Modernized Latvian Ergonomic Keyboard

TL;DR

This paper develops a new ergonomic Latvian keyboard layout optimized through computer simulation and practical testing, reducing finger effort and improving typing efficiency for both Latvian and English users.

Contribution

It introduces a novel Latvian ergonomic keyboard layout based on extensive analysis, simulation, and real-world testing, surpassing existing standards in efficiency and comfort.

Findings

New layout reduces finger effort compared to Qwerty and traditional Latvian layouts.

Simulation and practical testing confirm improved typing comfort and efficiency.

Keyboard drivers are freely available for Windows and Linux.

Abstract

Increasingly more people use computers and create content using keyboards (even with leading edge touch-screen technology). As in the most part of the world, in Latvia also conventional "Qwerty" keyboard is used. Though for Latvian it is much worse than for English, especially due to enormous load to little fingers. It causes repetitive strain injuries and affects productivity of workers with extensive keyboard usage, especially for data input operators, call centers, inquiry office workers, etc. Improving computer keyboard layout decrease stress to hands and fingers thus minimizing exhaustion and injuries. With analysis of English and Latvian public domain novels and modern texts, letter appearance an sequence distribution for Latvian language was found. Qualities of alternative layouts for English (Dvorak, Colemak, Hallinstad) were investigated and open source carpalx simulation tool was adjusted according to the findings. Then carpalx was used to check more than 25 million keyboard layouts, measuring finger/hand effort, stroke typing convenience etc., to find the best one. It was proved that existing "\v{S}usildatec" (classic Latvian Ergonomic standard) keyboard is only slightly better than "Qwerty" for Latvian, though it is much worse for English. After computer simulation, several best layouts were tried practically for more than 6 months and most convenient one was promoted as a new "Latvian Modern" keyboard. Its typing effort is less than for "\v{S}usildatec", load is distributed according to finger strength, and typing strokes are alternating better between hands and fingers. Comparing to "Qwerty" keyboard new layout is better not only for Latvian but for English also. Keyboard drivers are developed for Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems and are freely available in the web under permissive license.