• Proceedings of the Korean Operations and Management Science Society Conference
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• 1990.04a
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• pp.151-162
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• 1990

Occupational disease among typists such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(CTS) and tendonitis has increased along with rapid expansion of office automation. During typing, the posture can be defined as forearm pronation, ulnar abduction, wrist extension and finger flexion. The CTS results from awkward posture between forearm-wrist-hand and the keyboard arrangement. Therefore, ergonomic principles should be emphasized in keyboard design. The objective of the study is to improve keyboard design by analyzing anatomical posture of forearm and hand during typing. An experimental study was performed to investigate relationships between a keyboard and typing performance. Results showed that typing performance is dependent to angles and slopes of a keyboard. Statistical analysis indicated that the suggested ergonomic keyboard improved typing speed significantly(17%).

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.2004-2009
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to define how wrist motion is affected by different postures and supporting devices and to discover functional range of wrist motion for keyboard typing. The range of wrist motion (ROM) needed for fourteen experienced typists to type on a computer keyboard was measured by flexible and biaxial electrogoniometers. The most frequent wrist motion during typing was in extended and ulnarly deviated positions in both wrists. Range of wrist motion was similar in both wrists. The average ROM for keyboard typing with the typists' own posture was about 39 in flexion/extension (FEM) and 29 in radial/ulnar deviation (RUD) in both wrists. The range of wrist motion was significantly reduced to 30 in FEM and 27 in RUD with use of either wrist or forearm supporting devices, which suggests that these devices might help to relieve fatigue, discomfort, or pain during and/or after typing. Results of this study will be of interest to clinicians and helpful to those who are professionally or non-professionally involved in typing.

• Journal of the Korea Computer Graphics Society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.29-36
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• 2015

Human fingers are essential parts of the body that perform complex and detailed motion. Expression of natural finger motion is one of the most important issues in character animation research. Especially, keyboard typing animation is hard to create through the existing animation pipeline because the keyboard typing typically requires a high level of dexterous motion that involves the movement of various joints in a natural way. In this paper, we suggest a method for the generation of realistic keyboard typing motion based on physics simulation. To generate typing motion properly using physics-based simulation, the hand and the keyboard models should be positioned in an allowed range of simulation space, and the typing has to occur at a precise key location according to the input signal. Based on the observation, we incorporate natural tendency that accompanies actual keyboard typing. For example, we found out that the positions of the hands and fingers always assume the default pose, and the idle fingers tend to minimize their motion. We handle these various constraints in one solver to achieve the results of real-time natural keyboard typing simulation. These results can be employed in various animation and virtual reality applications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.168-175
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• 1999

The objective of this research is to review the ergonomic keyboard developed to prevent musculo-skeletal disorders from being occurred during keyboard work. It was studied by comparing it with the traditional keyboard after analyzing and comparing the typing performance and work advantages both the two keyboards. Twelve male subjects with no history of musculo-skeletal disorders participated in the experiment. The quantitative data such as typing speed, accuracy, performance time, and the number of typing errors were obtained from the HTT software that was adjusted for this experiment. RULA worksheet and the degrees of extension and ulnar deviation on right and left wrist were used to analyze the upper body postures. The experiment results showed that the typing performance of the ergonomic keyboard decreased a little, but no significant difference statistically, compared with that of the traditional keyboard. On the work posture, the ulnar deviation during typing decreased in case of the ergonomic keyboard. But, the wrist extension was increased unexpectedly. Therefore, it can be regarded as these results occur due to the shape of wrist rest and the overall height of keyboard on a table. As a result, the reconsideration and redesign on the ergonomic keyboard are requested.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.67-76
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• 2009

In order to prevent upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders, effective keyboard selection is an important consideration. The aim of this study was to compare upper extremity muscle activity according to transverse plane angle changes during vertical keyboard typing. Sixteen healthy men were recruited. All subjects had a similar typing ability (rate of more than 300 keystrokes per minute) and biacromion and forearm-fingertip lengths. Four different types of keyboard (vertical keyboard with a transverse plane angle of $60^{\circ}$, $96^{\circ}$, or $120^{\circ}$, and a standard keyboard) were used with a wrist support. The test order was selected randomly for each subject. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure upper extremity muscle activity during a keyboard typing task. The collected EMG data were normalized using the reference contraction and expressed as a percentage of the reference voluntary contraction (%RVC). In order to analyze the differences in EMG data, a repeated one-way analysis of variance, with a significance level of .05, was used. Bonferroni correction was used for multiple comparisons. There were significant differences in the EMG amplitude of all seven muscles (upper trapezius, middle deltoid, anterior deltoid, extensor carpi radialis, extensor carpi ulnaris, flexor carpi radialis, and flexor carpi ulnaris) assessed during the keyboard typing task. The mean activity of each muscle had a tendency to increase as the transverse plane angle increased. The mean activity recorded during all vertical keyboard typing was lower than that recorded during standard keyboard typing. There was no significant difference in accuracy and error scores; however, there was a significant difference between transverse plane angles of $60^{\circ}$ and $120^{\circ}$ with regard to comfort. In conclusion, a vertical keyboard with a transverse plane angle of $60^{\circ}$ would be effective in reducing muscle activity compared with vertical keyboards with other transverse plane angles.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.720-726
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• 2003

A virtual keyboard may be efficient as a new mobile input device supporting QWERTY keyboard layout. As a preliminary study for developing a virtual keyboard, the typing pattern of a skilled human is investigated. In the study the touch-positions of the fingers are measured with a touchscreen while five skilled typists perform typing of long sentences. From these measurements it can be observed that the groups of touch-positions are classified into alphabetic characters. Though there are some mismatches, we can find constant distances capable of being discriminated among the groups. Based on the analysis the prediction algorithm of the constant distance is proposed and evaluated, which is useful for realization of a portable virtual keyboard.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.125-130
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• 2001

Skilled typists can type characters or words without looking at keyboard, relying on the finger's relative position. If the relative positions of the fingers can be identified, a virtual keyboard may be accomplished by applying the concept of "DataGlove" or "FingerRing". The virtual keyboard may be efficient as a new mobile input device supporting QWERTY keyboard layout. For the purpose of investigating skilled typing pattern, in this paper the touch-positions of the fingers are measured with a touchscreen while five skilled typists type a long sentence. From these measurements it can be observed that the groups of touch-positions are classified into alphabet characters. Though there are some overlapped groups we can find constant distances capable of being discriminated among the groups from investigation of the change of touch-position for touch-time. Based on the analysis, the prediction algorithm of the constant distance is proposed and evaluated, which is useful for realization of a portable virtual keyboard.le virtual keyboard.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2017

Objective: This study aims to compare the usability of the adaptive touch design method with that of the height adjustable design method that are applied to the Korean QWERTY keyboard and Naratgul keyboard on smartphones, examine the results, and present practical implications. Background: Smartphone manufacturers have failed to satisfy every user with their uniform touch keyboard designs that do not consider the high use rates of keypad use. In reality, touch keyboard designing customized for every individual is impossible, but there need to be researches on was to improve usability by having touch areas changed automatically depending on user behaviors or having users adjust the keyboard height depending on their hand size. Method: As for the design methods, an object group was given smartphones with the adaptive touch design method and the other group those with the height adjustable design method. As they entered the same characters in the smartphones, typing error rates and text input speed were measured and the average values were compared. 35 individuals who would frequently use smartphones in daily life participated in the experiment. The group variable was the type of touch keyboards, and the test variables were typing error rates and text input speed, for which a T-test was implemented. Results: As for the QWERTY keyboard, the significant improvement effect was verified as the typing error rate of the adaptive touch design method was 4.21% but that of the height adjustable design method was 3.28% although there was no significant difference in terms of text input speed. As for the Naratgul keyboard, in contrast, the typing error rate of the adaptive touch design method was 2.5% while that of the height adjustable design method was 1.48%, which indicates a measure of improvement, but the effect was not significant. On the other hand, the text input speed per minute was improved as much as 22.2%, which is significant. Conclusion: First, the Korean touch keyboard usability of the adaptive touch design method and that of the height adjustable design method, when applied to Model A of Company L, showed significant difference from each other. Second, the height adjustable design method was applied to the QWERTY keyboard, the typing error rate was improved significantly. This indicates that as the keyboard height was raised, the number of buttons within the range of fingering decreased, decreasing the touch bias was reduced. Third, the height adjustable design method was applied to the Naratgul keyboard, the text input speed was improved. Application: When the QWERTY keyboard was applied to a smartphone as small as 5.5inch or less, it is highly probably that the height adjustable design method decreases the typing error rate. It may be considered to develop additional UX functions to make the keyboard font larger or give users the option to adjust button intervals in utilization of the SW advantages of the height adjustable design method.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.355-372
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the performance and usability of ten-finger text entry on Tablet PCs. Background: Generally a soft keyboard is used on Tablet PCs. However, the soft keyboard's performance is usually worse than physical keyboard's performance. In this study, we proposed a modified keyboard for tablet PCs to improve the performance of ten-finger text entry and evaluated the performance and subjective ratings of the keyboard. Method: The modified soft keyboard that is suggested in this study was compared with current Google and Samsung soft keyboards on Tablet PCs. Results: The three keyboards were not significantly different in terms of typing speed, error rate, and mental workload and showed bad performance. Also, the subjective ratings were not shown positively. Conclusion: Based on our results, ten-finger text entry using soft keyboards on Tablet PCs seems to be very difficult. However, we need to research the possibility continuously since ten-finger text entry can improve typing speed. Application: Our study can be a starting point of research that explores ten-finger text entry on Tablet PCs. The new soft keyboard design can be one of the soft keyboard alternatives. However, the key factors to improve the performance and usability of the soft keyboard will not be 'key size' or 'convenience to typing special characters or numbers', but other factors (e.g., 'tactile feedback').

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.569-580
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• 2016

Objective: This study aims to identify the most effective keyboard layout in the area of performance for securing usability in a smart watch-using environment and to verify the usability of touch keyboard calibrated by hand. Background: It is necessary to understand the environmental characteristics in using the smart watch and to secure the usability of touch keyboard based on this understanding in order to take account of the users who use the touch screen in the extreme input conditions caused by the small screen of a smart watch. Method: 30 participants in this study were required to input characters using the QWERTY keyboard and 3x4 keypad (Naratgul, Chunjiin), which were familiar with them, in order to grasp the keyboard layout suitable in the smart watch- using environment; the performance (error rate, performance time) of this case was measured. In addition, 30 participants in this study were required to input the characters setting the QWERTY keyboard with calibrated touch area and the one with uncalibrated touch area, based on the characteristics of touch behavior, by finger typing the keyboard, with the performance (error rate and performance time) of this case measured. Results: QWERTY keyboard (93.3sec) is found to be 31.2% faster than Naratgul keyboard, a kind of 3x4 keypad, and 43.6% faster than Chunjiin keyboard, in the area of efficiency, in the results of the usability evaluation regarding the keyboard layout. QWERTY keyboard with calibrated touch area (7.5%) is found to be 23.5% improved compared to the QWERTY keyboard with uncalibrated touch area (9.8%) in the area of accuracy (error rate). The results of the usability evaluation regarding the QWERTY keyboard with touch area calibrated by finger typing the keyboard and QWERTY keyboard with calibrated touch area (80.7sec) is found to be 5.7% improved compared to QWERTY keyboard with uncalibrated touch area (85.6sec) in the area of efficiency (performance time). Conclusion: QWERTY keyboard is found to have an effective layout in the area of efficiency in the smart watch-using environment, and its improved usability is verified in the areas of accuracy and efficiency in the QWERTY keyboard with a touch area calibrated by finger typing the keyboard. Application: The results of this study may be used to set up the basic touch keyboard of the smart watch. The input usability is expected to secure the smart watch-using environment, which is an extreme input condition by applying QWERTY keyboard with touch area calibrated by finger typing the keyboard.