Shift happens - wear your keyboard!

By designers for designers

Typeware is founded by designers where their profession involves keyboard and mouse usage for a large part of the day, working with a high intensity. This is part of daily life for most designers, accepting to be bound to a desk. It is a common challenge for many engineers to stay healthy.
Typeware aims to break the invisible chains tying people to their desk, without sacrificing control over the computer. Full control here means not just text typing but the full extension of a keyboard and mouse, with also a similar performance.
The idea of making a keyboard wearable feels quite radical at first, however becomes sensible when understanding why desk-bound solutions can’t fully solve the challenges. Once the idea was out of the box unchartered territory was entered. It has triggered invention after invention and the quality of the solution has greatly surpassed the original expectations. The ergonomic reasoning behind it is sound, and the number of new use cases is numerous.
For more information: visit www.typeware.tech

Extended Reality

The emergence of XR is forcing us to re-think computer interfacing. Assume that the pixel density is high enough, that you don’t feel see-sick and that the weight of the glasses is very low. What are the opportunities that it gives?
Bundled with Typeware it gives the last push toward really no longer requiring a desk to work. What is the purpose of bringing out a laptop, when you can have a workplace with a larger projected display, that has more user friendly interfacing, that has a smaller form factor, and there is nothing on your lap? This opens the doors to working on the road, working in lobbies, working from the couch, working from the car. Or spatial design while being in the 3D design space rather than from a traditional CAD environment.
A deskless workplace also opens doors to more medically enabling applications. People with back problems, with pelvis problems, people with paralysis, with local fractures, may increase their working capacity while taking load of their back by being seated in a supportive reclining chair.

Design Iterations

Only after several years of iteration cycles, the fastening has converged into a clamp solution – moving away from the original strap-like solution. These iteration cycles typically involved 3D printing, though initially, every fast technique was acceptable: metal bending, filing, clay modeling, manual soldering. The original bulky versions have proven their use and have stayed around for quite a while.
Big steps have been made to reach a higher level of professionalism. We started partnering with some of The Netherlands finest RSI ergonomists. Also the FDM 3D printers have made place for the far more precise SLA 3D printers. A lot of attention has gone to the adjustment mechanisms. Also the contact surfaces with the hand have evolved into more organic structures.
A major leap forward has been the Twin Key: one key that provides two key positions, eliminating the dead zone that is normally between keys. This reduces the distance between the most ‘far’ and most ‘near’ key position, reducing the degree of finger bending required to reach the nearest key position.