NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/misc/handicap/8495

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From: [e-mail] (Dan Wallach)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: FAQ: Typing Injuries (2/3): Keyboard Alternatives [monthly posting]
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 30 Dec 92 15:27:32 GMT
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Index Number: 26910

Archive-name: typing-injury-faq/keyboards
Version: $Revision: 4.10 $ $Date: 1992/12/16 17:36:37 $

Special Note:  Next month, I'll be going to a conference where a number     ||
of these manufacturers will be represented.  You can expect a number of     ||
hopefully interesting information, then...                                  ||

The Alternative Keyboard FAQ
Copyright 1992 By Dan Wallach <[e-mail]>

The opinions in here are my own, unless otherwise mentioned, and do not
represent the opinions of any organization or vendor.

[Current distribution: sci.med, news.answers, and e-mail to
                       [e-mail] and
                       [e-mail]]

Changes since previously distributed versions are marked with change        ||
bars to the right of the text, as is this paragraph.                        ||

In this issue, I went over things, fleshing out some of the entries         ||
I felt were a little lacking.  Otherwise, nothing much new, here.           ||

Information in this FAQ has been pieced together from phone conversations,
e-mail, and product literature.  While I hope it's useful, the information
in here is neither comprehensive nor error free.  If you find something
wrong or missing, please mail me, and I'll update my list.  Thanks.

All phone numbers, unless otherwise mentioned, are U.S.A. phone numbers.
All monetary figures, unless otherwise mentioned, are U.S.A. dollars.

Products covered in this FAQ:
    Apple Computer, Inc -- rumors of a new keyboard!
    Dragon Systems
    The Bat
    DataHand
    Comfort Keyboard System
    Kinesis Ergonomic Keyboard
    Maltron
    The Tony! Ergonomic KeySystem
    The MIKey
    The Wave
    The Minimal Motion Computer Access System
    Twiddler
    Half-QWERTY
    Microwriter
    Braille 'n Speak
    Octima
    AccuKey

GIF pictures of many of these products are available via anonymous ftp
from soda.berkeley.edu:pub/typing-injury.  (128.32.149.19)  I highly        ||
recommend getting the pictures.  They tell much more than I can fit         ||
into this file.                                                             ||

If you can't ftp, send me mail, and I'll uuencode and mail them to you
(they're pretty big...)

==============

Apple Computer, Inc.
    Sales offices all over the place.

    The following rumor appeared in TidBITS#149/26-Oct-92:

    I've heard that Apple is working on a new mouse with more rounded
    curves that users might find more comfortable than the current
    mouse. That's not terribly exciting, but what is exciting is the
    new keyboard Apple also has in the works, reportedly slated for a
    January release. The keyboard should list for about $250, which
    compares relatively well with the $185 Extended Keyboard II,
    considering the extra hardware that goes into the ergonomics.

    Like some of the more esoteric keyboards from small companies,
    Apple's new keyboard "breaks" in the center, so that the left and
    right halves rotate around pivot points. You can also angle the
    sides when it is broken for maximum comfort, and the keyboard even
    comes with palm rests. Although this is terribly hard to
    visualize, and I don't have a QuickTime movie for you, I've heard
    that the design makes typing extremely comfortable.

DragonDictate-30K (and numerous other Dragon products)
    Dragon Systems, Inc.
    320 Nevada Street
    Newton, MA  02160

    Phone: 800-TALK-TYP or 617-965-5200
    Fax: [phone]

    Shipping: Now.

    Price: DragonDictate-30K -- $4995 (end user system)
           DragonWriter 1000 -- $1595 / $2495 (end user/developer system)
           various other prices for service contracts, site licenses, etc.

    Compatibility: 386 (or higher) PC only (3rd party support for Mac)

    Dragon Systems sells a number of voice recognition products.
    Most (if not all) of them seem to run on PC's and compatibles
    (including PS/2's and other MicroChannel boxes).  They sell you
    a hardware board and software which sits in front of a number
    of popular word processors and spreadsheets.

    Each user `trains' the system to their voice, and there are provisions
    to correct the system when it makes mistakes, on the fly.  Multiple
    people can use it, but you have to load a different personality file
    for each person.  You still get the use of your normal keyboard, too.
    On the Dragon- Dictate-30K you need to pause 1/10th sec between
    words.  Dragon claims typical input speeds of 30-40 words per minute.
    I don't have specs on the DragonWriter 1000.

    The DragonDictate-30K can recognize 30,000 words at a time.
    The DragonWriter 1000 can recognize (you guessed it) 1000 words at a time.

    Dragon's technology is also part of the following products
    (about which I have no other info):

        Microsoft Windows Sound System (Voice Pilot)
        IBM VoiceType
        Voice Navigator II (by Articulate Systems -- for Macintosh)
        EMStation (by Lanier Voice Products -- "emergency medical workstation")

The Bat
    old phone number: 504-336-0033
    current phone number: 504-766-8082

    Infogrip, Inc.
    812 North Blvd.
    Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802, U.S.A.

    Ward Bond (main contact)
    David Vicknair (did the Unix software)  504-766-1029

    Shipping: Now.

    Supports: Mac, IBM PC (serial port -- native keyboard port version
    coming very soon...).  No other workstations supported, but serial
    support for Unix with X Windows has been written.  PC and Mac are
    getting all the real attention from the company.

    A chording system.  One hand is sufficient to type everything.
    The second hand is for redundancy and increased speed.

    Price:
        $495 (dual set -- each one is a complete keyboard by itself)
        $295 (single)

        (cheaper prices were seen at MacWorld Expo as a show-special.)

DataHand   602-860-8584
    Industrial Innovations, Inc.
    10789 North 90th Street
    Scottsdale, Arizona 85260-6727, U.S.A.

    Mark Roggenbuck (contact)

    Supports: IBM PC and Macintosh.

    Shipping: In beta.  "Big backlog" -- could take 3 months
        to get one.  Making them "as-needed."  Made by hand.

    Price: $1200/unit for the pair.  Minimum order: 2.

    Each of the four main fingers has five switches each: forward,
    back, left, right, and down.  The thumbs have a number of switches.
    The idea is that your hands never have to move to use the keyboard.
    The whole unit tilts in its base, as a mouse.

    (see also: the detailed review, written by Cliff Lasser <[e-mail]>
     available via anonymous ftp from soda.berkeley.edu)

Comfort Keyboard System   414-253-4131
    FAX: [phone]

    Health Care Keyboard Company
    N61 W15150 Wigwam Drive
    Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051 U.S.A.

    Theoretical New Address: N82 W15340 Appleton Ave

    Jeffrey Szmanda (Vice President -- contact)

    Shipping: Now.  30 day wait.  Should be FCC approved by the time you
              read this.

    Supports:
        PC
        Mac

    Planned future support:
        IBM 122-key layout (3270-style, I believe) -- sometime in December
        Sun Sparc -- possibly by the end of the year or January '93
        Decision Data
        Unisys UTS-40
        Silicon Graphics

        Others to be supported later.  The hardware design is relatively
        easy for the company to re-configure.

    Price: starts at $590.

    The idea is that one keyboard works with everything.  You purchase
    "compatibility modules", a new cord, and possibly new keycaps, and
    then you can move your one keyboard around among different machines.

    It's a three-piece folding keyboard.  The layout resembles the
    standard 101-key keyboard, except sliced into three sections.  Each
    section is on a "custom telescoping universal mount."  Each section
    independently adjusts to an infinite number of positions allowing each
    individual to type in a natural posture.  You can rearrange the three
    sections, too (have the keypad in the middle if you want).  Each
    section is otherwise normal-shaped (i.e.: you put all three sections
    flat, and you have what looks like a normal 101-key keyboard).

Kinesis Ergonomic Keyboard   206-455-9220
    206-455-9233 (fax)

    Kinesis Corporation
    15245 Pacific Highway South,
    Seattle, Washington 98188, U.S.A.

    Shirley Lunde (VP Marketing -- contact)

    Shipping: currently catching up with backlogged orders.  By the time
        you read this, they should be FCC-approved.  Still, expect a
        30-60 day backlog for your order.

    Supports: PC.  Mac and Sun Sparc in the works.

    Price: $690.  Volume discounts available.
        Other prices for various accessories, including custom wrist pads,
        foot pedals, etc.

    The layout has a large blank space in the middle, even though the
    keyboard is about the size of a normal PC keyboard -- slightly
    smaller.  Each hand has its own set of keys, laid out to minimize
    finger travel.  Thumb buttons handle many major functions (enter,
    backspace, etc.).

    You can remap the keyboard in firmware (very nice when software won't
    allow the reconfig).

    Foot pedals are also available, and can be mapped to any key on the
    keyboard (shift, control, whatever).

Maltron         ([phone] (United Kingdom)
    PCD-Maltron Limited
    15 Orchard Lane, Each Moseley
    Surrey KT8 OBN, United Kingdon

    Pamela and Stephen Hobday (contacts)

    U.S. Distributor:
        Jim Barrett
        Applied Learning Corp.
        1376 Glen Hardie Road
        Wayne, PA  19087

        Phone: [phone]  (NOTE: I had a typo here, last time)

    Supports: PC's, Amstrad 1512/1640, BBC B, BBC Master,
              should have Mac by the end of the year

    Price: 375 pounds
           $735 shipped in the U.S.A. (basically, converted price + shipping)

           The cost is less for BBC computers, and they have a number of
           accessories, including carrying cases, switch boxes to use both
           your normal keyboard and the Maltron, an articulated arm that
           clamps on to your table, and training 'courses' to help you learn
           to type on your Maltron.

           You can also rent a keyboard for 10 pounds/week + taxes.
           U.S. price: $120/month, and then $60 off purchase if you want it.

    Shipping: Now (in your choice of colors: black or grey)

    Maltron has four main products -- a two-handed keyboard, two one-handed
    keyboards, and a keyboard designed for handicapped people to control with
    a mouth-stick.

    The layout allocates more buttons to the thumbs, and is curved to
    bring keys closer to the fingers.  A separate keypad is in the middle.

The Tony! Ergonomic KeySystem        415-969-8669
    Tony Hodges
    The Tony! Corporation
    2332 Thompson Court
    Mountain View, CA  94043, U.S.A.

    Supports: Mac, PC, IBM 3270, Sun, and DEC.

    Shipping: possibly by the end of the year.

    Price: $625 (you commit now, and then you're in line to buy the
    keyboard.  When it ships, if it's cheaper, you pay the cheaper price.
    If it's more expensive, you still pay $625)

    The Tony! should allow separate positioning of every key, to allow
    the keyboard to be personally customized.  A thumb-operated mouse
    will also be available.

The MIKey     301-933-1111
    Dr. Alan Grant
    3208 Woodhollow Drive
    Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815, U.S.A.

    Shipping: As of July: "Should be Available in One Year."

    Supports: PC, Mac (maybe)

    Price: $200 (estimated)

    The keyboard is at a fixed angle, and incorporates a built-in mouse
    operated by the thumbs.  Function keys are arranged in a circle at
    the keyboard's left.

The Wave        (was: 213-)  310-644-6100
    FAX: [phone]

    Iocomm International Technology
    12700 Yukon Avenue
    Hawthorne, California 90250, U.S.A.

    Robin Hunter (contact -- in sales)

    Cost: $99.95 + $15 for a set of cables

    Works with: PC only.

    Shipping: now.

    Iocomm also manufactures "ordinary" 101-key keyboard (PC/AT) and
    84-key keyboard (PC/XT), so make sure you get the right one.

    The one-piece keyboard has a built-in wrist-rest.  It looks *exactly*
    like a normal 101-key PC keyboard, with two inches of built-in wrist
    rest.  The key switch feel is reported to be greatly improved.

The Minimal Motion Computer Access System       508-263-6437
    508-263-6537 (fax)

    Equal Access Computer Technology
    Dr. Michael Weinreigh
    39 Oneida Rd.
    Acton, MA  01720, U.S.A.

    Price: InfoGrip-compatible: "a few hundred dollars" + a one-handed Bat
          For their own system: $300 (DOS software) + "a few hundred dollars"

    Shipping: these are custom-made, so an occupational therapist would
          make moulds/do whatever to make it for you.  You can buy one now.

    Supports: PC only, although the InfoGrip-compatible version might
          work with a Mac.

    In a one-handed version, there is exactly one button per finger.  In a
    two-handed version, you get four buttons per finger, and the thumbs
    don't do anything.  You can also get one-handed versions with three
    thumb buttons -- compatible with the InfoGrip Bat.  Basically, get it
    any way you want.

    They also have a software tutorial to help you learn the chording.

    Works on a PC under DOS, not Windows.  Planning on Macintosh and
    PC/Windows support.  No work has been done on a Unix version, yet.

Twiddler        516-474-4405, or 800-638-2352
    Handykey
    141 Mt. Sinai Ave.
    Mt. Sinai, NY 11766

    Chris George (President)

    Shipping: now.

    Price: $199.

    Supports: PC only.  Mac and X Windows in the works.

    The Twiddler is both a keyboard and a mouse, and it fits in one hand.
    You type via finger chords.  Shift, control, etc. are thumb buttons.
    When in "mouse" mode, tilting the Twiddler moves the mouse, and mouse
    buttons are on your fingers.

    The cabling leaves your normal keyboard available, also.

    Most applications work, and Windows works fine.  DESQview has trouble.
    GEOWorks also has trouble -- mouse works, keyboard doesn't.

Half-QWERTY     (Canada) 416-749-3124
    The Matias Corporation
    178 Thistledown Boulevard
    Rexdale, Ontario, Canada
    M9V 1K1

    E-mail: [e-mail]

    Supports: Mac and IBM (but, not Windows)

    Price:   $84.95 (slightly higher in Canada)
    Shipping: Now.

    This thing is purely software.  No hardware at all.

    The software will mirror the keyboard when you hold down the space
    bar, allowing you type one-handed.

AccuKey         703-961-3576
    Vatell Corp.
    P.O. Box 66
    Christiansburg, VA 24073

    (This info provided by Wes Hunter <[e-mail]>)

    Price: ??

    Shipping::  I believe that they are not shipping a product yet.
    Some arm twisting might get an evaluation unit.

    Specifications: 2" x 7" x 12"; 2 lbs.;  8 ternary keys;  characters
    input by chording;  emulates any conventional keyboard character set;
    plug compatible models for PC/AT, PC/XT, and all CRT terminals; no
    software mods needed

Octima  (Israel) 972-4-5322844
    FAX: [phone]

    Ergoplic Keyboards Ltd.
    P.O. Box 31
    Kiryat Ono 55100, Israel

    (info from Mandy Jaffe-Katz <[e-mail]>)
    A one-handed keyboard.

Microwriter AgendA (U.K.) ([phone]
    FAX: [phone]

    Microwriter Systems plc
    M.S.A. House
    2 Albany Court
    Albany Park
    Frimley
    Surrey GU15 2XA, United Kingdom

    (Info from Carroll Morgan <[e-mail]>)

    The AgendA is a personal desktop assistant (PDA) style machine.  You
    can carry it along with you.  It has chording input.  You can also
    hook it up to your PC, or even program it.

    It costs just under 200 pounds, with 128K memory.

Braille 'n Speak     301-879-4944
    Blazie Engineering
    3660 Mill Green Rd.
    Street, Md 21154, U.S.A.

    (information provided by Doug Martin <[e-mail]>)

    The Braille N Speak uses any of several Braille codes for entering
    information: Grade I, Grade II, or computer Braille.  Basically,
    letters a-j are combinations of dots 1, 2, 4, and 5.  Letters k-t are
    the same combinations as a-j with dot 3 added. Letters u, v, x, y, and
    z are like a-e with dots 3 and 6 added.  (w is unique because Louis
    Braille didn't have a w in the French alphabet.)

===========

Thanks go to Chris Bekins <[e-mail]> for providing
the basis for this information.

Thanks to the numerous contributors:

Doug Martin <[e-mail]>
Carroll Morgan <[e-mail]>
Mandy Jaffe-Katz <[e-mail]>
Wes Hunter <[e-mail]>
Paul Schwartz <[e-mail]>
H.J. Woltring <[e-mail]>
Dan Sorenson <[e-mail]>
Chris VanHaren <[e-mail]>
Ravi Pandya <[e-mail]>
Leonard H. Tower Jr. <[e-mail]>
Dan Jacobson <[e-mail]>
Jim Cheetham  <[e-mail]>
Cliff Lasser <[e-mail]>
Richard Donkin <[e-mail]>
Paul Rubin <[e-mail]>

and everybody else who I've probably managed to forget.

The opinions in here are my own, unless otherwise mentioned, and do not
represent the opinions of any organization or vendor.

Mailing date: Wed Dec 16 09:44:42 PST 1992
--
Dan Wallach               "One of the most attractive features of a Connection
[e-mail]  Machine is the array of blinking lights on the faces
Office#: 510-642-9585     of its cabinet." -- CM Paris Ref. Manual, v6.0, p48.