Data Hand

http://datahand.com [Sales suspended as of October 2007]

DataHand is an alternative keyboard that encloses each finger in an individual "pod" lined with magneto-optical switches.

Advantages: Your fingers never move more than a fraction of an inch while typing. Also, the magnetic switches result in greatly reduced activation pressure ( amount of force required to activate the key ). Benefits are increased speed and greatly reduced strain.

Disadvantages: It's quite expensive compared to a normal keyobard (over $1000 for a two-handed version). It also requires extensive relearning. Typing on a DataHand is nothing like typing on a keyboard.

Speed increases are controversial (unless injuries determined prior typing speed).

Price pain

ebay to the rescue? Maybe... "Buy It Now for US $349.95 -- This option disappears once the reserve price is met." I am considering buying this old model DataHand (DH200) on ebay. The DataHand 200 is a discontinued model which I guess explains the low price. Don't know what the reserve price is set at. Search for "DataHand" at ebay.com to find the auction. I think it is some guy who has more that one unsused HD200 on hand. Pros and cons of buying the discontinued DH200, I don't know. But here are some notes from a guy who uses a DH200 <http://www.meer.net/~msc/datahand.htm>. He seems to like to use foot pedals and a track pad with his DataHand 200.

Roger 2003.04.01 (no, I am not kidding :-)

Typing on a DataHand is nothing like typing on a keyboard.

With few exceptions, the same finger movements produce the same results. For example, the "F" is under the left index finger, or snap your right middle finger up to hit the "I".

Among the letters, there are 4 exceptions: B, N, T, and Y were moved because the DataHand's pods don't read diagonal movements.

Has anyone actually seen this thing in the flesh, so to speak? Or better yet, ever used it?

The DataHand has been my primary keyboard since March 1998. Agreed that it's an expensive keyboard, but since I spend a major portion of my life typing, price wasn't a concern. I feel the same way about monitors. I want the best physical interfaces possible.

Regarding speed, mine improved quite a bit. With the DataHand's design, it's impossible to get "off by one" typing errors, my fingers are always locked on the home row, so I have more confidence and thus go faster. Of course YMMV. --AshleyFryer

This sounds extermely cyberpunk. Rock on! --Ed

: I want the best physical interfaces possible.

Definitely! As computers continue their march towards consumer devices, this attitude will become more prevalent. Right now, however, it is difficult to use any other device than the standard keyboard/mouse/joystick set up (even joysticks aren't commonly used). Gamers are doing well, though; and graphic artists too. Can't wait. Then again, you should see how my con is set up right now: spine bending torture.

Along the lines of the SapirWhorfHypothesis, I hypothesize that GUIs are limited by the hardware available to the user. Better hardware, better interface. Example: palm devices with really poor user interfaces (comparatively).

I wonder what impact PervasiveComputing will have. -- SunirShah

I wanna get me a DataChair?.

CategoryKeyboard