10. Avoiding Repetitive Stress Injuries by using Ergonomically Improved Keyboards

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

Most conventional keyboards are designed keeping their technical efficiency in mind and not human comfort or ergonomic aspects. This leads to various physical problems by keyboard users and more seriousness to the prolonged users.

The major physical problems caused by prolonged keyboard usage can be categorized as neck pain and stiffness, low back pain and stiffness, and strain of the wrists. These problems are caused by chairs, computer desks, and keyboard support stands that are unsuitable for the particular computer user.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a debilitating injury to the wrist joint which has been frequently attributed to long term repetitive hand motion activities. A further factor contributing to carpal tunnel syndrome and its symptoms is the strain on the operator's wrists due to using a keyboard that is too high or too low.

           

This article illustrates 10 inventions on ergonomic aspects of a computer keyboard from US patent database. The ergonomic keyboards and keyboard holders are flexible, movable and adjustable to the position and peculiarities of the user. Hope the manufacturers will shift their focus from the technology to the user or customer in future days.

Keywords: Computer Keyboard, Computer Hardware, Hardware Inventions, Computer Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, Keyboard design, keyboard inventions, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Repetitive stress injuries, ergonomic keyboard, folding keyboard, Collapsible keyboard

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=932270

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.932270

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258120014_Avoiding_Repetitive_Stress_Injuries_(RSI)_by_using_ergonomically_improved_keyboards_-A_TRIZ_based_study_of_10_inventions 

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/10

10 Inventions on modular keyboards

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

As a standard keyboard is quite spacious many inventions try to use the space of keyboard to use for various activities. A modular keyboard is designed in such a way that the components of the keyboard can be attached and detached as per the need.

           

This article illustrates 10 inventions on modular keyboard from US patent database. The objective of these inventions is to make a keyboard modular, so that the same keyboard can be made smaller by detaching some of its components and larger by attaching additional attachments. Some modular keyboards provide slots for external attachments like mouse, telephone, speakers, joystick and storage devices etc.

Keywords: TRIZ, Computer Keyboard, Computer Hardware, Hardware Inventions, Computer Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, Keyboard design, portable keyboards, flexible keyboard, folding keyboard, Collapsible keyboard, modular keyboards

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=932269

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.932269

http://arxiv.org/abs/1310.3850

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256068996_10_Inventions_on_Modular_Keyboards?ev=srch_pub

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/9

10 Inventions on collapsible keyboards

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

Although a bigger keyboard is often comfortable to work with, they cannot be fit into laptop and small size computer boxes. The portable and handheld computers need small size keyboards. So there is a need to reduce the size of the keyboard to fit into the laptop box. There are various mechanisms to reduce the size of the keyboard; collapsible keyboard is one of them.

Although different inventions intend to achieve the same objective of reducing the keyboard size, they all differ in their mechanism. For example, some invention uses a compression mechanism, some invention uses a folding mechanism, and some invention uses a collapsing mechanism and so on. This article illustrates 10 inventions on collapsible keyboards from US patent database. Each case is analyzed from a TRIZ perspective.

Keywords: TRIZ, Computer Keyboard, Computer Hardware, Hardware Inventions, Software Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, Keyboard design, Small keyboards, portable keyboards, flexible keyboard, folding keyboard, Collapsible keyboard

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=932268

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.932268

http://arxiv.org/abs/1310.3268

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258119573_10_Inventions_on_collapsible_keyboards_-_A_TRIZ_based_analysis

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/8

10 Inventions on reducing keyboard size

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

A conventional computer keyboard consists of as many as 101 keys. The keyboard has several sections, such as text entry section, navigation section, and numeric keypad etc. and each having several keys on the keyboard.

           

The size of the keyboard is a major inconvenience for portable computers, as they cannot be carried easily. Thus there are certain circumstances which compels to reduce the size of a keyboard.

Reducing the size of a keyboard leads to several problems. A reduced size keyboard may not contain all the keys available on a full size keyboard; a reduced size keyboard may not be convenient to operate, a reduced size keyboard may have a different key layout which is difficult to learn etc.

           

This article illustrates 10 inventions on reducing the size of the keyboard. Various inventions have attempted to solve the contradictions so that the user achieves the benefits of both ‘reduced size’ and ‘typing comfort’.

Keywords: TRIZ, Computer Keyboard, Computer Hardware, Hardware Inventions, Software Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, Keyboard design, Small keyboards, Laptop keyboards, portable keyboards, flexible keyboards, folding keyboards

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=931683

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.931683

http://arxiv.org/abs/1310.3070

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228296049_10_Inventions_on_Reducing_Keyboard_Size

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/7

Inventions on Keyboard Illumination: A TRIZ based analysis

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract: The conventional computers are not usable in dark, as the user cannot see the keyboard to operate properly. But there are many situations where the user may like to work on his computer under low light conditions, such as, during nights, while traveling in flights/ trains having low lights, working in the garden during evening etc. So it is necessary to provide some light to the laptop to operate the keyboard under low light situations.

Luminescence of the keyboard is a desirable feature for portable computers. There may be several methods to illuminate the keyboard, the most crude may be carrying an external light and fixing at a point where it can light the keyboard. But solutions like this are not very convenient. The inventors have been looking for better solutions. This article analyses 6 patents on keyboard illumination.

           

A good illumination system do not consume more battery, do not increase the size and weight of the laptop, do not increase heat inside the laptop box, and do not cost much to manufacture. The light should uniformly illuminate the whole keyboard and should not throw light on other areas that are not required.

Keywords: TRIZ, Computer Keyboard, Computer Hardware, Hardware Inventions, Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, Keyboard design, Illuminated keyboards, mobile phone keyboards, keyboard light, Keyboard visibility

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=931466

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.931466

http://arxiv.org/abs/1307.6378

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251566593_Inventions_on_Keyboard_Illumination_-_A_TRIZ_Based_Analysis

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/6

Inventions on Soft Keyboards

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

The soft keyboards are onscreen representation of physical keyboard having alphanumeric characters and other controls. The user operates the soft keyboard with the mouse, a stylus or other pointing device. The soft keys don’t have any mechanical component.

           

The soft keyboards are used in many public places for informational purpose, educational systems and financial transactional systems. A soft keyboard is convenient in some cases where a hard keyboard is difficult to manage. The soft keyboard is a substitute of a physical keyboard and is displayed on the screen. It displays the same type of alphanumeric and control keys like the keys on the actual keyboard.

           

There are many inventions on a soft keyboard which makes the soft keyboard more efficient and effective. This article illustrates some inventions on soft keyboards from US patent database.

Keywords: TRIZ, Computer Keyboard, Computer Hardware, Hardware Inventions, Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, Keyboard design, Soft keyboards, phone keyboards, tablet keyboards, touch screen keyboards

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=931461

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.931461

http://arxiv.org/abs/1307.6372

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251566879_Inventions_on_Soft_Keyboards_--_A_TRIZ_Based_Analysis

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/5

Inventions on reducing number of keys on a computer keyboard

Author: Umakant Mishra
Abstract:
A computer keyboard consists of several sections and each section consists of several numbers of keys. The text entry section contains the standard character keys, navigation section contains cursor movement and page control keys, numeric keypad contains numeric keys and function keys section contain function keys and special keys. Although the increased number of keys helps smooth interaction with a computer there are situations where it is necessary to reduce the number of keys.

           

The need for reducing number of keys in a keyboard creates a technical contradiction. Generally more number of keys can support more number of functions and less number of keys can support less number of functions. We need more number of functions (all the functions available in a full size keyboard), but we want only less number of keys (Contradiction). This contradiction has been solved by using multi-stroke mechanism.

There may be different purposes to reduce the number of keys in a keyboard. Some of them intend to reduce the size of the keyboard while some others intend to increase the speed of typing. But all of these inventions use multi-stroke mechanism to generate more number of signals from less number of keys.

Keywords: TRIZ, Computer Keyboard, Computer Hardware, Hardware Inventions, Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, Keyboard design, keyboard extensions, small keyboards, laptop keyboards

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=931458

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.931458

http://arxiv.org/abs/1307.6369

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256068987_Inventions_on_Reducing_Number_of_Keys_on_a_Computer_Keyboard

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/4