- Keyer
A keyer is a device for signaling by hand, by way of pressing one or more switches. Modern keyers typically have a large number of switches but not as many as a full-size keyboard; typically between four and fifty [Intelligent Image Processing, John Wiley and Sons, 2001] . A keyer differs from a keyboard in the sense that there is no "board"; the keys are arranged in a cluster [Intelligent Image Processing, John Wiley and Sons, 2001] . A keyer may take the form of a single
telegraph key for keyingMorse code . In this use, the term "to key" means to turn on and off acarrier wave , typically. For example, it is said that one "keys the transmitter" by interrupting some stage of amplification with atelegraph key .Morse code was an early form ofserial communication , which in modern times is usually automated. In a completely automatedteletype system, the sender presses keys to send anASCII data stream to a receiver, and computation alleviates the need for timing to be done by the human operator. In this way, much highertyping speeds are possible."Iambic keyers" became popular, in
telegraphy , in the 1960s. In these, the "dot" and the "dash" are separate keys.Fact|date=June 2008 In the 1970s, when this concept was introduced to inventorSteve Mann , it was mistakenly heard by him as "biambic" so he generalized the term to include various "polyambic"/"multiambic" keyers, such as a "pentambic" keyer (5 keys, one for each finger and one for the thumb), and "septambic" (3 thumb buttons on a handgrip), for use with a portablebackpack -based computer system that he invented for photographic [http://wearcam.org/dusting/ lightvectoring] .Such keyers, used with
wearable computer s, are typically one-handed grips. Unlike keyboards, the wearable computer keyer has no board upon which the switches are mounted. Additionally, by providing some other function (such as simultaneous grip of flash light source and keying) the keyer is effectively hands free, in the sense one would still be holding the light source anyway.Others have developed chording keyboards that are intended to be used while seated (multiple keys mounted to a board rather than a portable grip).
References
External links
* [http://about.eyetap.org/tech/keyers.shtml Summary of keyers, commercially made keyers, other links, etc.]
* [http://www.gkos.com GKOS back-panel chording keyboard] , an open standard for handheld devices
* [http://www.handykey.com Twiddler 2] one-handed chording keyboard/mouse
* [http://www.ekatetra.com EkaPad] one-handed, 12-key, chording keyboard
* [http://xaphoon.com/dataegg/ Data Egg] one-handed chording keyboard for handheld devices
* [http://www.sigchi.org/chi97/proceedings/paper/fkm.htm#U4 "Body-coupled FingeRing"] — Wireless wearable chorded keyer
* [http://www.chordite.com/ Yet another one-hand keyboard] — Do-it-yourself, wearable, one-hand keyboard prototypes
* [http://electronicsusa.com/mk36.html Wearable keyer suitable for QRP use] (leg mount accessory)Steve Mann
* [http://wearcam.org/textbook.htm Intelligent Image Processing] (See Appendix on keyers)
* [http://wearcam.org/septambi/ How to make your own custom-molded perfect-fit keyer]
* [http://about.eyetap.org/library/weekly/aa120400a.shtml Keyers to the Castle (keyers for daily wearable computer use)]
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