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From: jay@argosy.UUCP (Jay O'Conor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc,comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: Chords (was Re: a plea to Apple -- something for the offhand
Message-ID: <623@argosy.UUCP>
Date: 26 Jul 90 23:30:31 GMT
References: <1412@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu> <2787@uakari.primate.wisc.edu> <1396@idunno.Princeton.EDU> <9440@goofy.Apple.COM>
Sender: news@argosy.UUCP
Reply-To: jay@idiot.UUCP (Jay O'Conor)
Organization: MasPar Computer Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA
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In article <9440@goofy.Apple.COM> rmh@apple.com (Rick Holzgrafe) writes:
 ... stuff deleted about chord keyboards and carpel tunnel syndrome ...
>Too right! And I'm the wrong person to pontificate, since I know nothing 
>of the mechanics of the human hand and arm. But... everyone keeps saying 
>"keyboard" - I wonder if the best design wouldn't be something you'd hold 
>in a loosely curled fist, instead of something that sits on your desk. For 
>a first try: take the handle off a joystick that's been well-shaped to fit 
>comfortably in the hand. Add buttons under the four fingers. Make sure 
>that all buttons, including the thumb's, are easy to click and have a 
>short throw. Run a light wire, like a mouse cable, out the bottom. Now you 
>can chord with your hand lying relaxed in your lap.
>
>Am I crazy? Or is it a good idea? Ignorant minds (mine!) want to know. :-)
>
>==========================================================================
>Rick Holzgrafe              |    {sun,voder,nsc,mtxinu,dual}!apple!rmh
>Software Engineer           | AppleLink HOLZGRAFE1          rmh@apple.com
>Apple Computer, Inc.        |  "All opinions expressed are mine, and do
>20525 Mariani Ave. MS: 77-A |    not necessarily represent those of my
>Cupertino, CA 95014         |        employer, Apple Computer Inc."


There was something like this in BYTE magazine many MANY years ago.  It
was a hemispherical shape with one button for each finger and (I think)
three buttons for the thumb.  You press the proper combination of finger
buttons, then one of the thumb buttons to actually transmit the
character from the device.
Hmmm... this only gives you 48 characters...  I must be remembering
something wrong.  Anyone out there remember this issue?  It was the
cover article - I do remember seeing the device on the cover.  I might
be mistaken about the magazine - it might have been Interface Age (how
many of you remember _that_ magazine?).






Jay O'Conor
jay@maspar.com