'Sarma Key Board' for Number-Based Typing

Abstract

The conventional keyboards for computer and communication gadgets have been designed with intense care and attention, such that people may type easily and comfortably. Still however, optimum comfort and efficiency has not still been achieved in these fields because of the following major reasons : (i) Computer Keyboard: (a) For typing texts, the fingers have to move and cover a space measuring about 22 cm X 10 cm (as per standard lap-top computer keyboard). This compels the wrist, elbow and even the arm to make movements. (b) Even though the comfortable positions of the hands for typing are: Right hand – 90 Deg. and Left hand- 150 Deg. with the width of human body, most of the time people have to work creating 90 to 110 Deg. (ii) Mobile phone keyboard: Widely used languages like English, Arabic, Bengali etc. have 52, 28 and 70 scripts. The little space available in a mobile phone (say, about 4 cm X 6 cm) cannot comfortably accommodate this huge number. As a solution the manufacturers arrange 2, 3 or 4 letters in each key, such that those need to be pressed several times in order to get the expected letter. The obvious solution of the above problems is to type with minimum numbers of keys. The concept of such a method has been developed by this author. The name of this keyboard has been given “Sarma Key Board”. It should be mentioned here that the principle utilized in it has its origin in “Sarma’s Unified Script” (Ref. 01 and 02), invented by this author and Dr. Mira Rani Sarma (Parai).