Description
| Robust, flat and germ-free | |
| Membrane keypads as trendsetters in medical technology | |
| Generation Z is in love with technology. Having grown up in a networked world with smartphones, apps and social media, those born after 1995 use the latest technologies as a matter of course. Contact with modern hardware and software is a matter of course. This is also felt by manufacturers of industrial and medical data input devices: keyboards are in demand that are waterproof and disinfectable on the one hand, and easy to type on the other. The ranking of decades-old favorite technologies is changing: Generation Z prioritizes capacitive keyboard technologies, familiar from cell phones, smartphones and tablets, simply out of habit. Swipe and go. Sterile glass keyboards, which are most comparable to the feel of tablets and the like, score particularly well here. However, they are not very suitable for fast data input and larger amounts of data. Short-stroke membrane keyboards are recommended here. But you also have to differentiate between the different key technologies and the user's requirements. | |
| Wipe and go: Glass surfaces deliver familiar operating feel | |
| Keyboards and mice are the germ carriers par excellence. In both medical and industrial workplaces, they should be disinfected frequently. This is hardly possible with normal computer keyboards, as liquids and disinfectants would penetrate the keyboard and damage the electronics. Therefore, there are special keyboards for Windows and Mac computers that have a closed surface and can be easily wiped with cleaning agents. Modern alpha-numeric glass keyboards are increasingly popular companions when it comes to hygiene and sterility in the workplace, such as in hospitals, doctors' offices, the food industry or other adverse application areas. The keyboards typically have a degree of protection from DIN IP65 upwards. They have capacitive keys that function largely without pressure or force. They are resistant to liquids and disinfectants, and the glass surface is usually resistant to acids, hand perspiration, dust and liquids. This surface coating is becoming increasingly popular for the upcoming generation. Haptic habit scores points and a chic appearance is added. Nevertheless, both are often not possible: easy to clean and good to type on. Because glass surfaces are less suitable for typing larger amounts of data, since every single key has to be tapped with a certain finger pressure. In the long run, this high actuation force is exhausting and unhealthy for the user. Unfortunately, not recommendable for frequent typists. | |
| Type and go: membrane keyboards with mechanical keys | |
| Working with a waterproof keyboard is fun because you can completely disinfect or clean it as needed without much effort. However, the keyboard's feel is not comparable to a conventional keyboard. There are two main key technologies: Membrane keyboards with a snap disk (clicker) or with mechanical short-stroke keys under the membrane. The former type of keyboard is very popular and is often used. Here, a flat contact spring or snap disk (gold-plated) is inserted into the switch sandwich. This snap disk replaces the contact foil in this case. For a concise tactility and a higher actuation force, metal snap domes can be used well. For the user, however, this means pressing hard on the key. This input technology is usually popular for classic PIN entry at vending machines: searching and typing. Here, the input has to be slow and correct, otherwise you have annoying problems with PIN, PUK & Co. | |
| A membrane keyboard with mechanical short-travel keys is recommended for handling large amounts of data in sterile or dirty environments. These are located directly under the membrane and provide haptic feedback to the finger immediately after typing. Mechanical keys are known to be particularly user-friendly and easy to operate. They require much less actuation force compared to capacitive technologies. Nevertheless, they don't provide a familiar office feeling, because fast 10-finger typing is also difficult to implement with this technology. Recently, however, there are some keyboards that work with improved haptic edge embossing of the keys. Thanks to this advanced feature, haptic perception in particular is enhanced. When the user presses a key, the short-stroke keys deliver vibro-tactile stimuli back to him via the fingertips. This optimizes both visual finger guidance and switching feel. | |
| Conclusion | |
| Generation Z users who work in hygiene-sensitive or even stressful environments will probably still be accompanied by the tried and tested keyboard technologies in the medium term. The future may be a combination of touch and typing: more screen and less mouse and keyboard. |
Downloads
Fachartikel Folientastaturen- Robust, flach und keimfrei.pdf ↓
Fachartikel Folientastaturen: Robust, flach und keimfrei
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