DEVICEHYPE: DataHand Ergonomic "Keyboard"

Recently it was brought to my attention that there are a wide variety of ergonomic keyboards on the market. I checked out some of what's out there and came across the DataHand device.

Included in this article are a couple of pictures of their product, but I'll let their design philosophy/manifesto speak for itself, mostly; below are a couple of good points they made).

Over recent years, several keyboard manufacturers have developed modestly improved keyboard concepts based around the traditional flat keyboard key layout. They are called "ergonomic" keyboards, even though they are based around an ergonomically-challenged, old-fashioned key layout left over from the era of mechanical typewriters—long before the idea of ergonomics entered the English language.

The flat keyboard was designed to be intentionally less productive. During the era of the mechanical typewriter, workers had to be slowed down to prevent the clashing of keys on old-fashioned mechanical typewriters. Tangled key levers was the biggest barrier to productivity at the time. Intentionally retarded speed was the solution.

Repetitive stress injuries (RSI), particularly carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), now strike an estimated 185,000 U.S. companies each year. These cases amount to more than half of the occupational illnesses in the United States. They are the leading cause of lost workdays each year. On average in the United States, a carpal tunnel syndrome claim costs 25 lost work days and $22-33,000 in both medical costs and the cost of the lost worktime.

An economic value is placed on the issue by citing $15-18 billion annual Workers' Compensation costs for musculoskeletal disability. This is one-third of all Workers' Compensation expenditures.

$700 and it's yours. Some people have taken note of this product and called it "scary". Some people are morons!

N.B. Neither the author nor the Daily Hype has any relationship with DataHand. We just think it's cool.