Seeking Opinions - New Keyboard Layout

[smoore]

I'm a contractor with Research Triangle Institute (http://www.tri.org) and am evaluating a technology for a partner - the aim here is to determine whether the technology has commercial potential, and they should try to market it for license it, or is it old news, too niche, etc. I'd welcome any opinions on the subject.  

The technology is an alternative keyboard layout, and a schematic is attached here.

This layout is designed to be more efficient than that of a conventional QWERTY keyboard, being more logical and ergonomic, thereby facilitating an increase in the average speed and accuracy of a user’s data-entry typing ability.  

The keyboard may be implemented in physical form, either as a standalone or plug-in keyboard for a standard portable device (e.g. netbook), or as a soft (software) or virtual keyboard for devices such as cell phones, tablets and various other portable devices.  

The keyboard layout arranges the alpha-characters (alphabet characters) in a unique geometric pattern with their positions based on their frequency of occurrence in the English language (other arrangements can be created for other languages).  This layout reduces finger-travel since the most-used characters are more readily reachable and so faster typing is facilitated.

Tests have shown that the new keyboard’s alpha-layout can be learned by most people in 15 to 30 minutes.  This makes self-taught touch typing a possibility for anyone as they will no longer need to look at the keyboard when typing.

The physical implementation of the new keyboard is considerably smaller than a standard desktop QWERTY keyboard, thus making it particularly well suited for netbooks, yet it maintains practical keycap size for the smallest keys.

Key size also varies advantageously, being larger for the weaker, less dexterous fingers.

The space key, one of the most frequently used keys, is placed in the center.

Because of its much smaller footprint size the new keyboard design advantageously allows for one or two handed typing.

Any thoughts on this would be welcome.

[itlnstln]

Not to discourage you any further, but like the others said, alternative layouts simply don't sell.  That said, it seems that devices are starting to move away from keyboards altogether.  More and more devices are going touchscreen, predictive text, etc.  I think there will be some market for traditional keyboards, but the real "innovation" seems to be in the realm of how to interact with touch screens.

[InSanCen]

COLEMAK, DVORAK, Datahand etc... It's all been done before.

It will undoubtedly be better then QWERTY, but as everyone has said, will sell in very very low volumes.

[itlnstln]

If I add DIP switches, I will be able to charge $125.  Screw the scissor switches. Use Cherrys and charge $150.  Geekhackers would buy them by the gross.

[itlnstln]

Didn't Welly say that "joyful" = "gay?"  It sounds pretty gay.

[itlnstln]

Yeah, we all know how that panned out.

[Mental Hobbit]

Tests have shown that the new keyboard’s alpha-layout can be learned by most people in 15 to 30 minutes.  This makes self-taught touch typing a possibility for anyone as they will no longer need to look at the keyboard when typing.

Anyone with half a brain can learn any alpha layout in 15 to 30 minutes. Knowing where the letters are doesn't make you a touch typist though. Learning to type fast will take as long on this thing as on qwerty, it will just be less painful to untrained hands. But the same is true for any other alternative layout - none of which were commercially successful.

So I have to agree with all other comments: No matter how brilliant it may be, you'll just burn money.

[ricercar]

When Britain's economy takes a Greece, I'm moving off the grid like the second Bush has done. An oil magnate takes his personal estate off the grid with solar and wind power. What does that tell you about his expectations?

[itlnstln]

takes a Greece

This is epic.  I'm stealing it.  Sorry, ricercar.

[smoore]

My apologies, the RTI Web site is http://www.rti.org. Lest anyone think I'm being less than candid here.

[DreymaR]

Smoore: What are the thumbs doing? These strong, clever thumbs of mine better get something very worthwhile to do if you're going to take the space (and Enter) function away from them! And the index fingers are usually already overworked a bit in some people's opinion - they may or may not be ready for more.

Other than that:

[odyssomay]

...being more logical and ergonomic...

...in a unique geometric pattern...

Tests have shown that the new keyboard’s alpha-layout can be learned by most people in 15 to 30 minutes.

It might be more logical on the paper, but when actually used that logic could fall apart. The reason for this (as I see it), is that a design that isn't consistent will be harder to learn (because different fingers will have to reach the keys in a different way).

As it seems you have tested the time it takes to learn, I could be wrong. (but there's no information on how the tests were conducted, or what they actually learn in 15-30 min. It is also important to know how long it takes until a former typing speed is reached)

[DreymaR]

On the upside, it looks like it could be used for all sorts of touch-screen devices that are becoming so common these days? If so, there's the advantage of using the same layout on your iWhatever/iRobot/iNokia as on your desktop keyboard.

I still fear that social inertia wins. Time to break out my "it's a period of keyboard war..." pic yet again?