The original QWERTY keyboard layout was designed to slow down typers so typewriter keys wouldn’t jam together and stop the machine. However, the typewriter days are long gone, and this archaic feature is ready for a serious revamp. Lizette Chapman from The Wall Street Journal highlights new technologies that are turning the idea of a typing on its head, from Bluetooth-enabled keyboards that are projected onto any surface, to keyboards that can be folded up to be used anywhere. Expect Labs is mentioned as one of the companies “aiming for a radical overhaul” of the keyboard, according to Chapman. Since MindMeld delivers search results without users actually having to type in search terms, the keyboard is rendered nearly obsolete during usage. Our founder, Tim Tuttle, states,
“Put yourself 10 years into the future. You’ll have a device with you all the time, and have devices built into your table, your wall, maybe your glasses… and you’ll expect to have all this [relevant search] information” delivered automatically.
Ben Arnold from The NPD Group predicts that software solutions, like Expect Labs’ MindMeld, Tactus Technology’s dynamic touchscreen, and Disney Research’s gesture controls, will advance the idea of a keyboard much quicker than actual hardware developments. Arnold imagines software that’s contextual, and learns from the user to ease, and perhaps eliminate, the act of physically typing.
What ways do you think the QWERTY keyboard will change in the future?
