CASESTUDY OF KEYBOARD
Introduction of Keyboard
History Of Keyboard
What Is Keyboard
Function of Keyboard
Types of Keyboard
The advantages of keyboard
The Disadvantages of keyboard
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Introduction of Keyboard
 This is what you use to type information into your computer. It is the most
common input device. Keyboards usually have a QWERTY layout.
 Different keys on the keyboard have different names. They are used to do
different things.
 Function keys perform a specific task. This task is set by the program you
are using. For example, pressing F1 usually displays the help screen.
 Special purpose keys perform special preset tasks. For example, in Word 97
pressing the Prt Scr (Print Screen) key transfers a picture of your screen to
the clipboard.
 The typewriter keys are used for typing text. They can also be used to
perform tasks that appear on the program’s menus. For example, in Word
97, Ctrl+V (hold down the control and the V key at the same time) does the
same action as Edit / Paste (select Paste from the Edit menu).
 Pressing TAB moves you to the next tab in a word processing program and
the next cell in a spreadsheet program.
 Caps Lock sets to capitals all the text you write.
 The Enter key causes data to be accepted by the computer. If you are
typing, pressing the enter key begins a new paragraph.
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 The cursor control keys move your cursor (the flashing bar where text
appears) around the screen.
 Numeric keys allow you to enter numbers quickly.
History Of Keyboard
Standard Qwerty Keyboard Origin:
Late 1870's
In 1872, Remington produced the first mechanical typewriter, patented by C.
Latham Sholes. Soon typists were going so fast that they were able to jam the
keys which flew up to hit the typewriter ribbon. In the late 1870's: the "improved"
Qwerty layout was designed to slow down typing, so those pesky keys would not
jam anymore. Here is the speed trap we are stuck with today, 130 years later.
Q
W
E
R
T
Y
U
I
O
P
A
S
D
F
G
H
J
K
L
;
Z
X
C
V
B
N
M
,
.
?
In the Standard / Qwerty keyboard layout above, the most frequently used letters
in English are shown in red: ETASORNI. How many common letters are at
convenient inner finger locations on the middle row? None. Where is A? At the
awkward left small finger location. Where are rarely used letters J and K? On
prime real estate. No wonder it's slow: Alphabet soup.
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What Is Keyboard
 Keyboard is used to enter data and programs.
 A figure of keyboard is below
 Keyboard is one of most popular input devices used to enter text
information into a computer.
 Character based commands to a computer are input by using the keyboard.
 The computer keyboard has undergone various modifications.
 It consists of keys for all letters and numerals, and also special characters.
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 Modern keyboard have 102 to 110 keys, with some new kwyboard having
keys assigned with special function.
How Work Keyboard
 A Look inside the Keyboard :
 Each keyboard uses a series of switches to provide messages to the
computer.
 The keys are nested on rubber dome switches that contain carbon in the
center.
 This causes each key to be pressed down and come right back up when you
do not press it anymore.
 Keyboards contain anywhere between 80 to 110 keys, but there could be
more.
 The keyboard also has a microprocessor, to restrict the frequency with
which signals are passed.
 Regardless of how sophisticated your keyboard is, keyboards generally use
the same system for transmitting signals to the computers that they are
attached to.
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 What Happens When You Press a Key:
 When a key is pressed, the rubber dome switch pushes down on the
circuit board, making its center carbon contact touch the circuit,
completing an electrical circuit. This instructs the keyboard to send a
signal.
 Signals from the keyboard continue to be sent at a certain frequency,
regulated by the microprocessor, as the key continues being held
down.
 That is why, when you hold down a key, the computer repeats the
letter, number or symbol on the screen as long as the key is pressed
down.
 Where Does a Keyboard Get Its Power? :
 Keyboards have internal circuit boards, meaning it must pull power from
somewhere. Whether a keyboard uses a USB cable or a PS/2 cable, when
the computer detects a keyboard connected, it will supply power to the
keyboard through the cable.
 Wireless keyboards work differently in that they are powered by an internal
battery.
 The wireless portal is powered by the computer, and a signal is shared
between the two devices, using infrared, radio or Bluetooth technology.
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 However, wireless keyboards are similar to wired keyboards in that they
both have a similar structure, sending signals when a circuit is completed
on their circuit boards.
 The only difference is how the signal reaches its destination.
Internal circuit board
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Function of Keyboard
There are mainly 6 type of keyboard Function,
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Letter keys
Number keys
Symbol keys
Function keys
Edit keys
Control keys
I. Letter keys :There are 26 letter keys each corresponding to Roman alphabet. While using
upper case we get capital letter(A,B,C etc) and while using lower case we get
small letter i.e. a,b,c etc.
II. Number keys:In the first line of the keyboard we have 10 number keys starting from 1 to
9 and at last 0.
III. Symbol key:There are several symbol key each having double symbol except the last
vertical line in the numeric keypad. Nine symbol occurs on the top of the
number keys.
V. Functions key:-
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On the left hand side keyboard, there are 10 function keys. If you are using
some word or sentence again and again in your program, any one of the
function key can be used for this purpose.
VI. Edit keys:There are total seven edit keys. The keys carrying arrows are used for moving
the editing cursor in the direction shown in the key. Then there is a TAB key,
SHIFT key (^) and BACK SPACE key.
 SHIFT key:Shift key allows you to type capital letters. First you have to keep this key
pressed then you have to press desired letter.
 TAB:TAB moves the courser five spaces to right.
 Back space:This key is used eat away any letter typed by you by mistake. You have
to simply bring the courser in a position just after the letter to be erased
and pressed this key. Handel this key very carefully otherwise if keep it
on pressing it will eat away all letters type by you.
VII. Control keys:-
 CAPS lock:-
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When the machine switches on, the red light comes on, telling you that
the CAPS LOCK key is ON. This gives capital letters like A,B,C etc.
By pressing the CAPS LOCK key once, you can switch off the light .now
you get the small letters of single-letter-keys like a,b,c etc.
 ENTER:This key is most commonly used key on the key board when a
command or anything else is typed in. after typing a set of
instruction i.e. one sentence, the return key must be pressed once,
otherwise no instruction shall be obeyed.
 ESC:This key is usually used to stop a program which is running.
However, it can be used to do other things when pressed-such as to
mover you from one part of a program to another.
 Break :This key stops the computer no matter what it is doing. After it is
pressed, the computer forgets almost everything that it has been
set to do. Do not get used to pressing key break key very often.
 DEL:Pressing this key will cause the last character typed into be
erased from the screen. If you make a mistake when typing
something in, you can remove it by pressing del key.
 Ctrl:This is a control key used for several purpose in conjunction with
a letter key.
 Function key:10
Function keys are used to convey specific message to the
computer and occasionally a large instruction can be
represented by one key thereby saving a lot of effort.
Types of Keyboard
Standard keyboard:Standard "full-travel" alphanumeric keyboards have keys that are on threequarter inch centers (0.750 inches, 19.05 mm), and have a key travel of at
least 0.150 inches (3.81 mm). Desktop computer keyboards, such as the
101-key US traditional keyboards or the 104-key Windows keyboards,
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include alphabetic characters, punctuation symbols, numbers and a variety
of function keys. The internationally-common 102/105 key keyboards have
a smaller 'left shift' key and an additional key with some more symbols
between that and the letter to its right (usually Z or Y). Also the 'enter' key
is usually shaped differently.[1] Computer keyboards are similar to electrictypewriter keyboards but contain additional keys.
 QWERTY keyboard: The standard layout of letters, number, and punctuation is known as
a QWERTY keyboard because the first six keys on the top row of
letter spell QWERTY.
 The QWERTY keyboard has design in the 1800s for mechanical
typewriter and was actually designed to slow typist down to avoid
jamming the key.
 Another keyboard design, which has letters positioned for speed
typing, is the Dvorak keyboard.
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 DVORAK keyboard: The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard is a keyboard layout patented in 1936 by
Dr. August Dvorak and his brother-in-law, Dr. William Dealey.
 Over the years several slight variations were designed by the team led by
Dvorak or by ANSI.
 These variations have been collectively or individually also called the
Simplified Keyboard or American Simplified Keyboard but they all have
come to be commonly known as the Dvorak keyboard or Dvorak layout.
 Dvorak proponents claim the Dvorak layout uses less finger motion,
increases typing rate, and reduces errors compared to the standard
QWERTY[1] keyboard.
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 Although the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard (“DSK”) has failed to displace the
QWERTY keyboard, it has become easier to access in the computer age,
being included with all major operating systems (such as Microsoft
Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and BSD) in addition to the standard QWERTY
layout.
 Most major operating systems have the option of toggling to the Dvorak
layout.[2] It is also supported at the hardware level by some high-end
ergonomic keyboards.
“The modern Dvorak Simplified Keyboard layout”
 Laptop sized key board:Keyboards on laptops and notebook computers usually have a shorter
travel distance for the keystroke and a reduced set of keys. They may not
have a numerical keypad, and the function keys may be placed in locations
that differ from their placement on a standard, full-sized keyboard.
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<= laptop keyboard
 Thumb sized keyboard:-
Smaller keyboards have been introduced for laptops, PDAs, smart phones,
or users who have a limited workspace. The size of a standard keyboard is
dictated by the practical consideration that the keys must be large enough
to be easily pressed by fingers. To reduce the size of the keyboard, the
numeric keyboard to the right of the alphabetic keyboard can be removed,
or the size of the keys can be reduced, which makes it harder to enter text.
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<= thumbed sized keyboard
 foldable keyboard:Foldable (also called flexible) keyboards are made of soft plastic or silicone
which can be rolled or folded on itself for travel.[2] When in use, these
keyboards can conform to uneven surfaces, and are more resistant to
liquids than standard keyboards. These can also be connected to portable
devices and smart phones. Some models can be fully immersed in water,
making them popular in hospitals and laboratories, as they can be
disinfected.
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<= foldable keyboard.
 Multimedia keyboard:-
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Multimedia buttons on some keyboards give quick access to the Internet or
control the volume of the speakers.
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The advantages of keyboard
1. Keyboards have special key that perform specific functions.
2. Instead of using the mouse to move the cursor you can use the arrow key
situated on the keyboard to move the cursor on the monitor.
3. Keyboard is less expensive because it comes with every computer.
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The disadvantages of keyboard
1. The person using the keyboard has to learn how to type.
2. The frequent movement from keyboard to move and back could cause
carpal tunnel syndrome.
This History of Computer Keyboards?
The term QWERTY goes back a long way in the history of computer keyboards, but what is it
exactly? If you’re unsure then why not take a quick glance at your computer’s keyboard and
you’ll see exactly what I mean. QWERTY is the first six letters on your keyboard, starting at the
top row and reading from left to right.
You might be surprised to learn that this strange configuration, as well as that of the other twenty
letters on your keyboard was actually arranged in this way to make typing as difficult as it
possibly could be. But why would anyone want to do this? Surely they would do the opposite
and make it as easy as possible, right? Wrong. Let’s find out the reason why.
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The First Beginnings of the Computer Keyboard
The history of computer keyboards begins indirectly with world’s first ever commercially
successful typing machine, which was invented by a man called Christopher Latham Scholes
during 1873.
In this first design, the keys on the keyboard were arranged in alphabetical order. However, there
was a fundamental problem that soon arose with this design. So successful was it that many
people, who had become very adept at typing with great speed, came to find that the keys would
often become jammed when they were typing too quickly, causing all sorts of problems.
Scholes thought for a long time for ways of overcoming the problem, making alterations to the
design of the keys, but nothing seemed to stop them from getting stuck. Finally though, the
solution came to him. If he couldn’t stop the keyboard from jamming, then he would simply act
to slow the person typing down. To do this, Scholes hit upon the idea of placing the most often
used keys away from each other, as far apart as possible. Thence, the modern keyboard known as
QWERTY was born.
Conceiving the QWERTY Idea
QWERTY has since been adapted to the modern computer keyboard that we know today. The
history of computer keyboards was first thought about in the 1960’s, when a couple called Bob
and Joan Crozier found that there was a pressing need to apply computerized technology to many
kinds of business. At this time of course, the small personal computer that we take for granted
was not available, though there were much larger mainframe computers in operation. The
product that the Crozier’s produced featured keyboard switches, showing that they were well
aware of the potential advances in computer and keyboard technology.
The First Computer Keyboards
Moving on to the 1970’s, and the first ever computer keyboards arrived on the scene. In the early
part of this decade, keyboards for large mainframe computers were manufactured to order on
occasion. At this time in the history of computer keyboards, they had to be put together one
switch at a time, with each one being soldered onto a backboard. It was quite a rough process,
and these early keyboards were often made with no keyboard cover or cabinet.
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However, by the middle of the decade, the Imsai and the Altair, the world’s first ever small
personal computers came available. Known as S100 computer systems, they were assembled
individually from scratch, piece by piece. These computers had no Hard Drive or Floppy Disc
Drive with which to save data on. The programming code used to run the computers had to be
entered manually by using the keyboard switches on the front panel of the computer, which was
quite a laborious task! Meanwhile, the display was in the shape of a black and white monitor. All
very primitive stuff.
There was not even a proper keyboard for these computers, and instead users had to buy a
converted IBM electric typewriter, or else convert another kind of electric typewriter by
themselves. Once you had this, you also had to look for a data entry keyboard, and if you
couldn’t find one then you had to build your own!
It wasn’t until the late seventies that standardized computer keyboards finally became available,
thanks to far-sighted companies like Apple, Radio Shack and Commodore.
The Modern Keyboard
By the time the 1980’s had arrived, the history of computer keyboards had entered the modern
era at last. IBM released its very first personal computer in the early 80’s and equipped it with
their famous model M keyboard. Still in high demand even today, due to their high quality and
the unique mechanical feel, the model M keyboard was an instant success and performed very
well, becoming hugely popular. However, it did have one or two flaws, such as the ‘Enter’ and
‘Shift’ keys being too small to use easily. This problem was addressed at least, with IBM
designing special keytop expanders that could be fitted onto the keyboard, enlarging the keys.
There was not much choice in color during this period, with virtually all keyboards being either
beige or grey. It wasn’t until the late 1980’s that black colored keyboards finally came out.
Initially, there were only a small number of keyboard manufacturers, and so the production of
molds needed to supply extra keys for printing on, even though it was expensive, was not a
problem.
However, as the 1980’s progressed, more and more keyboard manufacturers entered the fastexpanding market in earnest, and so the creation of these expensive molds was no longer
practical.
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This was why, in 1985, IBM developed Touchdown Keytop Overlays, which could apply
adhesive onto the top of keys, thus changing the legends on them. From now on, the cost of
producing keytops was reduced significantly forever, and this solution is still used today. You
may probably know them as ‘Keyboard Stickers’.
The Present Day – Will Computer Keyboards Survive?
The biggest development in the 1990’s was the introduction of Membrane Switches, which
began to replace individual mechanical keys. With the introduction of the new laptop computer
in this decade, Membrane Switches increased in popularity at an incredible rate, and there were
other developments in keyboards due to laptops, and especially the advent of the internet, which
fuelled demand for more changes such as extra function and navigation keys.
The last decade, the first one in the 21st Century, has seen even more advancements such as the
introduction of ergonomic keyboards that attempt to lessen repetitive strain injuries associated
with too much typing. However, the biggest developments of the last decade have moved away
from the traditional keyboard. Perhaps, the history of computer keyboards is finally coming to a
close. Modern ideas such as the use of voice recognition and touch screen computers may well
bring about the demise of the keyboard that has served us so well for almost 150 years.
Conclusion
As you can see there is a lot to learn about the History of Computer Keyboards. I hope these
articles on the keyboard will prove useful to your understanding of the keyboard and your
understanding of the entire computer.
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