Keyer
Encyclopedia
Telegraph key
Telegraph key is a general term for any switching device used primarily to send Morse code. Similar keys are used for all forms of manual telegraphy, such as in electrical telegraph and radio telegraphy.- Types of keys :...
for keying Morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
. In this use, the term "to key" means to turn on and off a carrier wave
Carrier wave
In telecommunications, a carrier wave or carrier is a waveform that is modulated with an input signal for the purpose of conveying information. This carrier wave is usually a much higher frequency than the input signal...
, typically. For example, it is said that one "keys the transmitter" by interrupting some stage of amplification with a telegraph key
Telegraph key
Telegraph key is a general term for any switching device used primarily to send Morse code. Similar keys are used for all forms of manual telegraphy, such as in electrical telegraph and radio telegraphy.- Types of keys :...
.
Morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
was an early form of serial communication
Serial communication
In telecommunication and computer science, serial communication is the process of sending data one bit at a time, sequentially, over a communication channel or computer bus. This is in contrast to parallel communication, where several bits are sent as a whole, on a link with several parallel channels...
, which in modern times is usually automated. In a completely automated teleprinter
Teleprinter
A teleprinter is a electromechanical typewriter that can be used to communicate typed messages from point to point and point to multipoint over a variety of communication channels that range from a simple electrical connection, such as a pair of wires, to the use of radio and microwave as the...
system, the sender presses keys to send an ASCII
ASCII
The American Standard Code for Information Interchange is a character-encoding scheme based on the ordering of the English alphabet. ASCII codes represent text in computers, communications equipment, and other devices that use text...
data stream to a receiver, and computation alleviates the need for timing to be done by the human operator. In this way, much higher typing
Typing
Typing is the process of inputting text into a device, such as a typewriter, cell phone, computer, or a calculator, by pressing keys on a keyboard. It can be distinguished from other means of input, such as the use of pointing devices like the computer mouse, and text input via speech...
speeds are possible.
Iambic keyers became popular, in telegraphy
Telegraphy
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages via some form of signalling technology. Telegraphy requires messages to be converted to a code which is known to both sender and receiver...
, in the 1960s. In these, the "dot" and the "dash" are separate keys. In the 1970s, when this concept was introduced to inventor Steve Mann
Steve Mann
Steven Mann , is a tenured professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto.-Education:...
, 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 portable backpack
Backpack
A backpack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be exceptions...
-based computer system that he invented for photographic lightvectoring.
Such keyers, used with wearable computer
Wearable computer
Wearable computers are miniature electronic devices that are worn by the bearer under, with or on top of clothing. This class of wearable technology has been developed for general or special purpose information technologies and media development...
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
Chorded keyboard
A keyset or chorded keyboard is a computer input device that allows the user to enter characters or commands formed by pressing several keys together, like playing a "chord" on a piano...
that are intended to be used while seated (multiple keys mounted to a board rather than a portable grip).
External links
- Summary of keyers, commercially made keyers, other links, etc. Link broken
- GKOS back-panel chording keyboard, an open standard for handheld devices
- Twiddler 2 one-handed chording keyboard/mouse
- EkaPad one-handed, 12-key, chording keyboard
- Data Egg one-handed chording keyboard for handheld devices
- "Body-coupled FingeRing" — Wireless wearable chorded keyer
- Yet another one-hand keyboard — Do-it-yourself, wearable, one-hand keyboard prototypes
- Wearable keyer suitable for QRP use (leg mount accessory)