mikey@bbimg.UUCP (09/08/86)
A few years ago there was a company, in Philly I believe, that marketed a one handed keyboard for handicapped people. It was a ball with 5 buttons on it for each finger and the thumb. I believe I remember seeing it written up in Popluar Electronics before they became Computers and Electronics. I don't have any more information, but I'm trying to find a source for this keyboard and or similar items to be handheld data entry devices. Any devices of this or of a similar nature I'm interested in. Even if there, isn't a device, but you have some ideas, drop me mail. It will be appreciated! Mike Yetsko Beth Israel Hospital trsvax!techsup!bbimg!mikey
colvin.PA@Xerox.COM (09/15/86)
Mike - The one handed keyboard that you described is/was called the Writehander. It came out in the 1977-78 time frame. The company that produced it has since gone out of business. It was a good idea, it was just difficult to learn to use and I think that discourged many people from purchasing one (it was also over priced). It is a very simple device and it would not be too difficult to build one yourself. If you're interested I can give you some technical and construction details. -- Craig
dpw@rayssd.UUCP (Darryl P. Wagoner) (09/19/86)
> > produced it has since gone out of business. It was a good idea, it was > just difficult to learn to use and I think that discourged many people > from purchasing one (it was also over priced). > Even when you learn to use the beast it was no fun! I had one and learn to use it.(it was all I had) I don't think it was a lot faster that what someone could type with one hand. It was bad.. -- Darryl Wagoner Raytheon Co.; Portsmouth RI; (401)-847-8000 x4089 best path {allegra|gatech|mirror|raybed2} ---------\ next best {linus|ihnp4|pyrbos} ---------------------->!rayssd!dpw if all else fails {brunix|cci632} -------------------------/
waynet@tolerant.UUCP (Wayne Thompson) (09/20/86)
> Mike - > The one handed keyboard that you described is/was called the > Writehander. The company that produced it has since gone out of business. If I remember correctly it was a hemishere with 3 buttons for the thumb and one each for the rest of fingers. You actually entered ascii directly with the eight buttons. Inside all that was required was debounce circuits. -- Which is worse ignorance or apathy? Who knows, who cares. Wayne Thompson ..{bene,mordor,nsc,oliveb,pyramid,ucbvax}!tolerant!waynet Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to discern who is responsible for these opinions, the poster or the company he works for. Good luck!!
dale@wucs.UUCP (Dale Frye) (09/25/86)
In article <405@tolerant.UUCP>, waynet@tolerant.UUCP (Wayne Thompson) writes: > > Mike - > > The one handed keyboard that you described is/was called the > > Writehander. The company that produced it has since gone out of business. > If I remember correctly it was a hemishere with 3 buttons for the thumb > and one each for the rest of fingers. You actually entered ascii directly > with the eight buttons. Inside all that was required was debounce circuits. Actually it had 6 buttons for the thumb, three rows of two. I've got one if anybody's buying. I haven't really used it. It uses the right hand and I'm left-handed. Dale Frye @ Washington University in St. Louis