Croatian architect Goran Bobinac designed a new and improved ergonomic modular pc keyboard which consists of three separate parts, two symmetrical parts with letter keys, and a center numerical part. These keyboard modules are easily interchangeable into three different setups, best adjusted any time for different types of users and applications.

Ergonomic Modular PC Keyboard, image courtesy Goran Bobinac

+ Design description courtesy Goran Bobinac

Modular pc keyboard consists of three separate parts, two symmetrical parts with letter keys, and a center numerical part.

Their internal communication could be wireless, by wires or fitted connectors, attached together by any kind of disconnectable and flexible joints. Communication with pc can also be wireless or by wire.

Separate keyboard parts are attached together by axes inserted into tubes placed on the side edges of each part, allowing rotation around the axes along adjacent sides of these parts.

These keyboard modules are easily interchangeable into three different setups, best adjusted any time for different types of users and applications:

1) two hands typing – numerical part in the middle (text typing, etc.)
2) left hand on the keyboard, right hand on the mouse – numerical part on the right (for righthanders; CAD, games, internet, etc.)
3) right hand on the keyboard, left hand on the mouse – numerical part on the left (for lefthanders; CAD, games, internet, etc.)

Modular pc keyboard parts are ergonomicaly curved, in a way that preserves ergonomic quality regardless weather the keyboard is set up into two-hands configuration, or any of the one-hand configurations.

Also, different keyboard parts when attached together could be bent by a certain degree along connecting edges, thus improving ergonomy of the keyboard even more.

The key disposition is improved; main enter key is the largest and in the middle, the shortest way from each hand, there are two large space keys mostly always under each thumb, escape and backspace are large and on the upper corners easy to find…

All the keys are larger then usual, and the general area of the keyboard is smaller, making it easier to hit the right key, and decreasing the necessary movement of the hands over the keyboard.

In each of the one hand configurations of the keyboard two enter keys and two spacebars are next to each other, making the hit area even larger, all the letter keys are continued in familliar order, and the curved shapes of the parts form a single curve- continued shape of the keyboard.

There are altogether 109 keys (more then most usual keyboards on the market), numerical part of the keyboard consists of 25 keys, and each of the letter parts consist of 42 keys.

The three parts of the keyboard in packaging can be stacked on top of each other in a much smaller box, making the volume of packaged sales product signifficantly smaller, lowering the cost of storage and transportation.

positive impact and contribution of the design, should it be successful and accepted by the consumers, would be in better efficency and speed of work, and also in less health problems through improved ergonomy that allows more natural position and easier movement of the hands over keyboard.

context of the design is every situation and every time in the world when pc keyboard is used, and everyone who uses it should benefit from it’s advantages. it addresses the problem of “not good enough”
usability and poor ergonomics of the conventional pc keyboard.

It might require some time for a user/consumer to adjust to the new product design.

Years of experience of using the conventional type of pc keyboard have led me to conclusion that it’s just not good enough for us in the 21. century pc keyboard should and could have evolved through the years to better serve our needs and make it more user friendly and easier to work with, more adjusted to the way we need to use it. previous attempts have been successful only in limited aspects of the design, while this design tries to cover as many different aspects as possible (such as flexibility, ergonomics, beauty and originality), all at once.

The competition: “The future of Competitions – TELL THEM WHAT THEY NEED” is launched. The submission is no later than 1st of November 2010. This competition attempts to instigate change by challenging the established in a critical but constructive manner. There are no fixed requirements regarding submitted material. The essential idea is to explore the potential of the architectural competition – it is up to you how to communicate it. The 1st prize for this competition is 2.500 euro.

+ For more information about this competition, click here.

+ Press release

Historically the architectural competition has been a testing ground for new ideas. It was understood as a space in which research and development, as well as the creation of critical architectural proposals, were possible. Today, competition architecture has increasingly become a service provision for the jury and a fulfillment of the technical requirements of the brief – in other words, simply what is needed to win the competition.

Needs are generating ideas whereas ideas should be generating needs.

The outcome is often predictable and conventional, stripping competitions of their significance as a critical tool.

Stimulus

• What needs to be changed, and how, in order to make competitions once again a tool for generating new ideas?
• What can be changed to improve the interaction between commissioner, client and end-user in the competition process?
• How do the mechanisms of competitions affect the built environment?
• What is the potential of architecture competitions?

THIS TIME YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS AND YOU GIVE THE ANSWERS

This competition attempts to instigate change by challenging the established in a critical but constructive manner. Join us by contributing the questions not yet asked! There are no fixed requirements regarding submitted material. Entries could be in the form of a text, manifesto, collage, illustration, SMS, image, fax, diagram, installation, paper architecture, runners up, brief, historical material, etc. The essential idea is to explore the potential of the architectural competition – it is up to you how to communicate it. Please address the principle question of how to return to a condition where competitions generate ideas rather than simply deliver solutions. The format and material should be in relation to the concept of your submission.

We challenge experienced architects to take part and share their perspective on the matter.

The jury

• Boris Brorman Jensen (DK), architect, associate professor Århus, Ph.D, Harvard fellow.
• Gary Bates (NO / USA), architect, teacher and curator, founding partner of Spacegroup
• Markus Miessen (GE / GBR), professor, architect, writer, curator, founding partner of nOffice and Studio Miessen.

The entries will be judged anonymously.

1st prize: 2.500 euro
Winner & Runner-ups will:

• be published in a special competition issue of CONDITIONS
• take part in a Scandinavian exhibition
• take part in a dialogue how to implement your ideas