New Senseboard Prototype

[marlof]

<a href="http://www.senseboard.com/product.php">http://www.senseboard.com/product.php</a><br /><br />Dejan Ivkovic sent in a fairly simple message: "Just got these. Think you will like it...". Nothing much, you'd say, but it is much if you know that he's talking about this product:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/bregonje/senseboard.jpg" /><br /><br />The Senseboard was already present at Fall 2001 Comdex in a prototype version, but now they have a new prototype. "The prototype product released in December 2002 is designed to capture the motion of the fingers and hands, enabling keyboard functionality. The Virtual Keyboard's current status is that it works for slow typing of words and numbers on a PDA or Laptop computer. Within the next few months Senseboard will make the following improvements: faster (i.e. normal/touch typing speed possible); easy to use for an un-trained Senseboard user; wireless version will be released".

[jizmo]

Phheww .. If this isn't sci-fi, then I don't know what is

/jizmo

[FredMurphy]

Is there a special "lite" version which works for two-fingered typists? :lol:

Actually, seriously enough, I tried to learn to touch-type as I use a keyboard all day but I found that typical techie use for me (i.e. a word or two and then some mouse clicks) made touch-typing impractical and slower. I'm guessing the sort of people who use Pocket PCs would be geeks rather than typists.

Who here can touch-type, by the way?

[Philip Colmer]

Who here can touch-type, by the way?

I can, though probably not quite the same way that a trained typist can, although I am quite fast. Never timed myself, though.

It isn't anything I practised, though. It gradually came together after years of programming and writing reports :)

I really like annoying people by looking at them and having a converstation whilst continuing to finish off what I was typing at the time :lol:

I've just had a look at Senseboard's web site and I am intrigued by how they might have been able to pull this off. The benefit of creating a product that works for touch-typists means that you don't need a keyboard to look at, because you know where the keys are without looking down. However, I am surprised that they are detecting enough muscle movement to accurately work out which keys are being aimed at.

I loved this entry from the FAQ:

Q : Does it have an off switch on the hand-pieces so that I can scratch my head without typing crazy characters?

It has a pause function, so that the user may be able to eat, drink or scratch their head without creating unwanted letters and symblols with their hand movements

:crazyeyes:

--Philip

[Rirath]

Can't "touch type" in the classic strict sense of the word, but much like everyone else these days I've developed my own similar method over time that works naturally. Strict touch typing just requires the fingers to bend in ways I'd rather not repeat many many thousand times daily. No wonder people get bad wrists.

[ECOslin]

I can't imagine hitting keys that aren't physically there. I type 40 words per minute, well enough without errors. I'd have to try it before buying.

Kind of reminds me of those people walking around talking to people who aren't there, cell phone users. What happens when the battery dies in one side or another, can you only use half the keyboard?

I occasionally start one key to the right with my left hand and don't notice till I've gone a few paragraphs down the page. Even with the little ridgy things on the 'F' and 'J' keys. I just jump in my chair and go.

Edward

[cessquill]

All looks cool, but isn't it bigger than a foldable keyboard? :P

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

All looks cool, but isn't it bigger than a foldable keyboard? :P
Huh... hadn't thought of that. It is three different parts that you need to carry around and I'm not so sure that this would be more convenient than just toting a Stowaway.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

I occasionally start one key to the right with my left hand and don't notice till I've gone a few paragraphs down the page. Even with the little ridgy things on the 'F' and 'J' keys. I just jump in my chair and go.
I also couldn't imagine typing on a keyboard that I cannot feel with my fingers. I've come to completely rely on those "ridgy" things on the F and J keys... my index fingers just intuitively search for them everytime I place my fingers on the keyboard.

[GoldKey]

I can touch type. Although high on the cool factor, I really don't see the value of this device. It seem like too much to carry around for a portable device. Plus it would require some setting up before each use, so would not be used very spontaneously (ie might only use a night at the hotel to do major typing in which case could use a regular foldup keyboard with better tactile response.) Almost a year ago, I recall seeing an article on a device that actually projected a keyboard onto the surface in front of you and could tell where you positioned your fingers on the projection. That could be integrated into the PDA and was nothing else to carry around.

[PhatCohiba]

Wonder how this would do in the Fitaly contest ;-)

Learned to type in HS in a year-long class full of future secretaries. Taught on old IBM Selectrics. At the end of the year I was one of the worst in typing speed, but now I can do 80-100 wpm but thats as fast as I need to. Can't think faster then that ;-)

[Philip Colmer]

A few people have commented on how long it might take to set up, bulkiness compared with a folding keyboard, etc.

I think there is a *small* amount of misunderstanding. There are only two parts to this device - one for each hand.

In addition, because the device apparently works by following your hand movements, you effectively type in the air. Yes, you can type on a surface to give you some sort of tactile feedback, but it isn't necessary.

One of the benefits here, then, over a folding keyboard is that you aren't constrained by the need to have a reliable surface for resting that folding keyboard on.

A nice possibility, therefore, would be to be in a meeting, have your Pocket PC on a table and then type on your legs under the table, taking notes without anyone noticing/realising ... try doing that with a folding keyboard :-)

It will be interesting to see how effective this device really is, and how expensive it is.

--Philip

[daveshih]

I can touch type. Although high on the cool factor, I really don't see the value of this device. It seem like too much to carry around for a portable device. Plus it would require some setting up before each use, so would not be used very spontaneously (ie might only use a night at the hotel to do major typing in which case could use a regular foldup keyboard with better tactile response.) Almost a year ago, I recall seeing an article on a device that actually projected a keyboard onto the surface in front of you and could tell where you positioned your fingers on the projection. That could be integrated into the PDA and was nothing else to carry around.

Hmmm... I'm just the opposite. 8) In the previous prototype, they are but one small/light band on each of your hands. Hardly obstrusive. You can, for example, have both of your hands in your pants pockets and type if you want. :wink: Wearing it all day might not be that problematic, either.

Also, since you are not resting your palm on anything, there is no carpotunnel syndrome possibilities. And the fact that it doesn't require a flat surface. Great! Type anywhere!

This new prototype, in plastic, I assume, is a little bit bigger and inflexible, but would still work.

The projection keyboard mentioned here, in my opinion, forces the user to be in an un-natural position of the keyboard and requires a flat surface. That, to me, is really limiting.

My .02

Dave

[Larrison]

I'm a pretty good touch typist -- I can usually outtype most of the professional secretaries, due to long familarity with keyboards and usage of them.

But I'm a little skeptical of this device. I've done some typing on a membrane keyboard, and the loss of tactile feeling of the keys really threw me off. Similarly, I've noted that I really do use the "home keys" on a keyboard pretty well to orient my hands, as well as some almost-unconscious usage of the edges of the keys on a keyboard to keep my fingers aligned.

I'll be interested in trying this device.

[scoopster]

...
A nice possibility, therefore, would be to be in a meeting, have your Pocket PC on a table and then type on your legs under the table, taking notes without anyone noticing/realising ... try doing that with a folding keyboard :-)
...

Actually, this is quite easy to do with a folding keyboard, particularly the new thin one from Think Outside (which is rigid, unlike the original Stowaway)....a true touch typist doesn't need to look at the screen when typing, so having the PDA attached to the keyboard on your lap is no problem!

[GoldKey]

I think there is a *small* amount of misunderstanding. There are only two parts to this device - one for each hand.

A nice possibility, therefore, would be to be in a meeting, have your Pocket PC on a table and then type on your legs under the table, taking notes without anyone noticing/realising ... try doing that with a folding keyboard


--Philip

How do they communicate with the PDA? Based on the PDA they show in the picture, I assume it is via infrared. That won't pass through the table.

Also, sizewize, they appear to take up as much space as a folding keyboard.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

How do they communicate with the PDA? Based on the PDA they show in the picture, I assume it is via infrared. That won't pass through the table.

Right... there also appears to be a stand holding the PDA up. Is that not right? From my experiences working with the MicroInnovations IR Keyboard, you needed the keyboard and a stand that would both hold up the device and reflect the IR beam from the PPC to the keyboard.