SMALL BIZ ADVICE
What would you ask Michael?
The Dell Community has contributed: 9800 ideas | promoted 668576 times | 76324 comments

How IdeaStorm Works:

Post Promote Discuss See
Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) Comments | Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) Ideas | Healthcare Comments | Healthcare Ideas | New Product Ideas Comments | New Product Ideas Ideas
130

Laptops Keyboard lifting mechanism to reduce RSI

130 points posted to Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Healthcare, New Product Ideas by bbr 06/25/07

Sorry to say but i'm going to have to make this a slightly vague description.

At home and at work i prefer the use of a desktop, with obviously an external keyboard.

Laptops give me RSI. why you may ask?
The keyboard layout is tiny, and odd angled.
So, whenever i use a laptop i make sure i hook up an external keyboard as well.

How about a keyboard lifting mechanism ?

- How it'd work -
When you clap open the display (clamshell), internal systems either hardware based, or hardware with a software controller would lift up the keyboard, and slightly slant it toward you.
This would cause the keyboard to be at a more natural angle compared to standard laptop keyboard layouts, and hopefully reduce RSI caused by using a laptop without an external keyboard.

Under the keyboard there would need to be a tray that prevents dirt from reaching into the computer.
Plus, the keyboard would need sufficient support ridges / pillars when it's lifted to keep it rigid when performing the typing.

jervis961
06/25/07		 Wrong idea this is the correct tilt of the keyboard per Harvard



http://www.rsi.deas.harvard.edu/preventing.html
bbr
06/25/07		 I think the picture above is correct, but not properly put into perspective.
In the "bad" example, it shows the user cramping the fingers close, which would equate to having to put your wrists on the top of a laptop, then trying to press the buttons.
In the correct example, it shows the fingers in a relaxed position, but wrongly displays the arms in a floating potision, which will cause RSI on its own.

Personally i find that my wrists do actually need to rest on the table, otherwise you get RSI in your lower arms rather than fingers.
If you put down your wrists at sufficient distance from the place you press the keys, you should be fine in theory.
In the current laptop design this is almost impossible. If however the keypad on laptops were to lift, tilt and shift backward you'd have more room, and would be able to stretch your fingers more naturally in the way that external keyboards do as well.

Ultimately you'd have something like this : http://www.trimmail.com/news/images/jpg_flexpro
or this : http://www.ergotype.nl/en/small-sidevertical2.jpg
But i've got no idea how well those things would actually work to prevent RSI though.

and then there's these crazy contraptions as well : http://www.blvd.com/appliedlearning/
i'd say the "natural" keyboard is a bit more friendly : http://www.bestwaycomputer.ca/images/MS%20Natural%20Keyboard%20Elite.jpg
jervis961
06/25/07		 I've seen som strange keyboards at work but that is nuts.

 
Atom feed track comments for this idea
Please log in to post a comment
recently promoted by: