Universal Finger Blinds for Keyboard Muscle Memory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions fail to provide a portable, adjustable, and effective means for obstructing vision between hands and fingers while using keyboard devices, such as pianos and computers, which is essential for developing independent hand and finger placement and muscle memory, as they are either not portable, not customizable, or do not allow for free movement of the hands and fingers.
Innovation Solution
A portable hand and finger covering with an adjustable cuff-like attachment for the wrist, featuring a bottomless design made of flexible materials, allowing for customizable fit from children to adults, which can be easily stored and transported, and allows the user to maintain focus on written materials while learning keyboard geography.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a panel is attached to the keyboard to obstruct vision, then the hands and fingers are blinded from the eyes, but the panel is not portable and cannot be used on all keyboards
Solution Approach 1:
The vision obstruction function is extracted from the keyboard itself and transferred to a separate wearable component (finger blind) that can be detached and carried portably, enabling use across different keyboards without permanent attachment
Solution Approach 2:
A wearable finger blind acts as an intermediary device between the user's hands and the keyboard, providing vision obstruction without requiring modification to the keyboard or permanent attachment
2Reliability
If loose paper or drape is used to cover hands and fingers, then vision is obstructed, but the material falls off and causes disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The hand covering is segmented into finger stalls that fit over individual fingers, with each stall providing independent coverage that remains stable during use without falling off like a single continuous drape
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a two-dimensional drape or paper covering to a three-dimensional finger stall structure that conforms to the hand's anatomy, providing stable coverage through dimensional adaptation
3Reliability
If gloves with finger sleeves are used, then the hands are covered, but the design is not bottomless and restricts free movement
Solution Approach 1:
The palm and wrist portions of traditional gloves are extracted and removed, leaving only the finger stalls necessary for vision obstruction, thereby enabling free movement of the hand while maintaining finger coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The covering is segmented to include only the necessary finger stalls without continuous material across the palm, allowing natural hand movement and finger dexterity while maintaining vision obstruction
Data Source
AI summary
Universal Finger Blinds: a bottomless, adjustable, portable covering for the hands and fingers purposed to obstruct the hands and fingers from view to operate and develop necessary skills for muscle memory to manipulate equipment including but not limited to: keyboards, typewriters, computing and calculating devices or for various dexterity skills that require obstructed vision of the hands and fingers. One may desire to look at the fingers to assure proper placement. Instead the goal should be avoid looking at the hands and fingers, yet achieve proper finger placement. The present invention results with a hand and finger covering that stays in place while in use, covers the hand surface without clashing the left and right hands, and fits comfortably to the user's wrist. Such use will allow a proprioceptive occurrence leaving the eyes to focus on written material while hands and fingers achieve muscle memory resulting with proper finger placement.