Hello! After posting the video, the Datahand's creator, Dale Retter, reached out to us (and to Lalaboard's Ben, it turns out). Here are some points he wanted to share with the world – which he typed on his Datahand, naturally:

"Why DataHand didn’t sell enough units to stay in business?

The long learning curve meant only a small percentage of existing flat keyboard users were willing to switch to DataHand. Most that did were motivated by the pain and discomfort flat keyboard use was causing them. For first time keyboard users (mostly children) learning DataHand vs. a flat keyboard would be faster. This is because DataHand eliminates “hand float” and provides more immediate and better differentiated tactile feedback. Also, DataHand use does not block the key labels. However, the initial selling price of DataHand prevented it from becoming an option for most first-time keyboard users.

The DataHand devices as initially sold were only intended to be a real-world proof of useability. It succeeded in demonstrating it could be learned, allow faster typing and largely eliminating the user discomfort and injury caused by flat keyboard usage. A published peer reviewed study showed user discomfort halved in the first three months and halved again after six months.

It was hoped that sufficient funding could be obtained to allow DataHand to be re-engineered for lower cost production, a more attractive appearance, and the inclusion of other intended design features. For example, a better mouse function and software to provide an onscreen display that would make learning and use easier. The funding required for this was not obtained.

I believe widespread long-term use of DataHand keyboards would have proved they were faster, less error prone, and would provide less risk of injury and much greater comfort over a lifetime of sustainable use.

Why does DataHand closely emulate the flat keyboard arrangement?

As you noted it reduces the learning curve by requiring only four keys to be in intuitively non obvious locations. The present QWERTY keyboard was designed to slow down typing. This was in order to prevent mechanical typewriters from having the metal keys from jamming because more than one key was activated at the same time. For example, E-D is the most common letter sequence in the English language. To prevent a typist hitting the D key before the E key got out of the way, the E and D keys were put on the same finger. For DataHand this is an advantage because it turns many common letter sequences into a single ricocheting motion of a single finger. With DataHand you can hit the E key and then the D key with a single finger’s elliptical motion and no risk of a mechanical key jam.

Why is the DataHand mouse so bad?

They are “finger-mice” not intended to be a primary mouse input. They can sometimes be useful for spreadsheet navigation or some text manipulations. At present it is suggested that DataHand should be accompanied with a conventional mouse device.

The primary mouse input was intended to be provided by moving the entire DataHand unit like a conventional mouse. The DataHand was intended to lock in position during normal data entry. However, an increased hand pressure was intended to release it to glide easily like a conventional mouse. Both hands were intended to operate simultaneously in this manner with one hand being a fine control and the other a more rapid mouse. Additionally, a thumb operated joystick mouse was being developed that could be accessed without removing the user’s hands from the DataHand palm rests.

What is a realistic learning time?

A guitar is generally considered much easier to learn to play at a basic level than a violin. However, a violinist who has spent years or decades becoming a good violinist, cannot pick up a guitar for the first time and expect to play it very well in a “short time”. The flat keyboard is like a violin, DataHand is like a quitar. In our experience beginners with a few 20 min dedicated self-training sessions per day gradually become proficient enough to achieve slow but workable speeds in a few days or weeks. Highly motivated users have mastered it faster. As a general rule most persistent users were able to type slowly within days, and equal their flat keyboard speed within months. After a number of months most users become faster than they were on their flat keyboards.

If one is starting from scratch DataHand can be learned much faster than the use of a flat keyboard. This is in part because the most difficult part of learning a flat keyboard is being able to float one’s hands over the keyboard and reliably find the intended key without looking. In contrast with DataHand there is no need to “float your hands”, and each key touches a different finger or finger part providing much clearer tactile feedback than on a flat keyboard where every key feels the same. It is also why once it learned operators make fewer mistakes.

A personal anecdote

When I was first starting DataHand, my office manager, an older woman with decades of typing experience, typed well over 90 words a minute. She was not a DataHand fan and insisted on using a flat keyboard. Eventually when we began to have investors visiting our office, I insisted she had to be seen using a DataHand. Very reluctantly and for only a few hours a day, or when visitors were expected, did she use DataHand. For weeks she complained that DataHand was slower and made it harder to do her job. Some months later on a Friday afternoon she told me she had to do a lot of typing for her church group over the weekend. She asked if she could take her DataHand home for the weekend because it was faster and didn’t make her hands hurt.

Are the 4 modes a disadvantage?

No, because with DataHand all the keys can be confidently touch-typed. For example, most typists can’t type the fourth-row numeric keys without looking. With DataHand most users can very quickly learn to touch type the number keys which have with the mode change become home keys. Likewise, when particular function keys are frequently used with DataHand they can be accessed reliably without looking at the keyboard."

This looks like something that'd be used as part of some kind of spaceship or mech control scheme. Y'know, like a Mobile Suit (Gundam) or something.

真牛逼

Can you make how to build video of lalboard plsssssssssssssss

Any of the four cardinal directions?
What if you angle the unit 45 degrees?

what in the Scorn is this

Props whoever wrote that "you can't put a price tag on health…except in the states" line. I almost spit taked my drink and rewound to make sure I heard it right. But ya, that's true, and accurate, I didn't have healthcare for 15 years cause poor working class

If you can't get up to at least thirty words per minute on a brand new keyboard layout after one day of usage, then you have very low neuroplasticity, or you never learned to type without looking in the first place.

Azeron Cyborg is the resurrection of this awesome idea

Fun Fact: the inventors were big-time Dune fans. 😉

this to me looks interesting and IF i could get a keyboard with this design for under $200 i might actualy get it. I feel the reason it failed is because as mentioned in the vidio theirs a big learning curve involved and because of this i think most people would be disatisfied wial learning it thus they give up on learning it. This design is probablty somthing only a portion of the nerd population would have enough interest to learn it and use regularly.

Sarks control center

you should check characorder

I miss Taran's video editing skills 🙁

LINUS

I want this

I want one

A keyboard far beyond it's time

A dude with clear beard and mustache is called "THEIR" best score .. wooow …

caarlho que merda de video mermao

this seems very much like something I'd expect to see on LGR