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The Future of PC Keyboards? [Update]
ChadTower:
I don't know that I'd want to put moving parts into a device designed to eliminate the moving parts (as my concept goes). It's a good hybrid between my thought and the traditional keyboard, though.
patrickl:
I guess if they could make a touchscreen shaped "like a keyboard" then it would work yes. They might even just glue see through keys on the touchscreen. Pressing the key would then press the underlaying touch screen and "press the key". The keys then don't move, but I don't think that would be a big issue.
You might need a sensitivity setting so not just any touch of a key results in a keypress. Otherwise just putting your fingers on the keyboard (to get ready to type) would result in a lot of keypresses.
ChadTower:
That's definitely an issue. You'd have to either retrain to keep your fingers slightly above the keys (I actually type that way), or use some mechanical method of completing the touchscreen contact. The mechanical method brings back some of the issues of a normal keyboard, I'd think, but using an LCD underneath gives you the graphic ability to redraw keys based on anything you can think of.
Xiaou2:
At first I thought this was impossible to work well... but I think
it 'might' be ok actually...
Heres my thoughts on a good model...
0) The Touch screen must sense pressure. (not just touch)
1) You must make a raised overlay that has boxes to physically
separate the virtual keys. any pressure on these will not register
via programing.
2) The LCD should not have pressure on it.. so all the physical activity must
occur a few mm above it.
3) The system needs a type of solenoid kicker.. BUT, it must be Fast
and very durable. Also, because you may hit keys very quickly.. it may
be best to have more than one kicker and alternate them. There cant be
a delay in the 'action' either.. or it may throw off the fast typer.
4) The touch plate should be able to move a little. Maybe half the distance
of a laptop key travel. This may help to get a better tactile 'feel' of an
actual press motion. If you try to put pressure on an immovable object
such as your wooden desk.. its very awkward.. and could even be painful
over only a short time span. There needs to be a dampening / absorbing
effect, yet can not be too "bouncy".
An idea is a soft material such as a very soft jell under the touch plates
mounting boarder. And or maybe also a spring system under the
vertical sliding assembly to pop it back up to you.
The Lcd can not be too far away from the Touch plate system, or it
will be hard to see the buttons clearly (for those who look at the keys).
The lcd could be hard fixed a certain distance from the touch plate,
and both of them can travel together via the spring system underneath
the edge boarders.
--
. _____ .
. ----. _|___ _ _ 1.
. ||__ | \____/ \____/ 2.
. | @.| |______________ 3.
. | @|| |______________ 4.
. | @|| |L_C_D_L_C_D_L_ 5.
. | @||_______________ 6.
. | @| ZZZ 7.
. |.@|_ZZZ____________ 8.
. |___________________ 9.
. .
1 - Outer Shell
2 - Key/LCD Carriage
2 & 3 - Raised Overlay
4 - Touch & Pressure sensor
5 - LCD
6 - Bottom of Carriage Assy.
7 & 8 - Spring
9 - Bottom of outer shell
Also note:
@ = Compressible Jell
ZZZ = Spring
*solenoids not shown here
shardian:
In the newest Popular science, they have an article dealing with a cellphone with a feedback producing smooth keypad. It uses little motors or something to let you know you are over a key, and does something to give you the feeling of pressing a button. If you can't tell, I didn't read the article too closely. ;D
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