摘要 |
An electronic keyboard having an improved ergonomic design for use with computers and other alphanumeric input electronic devices is disclosed. Repetitive motion stress on a typist's hands, wrists and fingers is substantially reduced by relocating and centering the ENTER and BACKSPACE keys to a location central to the keyboard so as to be index finger activated, with the ENTER key extending up into the home row, thereby reducing wrist flexure. The alphanumeric keys are disposed in an ortholinear array, with substantially vertical columns and substantially horizontal rows and functional keys are grouped into rationally apportioned areas below the alphanumeric keys of the keyboard. Certain of the keys have up to three different functions, depending upon whether the keyboard is in QWERTY mode, Dvorak mode, or numeric keypad mode. The numeric keypad is provided as an "underlay" to the right-hand portion of the alphanumeric keyboard, thereby producing a very compact keyboard with full numeric keypad editing functionality.
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