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Fortunately RSI is something that is very easily avoidable if you take the right measures. In previous articles I've talked about the importance of posture and taking regular breaks but this week I'm going to talk about a design of keyboard that I've been using for years to minimise the likelihood of these conditions resurfacing. The Microsoft Natural range of keyboards have been around since 1994 and are specifically designed to prevent carpel tunnel syndrome along with other RSI injuries. Since I unfortunately don't have the luxury of including pictures in my articles I can probably best describe the keyboard as being split down the middle with both halves being placed at a slight angle from one another. The centre of the keyboard is elevated slightly and then gently slopes downwards towards the extremities. A few years back Microsoft launched the Microsoft Natural Keyboard 4000 that is the device I currently own and will be reviewing for this article. Additionally the divide I mentioned earlier, the keyboard itself is physically elevated on the edge closest and the keys are on a slope away from you the result is the space bar being the highest key instead of the lowest, like on a traditional keyboard. A wrist rest is physically built in to the keyboard and as such cannot be removed; and is coated in fake leather cushioning; quite honestly it is the nicest wrist rest I have ever come across. The idea is that in this position your hands aren't unnaturally angled when typing and although it does take a little while to get used to, touch typing is certainly not hindered by the design. On first impressions those that have seen my keyboard have assumed that my wavy, irregularly designed keyboard would actually increase my chance of RSI but they couldn't be further from the truth. Whilst I previously would have assumed something that has been with us as long as the keyboard in its regular format would already designed to be nice to our hands, wrists and arms as possible. However when you are next in front of a standard keyboard, line your typing fingers on the a, s, d, f and j, k, l, keys and look at the awkward position that your hands are in. When using a traditional layout your arms sink down and in from your shoulders to the keyboard and then have an awkward twist up and out so you can reach the keys. Of course, there are other natural keyboards on the market but this is certainly my favourite at the moment; asides from the split design the overall build quality and feel of the keyboard is absolutely fantastic. The keys are next to silent when typing but still depress thoroughly and retain tactile; one of my pet computing peeves is keyboards with silent keys that don't convey a sense of responsiveness when you press them. One finger typists won't really be worried about this but if you're touch typing then you do need a sense of feedback from the keyboard you're using. We of course have the additional special function keys so that frequently accessed applications and commands can be used by using just the one key along with a rather interesting zoom key which so far I haven't had the need to use. Retailing at £30 it is far from the cheapest keyboard in the world, however I am hesitant to put a price on my health considering some RSI symptoms will stick with you your whole life. In my opinion this is a sound investment for anyone who spends a decent amount of time in front of a computer and I urge you to consider purchasing one.
Article Source: http://www.bharatbhasha.net Article Url: http://www.bharatbhasha.net/internet-and-computers.php/262547 Article Added on Monday, September 13, 2010 LD
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