Desk sized optical mouse pads.

[James Helman]

Trackballs are great for moving and panning, but are difficult (at
least for me) to control in drawing operations.

One interesting idea is a *thumb roller*.  A cylinder on a rod located
below the space bar.  The cylinder could be rotated for vertical
motion and shifted for horizontal motion.  I don't know of any
commercial devices using it, but supposedly even drawing is feasible.
The big advantage is there's no more need to keep moving your right on
and off the keyboard.

The roller was mentioned by Tony Hodges, a local character, who has a
patent on a split keyboard on which the left and right hand portions
split and rotate (B & N keys toward you) so that wrist stress
(pronation) is reduced.  Your hands and fingers can remain parallel to
your forearms, rather than rotating your wrists to match the key rows.
Hodges and a doctor who has studied the keyboard claim this reduces
the stress which can lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, a disabling
repetitive motion disorder affecting many heavy keyboard/VDT users.

In addition, the keyboard is hinged in the middle and rises like an
A-frame with the G and H keys on top.  Hodges claims this further
reduces stress by allowing the hand to be oriented in a more natural
gripping or manipulating position with the thumbs higher than the
little finger.  After trying it briefly, I have to agree that it's
very relaxing and comfortable once you become accustomed to the
different position.  I've got one on order, IF he ever produces any.
I've heard CTS horror stories.  I really don't want to risk my wrists.

SGI: How about licensing the technology and being the first
workstation to have an truly ergonomic keyboard?  Take it from someone
with sore wrists: it's a winning idea.

Comments on existing keyboards: SGI's keyboard is about the best I've
seen for a flat one.  (That is except for the reversal of the
<CAPS_LOCK> and <CTRL> keys.  But at least those keys are the right
size and easily remapped.)  By contrast, Sun's new keyboard is the
most awkward I've ever used.  Sun has moved the ~/` key to the right
of the "/' key, which is a terrible idea.  The <RET> key is now
completely out of reach of most little fingers.  And, putting the |/\
key up with the function keys is equally brain damaged.  Unlike SGI's
keyboard, the <Alt/Meta> keys are much too small to use reliably.
Gak, I wonder where they did their ergo research.

Jim Helman
Department of Applied Physics			Durand 012
Stanford University				FAX: (415) 725-3377
(jim at KAOS.stanford.edu) 			Work: (415) 723-9127