanent issue..  a split board won't make any difference because you still have to raise your arm to type. if the ligaments are torn at the shoulder,  nothing on the keyboard side could make it comfortable.

the only solution following that , would be a new chorded or condensed layout for the left hand.



Offline Decoy-dk

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 08 December 2016, 07:35:52 »
Hello and thank you all, for your help and time.

big up to 3K for reminding me we are all one-handed typists in the end  :cool:

The issue is with no doubt permanent, and as tp4tissue concludes there is no way to comfortable perform traditional typing on the right side. but a chorded keyboard or some sort of button for mirror-board is still an option, since her finger muscle is not the issue.

I've outlined the options you given here, and added handwriting recognition via drawing tablet (she is left-handed, fortunately).

she is trained as an occupational therapist specialising in ergonomics, so i basically just outline her options, and let her estimate what her body can handle best.

 I promise at least 2 future updates.

1: When she chooses which option to try.

2: A report on her progress once she has used it for at few months



Offline LuX

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 08 December 2016, 16:04:00 »
This looks kinda interesting:

Would require a lot of training though. If it's just temporary for a short while, I think a mini keyboard could work nicely. Similar to how you would use your phone with just a thumb.
In fact you could use your phone as a keyboard through RDP, but that could be more trouble than it's worth.

Offline hoggy

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #9 on: Fri, 09 December 2016, 00:39:20 »
...Introduce her to geekhack, her experience would be most welcome.

It's possible that this is just the start of her journey, a few of us are still searching for the perfect ergo board.  It's good that she's an occupational therapist, it will make it easier for her to own the search.

Yet another option would be to buy a point of sale board (tipro would work well here) and reprogram it to the fitaly (or similar) layout. 
GH Ergonomic Guide (in progress)
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54680.0

Offline JaccoW

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #10 on: Fri, 09 December 2016, 04:36:24 »
You may want to look into the Matias one handed keyboard. Not cheap, but could be just the thing.
Matias half keyboard
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Offline Tom_Kazansky

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 03 January 2017, 21:15:41 »
You may want to look into the Matias one handed keyboard. Not cheap, but could be just the thing.
Matias half keyboard

after seeing that board, I thought (as a programmer and a gamer): "why not, it's similar to using the "gamepad" (Logitech G13, Razer Orbweaver)"

so came up with this:

http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/cfd4ba731747c32589266ef99c8c539e

it's like the half left of 60% keyboard,
but I'm not capable of making this board.  :-X


Offline Findecanor

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 04 January 2017, 01:42:08 »
I think that Hoggy's idea of a one-handed layout in software is the most promising. But I would suggest a tenkeyless or 75% instead of 60% so that she would get function keys and arrow keys. Difficult key-combinations are out.

There are also left-handed keyboards such as this one from Fentek. The arrow keys are the left of the main keyboard area and a numeric keypad to the left of that. That together with a one-handed layout in software might be something, because she would not have to move the left hand so far for the arrow keys.
I think there have also been left-handed tenkeyless (no numeric keypad) but I have difficulties finding more info about it: Vortex K87E.

This looks kinda interesting:
I think the FrogPad has been discontinued.

There was a time when they instead of a physical product just had an overlay for Apple's trackpad with some special Mac software. It seems as if they are completely defunct right now.
« Last Edit: Wed, 04 January 2017, 02:42:32 by Findecanor »

Offline jowe

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #13 on: Sat, 15 April 2017, 12:14:12 »
This is probably a bit too late, but also in case anyone else comes here looking for info, there are also one handed chorded keyboards with just 7 or so keys that can be worn as gloves - might be just the right thing if arm/shoulder mobility and grip strength is very limited. I have not used them but know people who do.

Here is a wiki with a lot of information about a few different variants: http://chorder.cs.vassar.edu/ and specifically the wearable SpiffChorder variant and an example set of keybindings

They look easy to build, of course if you have the tools & experience. If you friend/others can actually hold objects comfortably, there is also the manufactured Twiddler you can just buy: http://twiddler.tekgear.com/

Hope your friend is adjusting well! I'd be curious what keyboards/methods she has tried and/or what is working?

Offline hoggy

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Re: I need a hand finding a keyboard for a onehanded typist. (pun intended)
« Reply #14 on: Sat, 22 April 2017, 15:18:18 »
Twiddler is a good suggestion. Nice one, jowe.

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GH Ergonomic Guide (in progress)
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54680.0