Touch Stream Keyboard

[They're out of business. Curse them, I wanted one of these...]

: "The TouchStream LP is a stand-alone user interface that combines an ergonomic keyboard, precision scroll mouse functionality, and our extensive two-handed gesture set. The TouchStream LP completely replaces your existing keyboard and mouse with a fully integrated package that packs a lot more power and capability."
: "TouchStreams are the first computer input devices that completely eliminate reach and delay going from typing to pointing! The electrostatic surface sensors let you touch type effortlessly, with zero key force and a light, airy touch, while the tented LP support frame puts wrists at comfortable angles to ease carpal tunnel pressure."

Pardon the quotes from the company page, but I've been using a TouchStream LP for a year now, and their words describe some of my favorite features the best.

The TouchStream is essentially two large touchpads with keys printed on them. Unlike standard touchpads, these are capable of reading multiple pressure points simultaneously, which by default are interpreted as key presses (one finger), mouse and cursor movements (two fingers), or other multi-finger gestures such as scrolling, cut and paste, save, close window, etc. Learning takes a bit, but the gestures become surprisingly intuitive... to the point where sometimes I try in vain to use a gesture on a conventional keyboard, then groan and reach for the mouse.

This is the most programmable keyboard you can buy. All the logic of where keys are, what they do, as well as gesture recognition and event mappings is customizable. For real geeks, there's an SDK that provides direct access to finger position and gesture streams.

There are some disadvantages to its radical design. Most particularly, there is little tactile feedback about where your fingers are, which means it takes a lot of practice to get your accuracy high.

The TouchStream comes in either Qwerty or Dvorak (all are software switchable)

-- RagnarScheuermann