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Alternative Input: Striking a new Chord Stephen Nicholas 18-Oct-09
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Alternative Input:Striking a new Chord
Stephen Nicholas18-Oct-09
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An Introduction to Chord Input
Agenda
About Me
What is Chord Input?
Why Chord Input?
Drawbacks
Examples
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An Introduction to Chord Input
About Me
Stephen Nicholas
E-mail: [email protected]
@sd_nicholas
~2 Years
Automated GUI Testing
Developer on Microbroker
BSc Computing Science
3rd Year Project: An Investigation into Chord Input
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An Introduction to Chord Input
What is Chord Input?
An input technique where, in addition to using single key presses, a user can use multiple simultaneous key presses to enter information.
Similar to playing a chord on a piano.
Examples:
– ‘Ctrl’ + ‘S’ to save a document
– Braille Keyboard
– The Microwriter
Reported to date back to 1836.
Braille
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An Introduction to Chord Input
Why Chord Input?
Allows for a greater number of input combinations from a smaller number of keys.
– 5 keys = 25 – 1 = 31 input combinations. A-Z, space and some modifiers.
– 6 keys = 26 – 1 = 63 input combinations.
‘Keyboards’ can be made much smaller.
Efficient one-handed text entry.
Input speeds can match and exceed traditional QWERTY.
Potential uses:
– On mobile devices.
– Users with disabilities.
– Reducing RSI.
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An Introduction to Chord Input
Drawbacks
Uses encoded input schemes.
Can’t hunt and peck.
Longer learning times and higher initial error rates than QWERTY.
This can discourage users.
Can require good co-ordination and fine motor skills.
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An Introduction to Chord Input
Examples
First introduced by Cy Endfield in 1978.
Portable chording device that had some commercial success in the 1980s.
Speeds up to 40 words per minute after ~7 months practice.
Encoding scheme with strong mnemonic element.
Recently ‘re-developed’ as the Cy-Key.
– The Microwriter
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An Introduction to Chord Input
Examples – The IBM Chord Keyboard
10 main keys with overlapping dimples.
Supports hunting and pecking.
4407 combinations using modifier keys on the thumb.
~40 words per minute after several months practice.
Allows multiple letters to be entered at once:
/I/n/ thi/s/ se/g/me/nt/ of/ te/xt/ the/ cho/rd/ bo/und/ar/i/es/ ha/ve/ be/en/ s/ho/wn/ by/ li/ne/s/.
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An Introduction to Chord Input
Examples – The Twiddler
3 x 4 buttons.
Designed for one-handed use.
~80,000 unique combinations.
Use additional chords to enter groups of multiple characters.
Examples – ChordTap
Uses normal phone key pad.
3 additional keys to distinguish between the letters on each key.
Approx twice as fast as normal multi-tap.
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An Introduction to Chord Input
Examples – The Cyclic Keyboard
Extension of scanning input.
Explores a temporal dimension.
Uses a number of memorable phrases to aid learning.
Could be extended to use more complex chords.
Potential 217 combinations, with 7 time periods.
Key 5Key 4Key 3Key 2Key 1
T5
T4
T3
T2
T1
T0
OZNCE
BIIAH
EMWVS
KOAIA
UTLRU
JAFPQ
T6 XEGYD
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An Introduction to Chord Input
Summary
Traditional text entry methods are becoming less suitable for mobile devices.
Chord Input could help: it allows for quick, efficient, one-handed text entry.
Been around for a while.
Now coming of age.
Any Questions?
Thanks for listening
