There is a staggering statistic: less than 30% of people can touch type. Touch typing is a method of typing without looking at the keyboard, using all ten fingers, and relying on muscle memory to find the correct keys. It offers many benefits for professionals over other typing techniques. While voice recognition algorithms are changing computer interactions, touch typing remains a valuable skill for productivity and efficiency when keyboarding.
The History of Typing Yet this is not a new phenomenon – touch typing has been around for almost 150 years. In that time, mastery has required dozens of hours of sweating through repetitive typing exercises. But while typing may be old, it is far from outdated.
The Rise of Cars
Consider the rise of cars, which are newer inventions but have skyrocketed in popularity and ownership. The first Mercedes rolled off the production line in 1926, but mechanical typing devices date back as early as 1714. Maybe it was the smell of fine leather seats or the feel of polished interiors and customized paint jobs that helped make automobiles icons of style and status beyond mere transportation.
So why did cars capture imaginations and dominate transport while typing remained a mere practical tool? Cars gained aspirational perceptions of freedom, status and capability as they improved. Touch typing by comparison stayed associated with offices and manuals despite keyboards progression from typewriters to computers.
The progress in automobile industry vs. typing
What we see on the picture above – is a comparison of two cases : one is a greatly studied and highly developed automobile industry, and the other one is typing – an unexplored everyday activity, which we know so little about, yet it has an immense role in our lives.
The Sleeping Beauties of Technology
Not all technologies are adopted immediately after invention: other overlooked technologies that later became hugely successful:
History shows that groundbreaking innovations can languish in obscurity for years before exploding in popularity. For example, the microwave oven was invented in 1945 but took until the late 1970s to become a mass-market kitchen appliance.
Electric Cars – Sparking Unexpected Joy While GM’s EV1 in the 1990s met controversy and cancellation, Tesla proved naysayers wrong by making electric vehicles exciting rather than compromised. With record sales and iconic models like X, S and Cybertruck, the instant torque and advanced tech make eco-friendly transports appear fun rather than preachy.
Virtual Reality – New Wave of Hype. Virtual reality too went through cycles of hype and disillusionment before the Oculus Rift kicked off the current VR boom in 2016.
The same narrative arc we saw with cars seems well-suited to typing. Though it has existed far longer, typing has yet to benefit from the same waves of public enthusiasm and mass culture celebration. But with the current renaissance spawning niche keyboard communities, customization, and retro appeal, the time may soon come where typing breaks through to the mainstream much like those microwaves and VR headsets.
Instead of a summary:
Did you know there are over 1.2 billion keyboards out there – as many as cars! People use them everyday, but only to type up homework or texts.
The keyboard comeback has already started – people just don’t know it yet. So next time you use yours, listen closer to all the taps and clicks. See what fun you can create by typing faster or making it yours. Get ready to look at keyboards in a whole new way!
The Future of Touch Typing
While technology has advanced dramatically, typing remains the primary means of inputting information. Yet mastery of skills like touch typing has not progressed. There could be a better, more intuitive way that wastes no time but directly trains muscle memory.
Introducing Proprioceptive Keyboards
At ViaTyping, a novel keyboard has been developed to address this need. Called proprioceptive keyboards, they train users to type with all 10 fingers without looking by specially designed tactile ridges. This provides each key with a unique physical signature sensed by the fingertips. While regular flat keyboards struggle to help the mind distinguish keys, proprioceptive keyboards leverage impressions and movements to encode position intrinsically.
Benefits for Learning and Beyond
Studies show proprioceptive keyboard use enhances timing and cuts initial visual search efforts. The result is rapid memorization and fluent touch typing compared to traditional training. And the benefits extend beyond learning – the optimized tactile experience also reduces errors and fatigue while increasingtyping comfort long-term.
The potential of technology like proprioceptive keyboards highlights that even ordinarily mechanical user interfaces can yet make great cognitive and ergonomic strides. Where we once saw limitations, purposeful design promises to reveal new dimensions. The future of touch typing is shaping up to be far more intuitive and integrated than its past.
Years in the Making
The proprioceptive keyboard represents over 5 years of dedicated research including advances in typing biomechanics – understanding the intricate muscular movements involved. Through hundreds of experiments, the meticulously tailored ridges matching each finger shape and stroke pattern culminated in the final design.
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Furthermore, this specialized keyboard would not have been possible even several years ago. The internal structure’s complexity requires cutting-edge 3D modeling software to design and iterate. And optimizing prototypes relied on modern 3D printing capabilities. Only at the convergence of latest engineering tools, fabrication technology, and scientific insights could proprioceptive keyboards become a reality.
At the Leading Edge
In this way, the development timeline for this tactile typing advancement parallels that of innovations like electric vehicles and VR headsets – requiring years of foundational progress across sectors before culminating. The result places enhanced touch typing within reach thanks to researchers daring to deeply question typing conventions and seek hidden opportunities.