To coincide with the online publication of “Getting Out of Debt and Staying Out” – a book providing advice on managing personal debt – HowTo.co.uk takes a look at some other computer peripherals you may not have considered using, or even heard of.
As PCs have become an ever more important part of our lives, both for work and play, so too has the incidence of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) been increasing. If you already work with computers a lot, or want to learn to touch type, it’s important that you take RSI seriously and do what you can to minimise the risks by using the right equipment. But what’s the right equipment? Well, almost certainly not that cheapo, bottom-of-the-line mouse and keyboard that came with your computer.
A range of input devices are available which have special ergonomic advantages over the vanilla-flavour versions most of us use. Most of them are more expensive than the basic gear, but RSI itself can be hugely costly. It can lead to expensive surgery and even force you to give up your job. If you’re an employer, you may find yourself the target of hefty compensation claims. Taking all the potential hazards of RSI into account, you may decide it’s worth spending a bit more just to minimise the risk.
The Mouse
The computer mouse, once a gleam in Doug Engelbart’s eye, is now ubiquitous. Much modern software is unusable without it. Yet it is often the source of RSI problems.
If you’re beginning to get the aches and pains in the hand which are characteristic of RSI, you may find that simply switching to a different mouse helps relieve them. Each mouse has unique contours and a distinctive button placement, meaning the micro-muscles it exercises in the hand are slightly different. It’s worth experimenting with lots of mice to find one that suits you.
Many people with RSI problems swear by trackballs. Trackballs have been around for a while and have always retained a loyal, but fringe, following. A trackball is much like a mouse except that the unit itself doesn’t move. Instead, a ball within it is manipulated by your thumb or fingers.
The Keyboard
Keyboards, however, are probably the main source of RSI injuries. Ergonomists argue that the standard typing posture is unnatural and imposes constant strains on our body. Even the mass-market keyboards usually dubbed “natural” or “ergonomic” don’t meet with their approval. But you need to spend big if you want to get the real thing.
All of the devices discussed below claim to let you type in a more natural position than is possible with traditional keyboards.
Some RSI sufferers swear by the Kinesis Advantage, a rather sexy looking keyboard with split keys, unusual scalloped contours and a design concept which makes all the control keys accessible to the thumbs. Unfortunately, you won’t get much change from £200 from one of these bad boys, but you will undoubtedly derive enormous satisfaction from your colleagues staring at you in wonderment, asking why they can’t get a space station command console too.
Maltron is a British company which manufactures a range of keyboards in a similar vein. Crafted by hand, these retail for around £400 a pop, although you can also hire them on a per week basis.
The SafeType company believes that the most natural typing position for any of us is upright. As a consequence, it markets an interesting keyboard which splits the keys and places them in a position perpendicular to the floor. Clearly touch typists are the target market here, since the keyboard won’t even let you see the keys you’re typing on unless you construct some elaborate setup using mirror appendages. Price tag : circa £200
Data Hand is company which dares to think bold. Not confining itself to variations on classic keyboard design, it attempts something entirely new. Its flagship DataHand product does away with the keyboard altogether, replacing it with two hand-rest like devices which can be manipulated in various ways. DataHands typically sell for around £600, although it should be noted that they’re not currently on sale because of manufacturing difficulties.
A worthwhile investment?
Unless one of these weird and wonderful devices becomes the new norm, they are likely to remain expensive options. For those chained to a computer, though, buying one may prove to be a worthwhile investment in the long run.
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