From: utzoo!watmath!kdmoen
Newsgroups: net.graphics
Title: Re: multi-button mouse
Article-I.D.: watmath.4589
Posted: Mon Feb 21 12:03:15 1983
Received: Tue Feb 22 00:56:02 1983
References: wivax.6907

The best multi-key one-handed keyboard I've heard of is the 'chord'
keyboard.  It has 3 rows of 5 keys, and 4 thumb-operated shift keys.
There are 'dimples' (circular indentations) between each pair of adjacent
keys, and in the center of each 4-key cluster.  Pressing a dimple
(which causes a 2 or 4 key cluster to be depressed) has the same effect
as pressing a single key: it generates a single character.  You can
also press several keys or dimples at once, generating a 'chord'.
This causes the characters corresponding to the keys pressed to be
transmitted in sequence.  For example, holding down the index, middle
and ring fingers in their home positions will transmit t-h-e, the most
common word in the English language.  Since the keys and dimples are labeled,
you can type by hunt-and-peck as well as by touch.  A group of motivated
students mastered the chord keyboard in about the same amount of time
as it takes to learn the QWERTY keyboard, and acheived a typing speed
of 40 WPM.  For more information, see IEEE Computer, Dec '78.

Does anyone know if the chord keyboard is commercially available?
	Doug Moen, ...!watmath!kdmoen