The optimal keyboard angle for multiple-finger tapping
Lyle R. Creamer · K-State Research Exchange (Kansas State University) · 1959
SOOttRT 20 mmmuaamm 23 UFUniCBS 24 ATfUDIX • • 2S it dTROOOCTZOII IMS •tnif was 4e«i|9«4 to lavestigaee onltiple-fiagsr Ufplat fttmtmtmtf «s « fuaetloa of tbe ksykoard angle.Xtm keyboard angle, m* 4afiiia4 la tlilt •fctt^y.Is the aagla fozaad by tlie pl«ic of th« tafpiag attrfaea a«d a horisoAMl fl«M («•« Plate I).Tapping perfoxanaa iMi aMumrei ia texaa of apaa4 of tapping, tb* nunber of arrors andl an index of tbe deeraaaa in rata of tapping tturongbMrti eaab tast trial from wbieh aaoMnt of fatigne wm infarrai.A rairiaw of tb« litaratnre indleatat that previous tapping staiies ased only one finger tapping.Cbapanis, at.al. (3) aaggeat tbat tbe ''nonail'* horlsoatal keyboard, ablab vefaires vartiaal tapping aowe-ata, la aot tha optlaal type of keyboard for oae flager tappiag ahea spaed of tapping is used as the aeaaure of perfomsnee.They state tbat tappiag is eoasiderably faatar oa a vartiaal keyboard ahiah requires horlsoatal tai^iag.Ia a related area, laproveaeats have baea suggested for the typewriter keyboard.Blegel (1)Modified tbe typewriter keyboard so that the rows of the keys ware eurred rather thaa straight.Be atteapted to shape the keyboard so that it would be the sasR shape as the typists hands ia a aatural positioa.Other typewriter keyboard ahaagas were eoaflaed to ahsaglag the letters to dlffermt keys.It is hypotheeised that aHltiple>flager tappiag perfonMnee will vary aa a fuKtioa of the keyboard aagle.Also, it is assuaed that there will be a separ- ate fuaetloa for rate, errors aad fatigue but that thaaa fuastioaa will be •im- liar.With the aaay offlee aaahiaes that require aultiple-flager tappiag, it appears that additloaal laforaatloa about aultipla-flager tappiag would be high* ly desirable.Without additloaal infonsatioa It will be iaposslble to deslga the aost effialeat keyboard for these aaehiaes.A keyboard designed for sweh-