These keyboards are cute and very well designed, however I have never
seen a conversion (to a PC keyboard) dongle before (though I haven't
looked hard). Both PC keyboard and PDA keyboard essentially use the
same protocol (RS232) - as far as I know the only difference is the
number of stop bits and some initialisation stuff. It would, basically,
be pretty easy to make such a dongle if you knew how. However, this
doesn't help! So I would suggest:
A palm keyboard and an infrared hotsync to a PC with IR (saving as a
text file essentially). This might work if the client only wants to use
the keyboard for 'chunks' of text entry (add macros etc, and it might
make things easier). Palm batteries last for months (though less with
lots of IR).
A pocketPC/equivalent with all the appropriate (cut down) programs.
Not perfect, but could work quite well.
Cheers.
Simon
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Taylor, Barry [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 16 June 2003 14:42
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: palm top keyboards
>
>
> Dear all
>
> I saw some tiny keyboards (2 inches across) in a local shop.
> They are designed for clipping on to palm tops, presumably
> for those who don't like data entry by stylus. It occurred
> to me that they could be a useful mode of input for those
> with very little range eg Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
>
> I am sure that we could program a palm top to be an external
> keyboard for a PC, but does anyone know if there is a more
> straightforward way of interfacing these keyboards to a PC?
> How about a "palm top keyboard" to USB adapter?
>
> Barry Taylor, Clinical Scientist
> Bioengineering Department
> Tulley Medical Physics Building, Hull Royal Infirmary
> Anlaby Road, Hull HU3 2JZ
> Tel 01482 675928, fax 01482 675750
>
|