The innovative EkaPad gets questions. Here's some answers.
Support - Answers about the chorded keyboard (Page 1)
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Are you going to build a Bluetooth version of the EkaPad?
- Can the EkaPad be used with cellphones?
- Is the USB EkaPad connected by cord?
- Are there adapters to go from regular USB to small USB? (Can the EkaPad be used with my Blackberry?)
- What software needs to run on a cellphone to use it with the EkaPad?
- Chording Control Characters
- Alternatives to qwerty
- Chording speed
- Editing and spread sheet work
- Learning to chord the EkaPad
- Works with Linux
- Trackball or mouse
- EkaPad memory
- Waterproofing the EkaPad
- Mobile computers
- EkaPad compared with CyKey
- Ergonomics
- More FAQs (Page 2)
In our long term projections we see a Bluetooth EkaPad. However, we have no immediate plans to move away from the USB version as it works well with all USB equipped computers, large and small. Our 4 meter cable allows the user many position options while still being in viewing range of the computer's display screen.
The EkaPad is a standard PC USB keyboard which uses the HID keyboard protocols built into computers. We are not currently aware of cell phones that currently support external PC keyboards.
Most PDA / cellphones which work with keyboards have proprietary type systems and do not support the USB HID protocols. When a PDA keyboard uses a serial connector or Bluetooth transmitter to connect with its PDA, it does not use the HID protocol but uses a proprietary keyboard protocol on the PDA. The prototype EkaPads we used for ergonomic testing and to test the general user experience were connected to Palm OS PDAs. But in this case we used a serial connector and had to create a driver for the PDA.
Even if the cell phone has a USB connector (designed to connect to a computer for syncing data) it only means the cell phone is setup to be a USB slave to the computer, just like the EkaPad. Unfortunately, USB slaves can't talk to each other.
Yes. We supply three different lengths: 1 m, 1.5 m, 4 meters. Because we use USB, the EkaPad can be kept light in weight, only 1.9 oz, so without the weight of battery and transmitter, using it held on the thumb is practically effortless.
The EkaPad has a small USB connector; technically it is called a USB Mini connector 5 pin. And there are cables from other vendors that will go from any kind of host USB plug to any kind of slave USB plug.
However, the problem is not simply a cable to connect the two, but also that the Blackberry is a slave USB device (designed to connect to a computer for syncing data) and the Ekapad is also a slave USB device. As the bulk of the USB protocol is all done on a master USB device (aka the PC), these two devices won't be talking to each other any time soon.
This is the key. Many cellphones support USB, but only as a slave. The cellphone would need to support USB HID protocol for keyboards. We are not aware of any cellphones that support this USB HID protocol for keyboards yet.
The technology is constantly changing and advancing, so we are keen to keep in touch on these issues. eMail us at info@ekatetra.com if you learn something relating to cell phones and keyboards.
In my profession as a UNIX systems administrator I need to be able to type a variety of control character sequences. For example the control-C (^c) or control-d (^d). I'm curious if the EkaPad supports sending control characters?
Every thing you can do with your present keyboard you can do easily with the EkaPad; all keyboard characters, commands, control characters, symbols can be chorded.
In particular, with the EkaPad, control character sequences can be stored in ShortCuts. You can store 99 ShortCuts, each ShortCut can contain a sequence of up to 4 control characters. If the sequence you want to use has only 2 elements, like control-c, then it is just as easy to use the Control chord then the c chord (the EkaPad sends the same control-c message to the computer as your present keyboard does when you hold down the control key and press c). However, if the sequence has more than 2 elements, and you use it frequently, then you might want to save that sequence as a ShortCut.
Q. I'm curious if you feel the concept of chording will continue to be a challenge to sell? Even among my peers in the computer field I feel there is little thought or interest in doing anything but continuing to use horrible keyboards. What catalyst will be required to shake things up so that alternatives to QWERTY keyboards become mainstream?
A. We're working on how to become mainstream. The analogy I'm using right now is copy machines: in the 50s and 60s people said "What do I need a copy machine for? I've got carbon paper and a mimeo machine." It took the inventor of the copy machine 11 years to get enough funding to build a unit, and then you had Xerox. We're just going to keep at it; we have ideas for a couple of neat products which might get some excitement, and we need funding to develop them. We just keep plugging along and the business is getting better.
Q. I am interested, and have seen other chording keyboards. Generally they can achieve 60 WPM or more, one handed. How fast is a competent user of this device? What is the average speed of users in WPM?
A. I don't know how fast you can type. I can type on the EkaPad about as fast as I compose, somewhere around 30 to 40 wpm. My last speed test was 53 wpm. I use only the EkaPad for all my keyboarding. We made a major improvement in the software recently so the software is no longer a limiting factor to speed.
User speed data from the prototype EkaPad as shown on the BetaTest Poster show a top speed of around 16 wpm. This speed was limited because users kept loosing 'home' and the EkaPad was held insecurely because the EkaHand hadn't been invented yet. After we went through 22 design modifications we finally got it right, and we created the EkaHand solution.
No longer is the EkaPad the limiting element to chording speed.
Q. How does the EkaPad make editing or spread sheet work easier?
A. Because the EkaPad requires only one hand (either hand), the other hand can be used to hold a mouse, or a stylus if you use a touch screen. When editing, just select with the mouse and replace using the EkaPad. You don't need to change hand positions or stop/start your movements. It's a much faster way to edit. The same goes for entering or editing data on a spread sheet. In addition, you can choose the right EkaPad keyboard 10-key layout with which you are familiar.
Q. How quickly can I learn the alphabet?
A. The chords for the letters, numbers, symbols and commands are arranged so the most common characters have the simplest chords. t-o-s-i-e-a-n-r-h and space make up 74% of English; these letters use single finger chords and space is the easiest two finger chord. Numerals are activated by the Nlock key and then use single finger chords. Similarly shaped symbols or similar usage are arranged together. For instance, @ and & require the same chord with & requiring Caps chord first. ™ © ® have the same prefix and t for ™, c for ©, r for ®.
We have found users of all ages chord their name in a couple of minutes once they see how the CheatSheet works. Some of our users have learned the alphabet in less than an hour. I recently heard from a user and it took him 4 hours to feel comfortable chording on a regular basis. (He did it in one steady session. Many brains don't work well that way.)
We all have our favorite way of learning. I recommend the first day doing 7 or 8 short 5 minute sessions, learning 3 or 4 new letters each session. I like Exercise 9 pages 55-72 in the Exercise Book. The first couple of Sessions in the Chording can also be helpful to understand how the icons we use work.
Also, learning to chord with the EkaPad is much faster (about 8 times faster) than learning to touch type on a qwerty keyboard.
Q. Can one use EkaPad with Linux and other open source operating systems?
A. The EkaPad works with Macs, Windows, and Linux. Most open source operating systems use the Windows keyboard character implementation. Our software engineer uses mostly Linux and the EkaPad works fine in the EkaPad Windows setting with his open source requirements.
Q. Why did you leave out the mouse/trackball?
A. With one hand only on the EkaPad, your other hand can work a mouse, stylus, joy stick, or trackball. Our primary goal was to make an excellent character entry device - we felt, and still feel, that adding a cursor mover would make it harder to enter characters smoothly and easily, and detract from the simple chording done by the four fingers. The thumb has become the main support making it easy for the fingers to do their job properly. Plus we haven't figured out a really elegant way to produce cursor movement without taking away from our really elegant way to enter characters.
Q. What can I store in the EkaPad memory?
A. Control character sequences can be stored in ShortCuts. You can store 99 ShortCuts, each ShortCut can contain a sequence of up to 4 control characters. If the sequence you want to use has only 2 elements, like control-c, then it is just as easy to use the Control chord then the c chord (the EkaPad sends the same control-c message to the computer as your present keyboard does when you hold down the control key and press c). However, if the sequence has more than 2 elements, and you use it frequently, then you might want to save that sequence as a ShortCut.
In addition, the EkaPad can store up to 50,000 characters spread among 99 Keeps, so strings you might use frequently can be easily recovered with just 2 or 4 chords. (I store passwords and IDs as Keeps, for example.)
Q.Is the EkaPad waterproof?
A. The EkaPad is not waterproof. Water proofing should be possible. We designed it originally so that dust proofing and cleaning would be easy, and water proofing should work. The two halves of the case are held together with screws so it can be taken apart easily, and the silicon sheet with keypads is leak proof. I believe we could, or even you could in the field, put a bead of something (silicon, wax, grease) around the edges which would make the case water tight except for the USB hole, but a glob of something around the cord and connector should make that water tight also. If the keyboard does get immersed, water could collect around the keys; you could perhaps shake the EkaPad to clear it. If sealed up, water would probably not get in to effect the electrical operation, but could effect the feel of the keys until it dried out completely.
Water should not affect the electronics IF the EkaPad is not plugged in. Take the EkaPad case apart to air dry the electronics after an immersion.
Q.Will EkaPad work with mobile computers?
A.If the computer contains a USB port and includes the standard HID protocol for keyboards, the EkaPad should work. To my knowledge, Microsoft Mobile does include the HID protocol, and other mobile operating systems might also. Palm does not, as of Dec 2008.
Q. How does the EkaPad compare to the CyKey chording keyboard?
A. There are significant differences between the EkaPad and the CyKey. CyKey info taken from the CyKey web site. These are some of the points you should consider:
1. The EkaPad has all 240 plus an additional 34, characters, symbols, commands and functions. The CyKey has a reduced set. The EkaPad can produce all the characters a Mac keyboard can, and can produce all the characters a Windows keyboard can, including all the Alt NNNN characters without Alt and numbers, using the same chords as the Mac for the same characters.
2. The EkaPad can store 100 keyboard shortcuts (up to 4 command/control chords each) and can store 100 different long and short alphabetic strings (up to a total of 50,000 characters). The CyKey doesn't have user controlled memory.
3. The CyKey has a battery. This makes it sort of portable. It transmits via infrared - this is good as it can work with Palm PDAs, which the EkaPad doesn't. The EkaPad is a USB device and runs off the computer battery. The CyKey battery adds weight.
4. It appears that for the CyKey to send, it needs to point its infrared at the computer or PDA.
5. The EkaPad connects to a computer with cable into a USB port. Since one normally looks at a screen while chording, using a cable isn't a sacrifice. We have three cables - 1 m, 1.5 m, 4 m. These give ample freedom of movement.
6. The CyKey may be a chording keyboard, but it's ergonomic value is limited. Wrist pronation can be a problem. It requires a flat surface - it is not self supported. The EkaPad hangs on the thumb and allows relaxed hand position with naturally curled fingers. Also, the users arms, shoulders and torso remain in comfortable positions with the EkaPad. The EkaPad can even be used in your lap or behind your back. Some of our users have reported using the EkaPad lying down.
7. Both have a no-question money back return policy.
Q. What about EkaPad ergonomics?
A. We have carried out extensive trials (over 22 model iterations) with various designs of prototype EkaPads in order to have really good ergonomics. The current EkaPad has exceeded our expectations.
You can find a White Paper pointing out the various design elements which provide good ergonomics on the EkaPad. On our web site: ekatetra.com, go to Support>CD Tools>then bottom of EkaPad How Tos column under Technical & Research Data then Ergonomics White Paper. You can download this pdf file.
Revised 23 October 2009
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