Elastic Input Device with Imaging Detection for Finger Load Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional keyboards cause strain and discomfort due to shock and load on fingers, particularly for users with tendovaginitis, and lack customization options for user preference and key operations involving multiple keys.
Innovation Solution
An input device with a soft-touch keyboard surface featuring elastic material and an imaging unit to detect finger position, allowing for customizable key layouts and material replacement, along with a detection unit using an infrared touch panel to reduce finger load and provide customizable feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional keyboard with mechanical switches is used, then clear click feedback and key recognition are achieved, but shock and load on fingers increase causing tendovaginitis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical switch system with an imaging-based detection system. Instead of using mechanical switches that generate shock and click sounds, the invention uses an imaging unit to detect key press positions and an image processing unit to recognize key inputs, thereby eliminating the harmful mechanical shock while maintaining operational feedback through visual or software-based click simulation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the key surface from hard mechanical switches to soft elastic material. This parameter change reduces the shock and load on fingers while the imaging system detects the position changes of the elastic material to identify key presses, resolving the contradiction between comfort and feedback
2Ease of manufacture
If limited keyboard options are provided, then manufacturing and maintenance are simplified, but user customization for tendovaginitis sufferers and multi-key operations is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic and reconfigurable keyboard system where the imaging unit can detect various key layouts and the software can assign different functions to different positions. This allows the keyboard to adapt to user preferences and specific applications (including tendovaginitis-friendly layouts) without changing the physical hardware, thereby maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving high versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal keyboard platform that can serve multiple functions and user needs through software configuration. The same physical keyboard with elastic material can be customized for different users, different applications, and different accessibility requirements, making a single device serve multiple purposes without requiring multiple specialized hardware versions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly reduces finger load and discomfort, enabling comfortable key operations and customizable feedback, allowing users to tailor the input experience to their preferences, including silent key presses and simultaneous multi-key operations.
Implementation Method 1
elastic material covering the part of a key pressed by the user's finger, and a unit to detect a position where the elastic material locally stretches when the user presses down that position on the elastic material
Data Source
AI summary
A conventional mouse and keyboard poses great load on the user's finger and hands at key operation, and the material used for its surface is rigid. An input device which can reduce the load on the user's finger, and gives soft touch by avoiding abrupt change in downward pressure at key operation. The input device includes elastic material on the surface, a camera to image the back surface of a key when the key is pressed, an image processor which determines finger position from the image, and an output which generates a signal according to the finger position. By using this input device, the user can carry out operations similar to those achieved by a mouse and keyboard for a computer.