What is a Keyboard?

Computers have two types of devices – Input and Output devices. Input devices are those devices which take commands from user and convey it to the computers in the form of digital signals. Whereas, output devices are those which display or present the result to the user according to the commands given by them. Now, Keyboard comes under the category of input devices.

What is a Keyboard?

As stated earlier, the Keyboard is a major input device used with computers and other electronic devices. It takes input from the user in the form of text, numbers, and several other commands. If we look at the structure of a keyboard, it consists of various buttons. These buttons are called keys and every keyboard has a variety of keys with unique functions. We will understand about these special keys later in the article.

History of Keyboards

The story of keyboards begins in 1860s with the invention of mechanical typewriters, form which the modern layout of keyboard is inherited. A major development was the invention of teletype machine which was used for the sending and receiving of telegraphs. Early computers, like ENIAC and BINAC used keypunch and electric typewriter technology in their keyboards. In 1984, the IBM Model M keyboard was introduced which had improved keys and inspired modern keyboard’s designing. Gradually there was an increased demand of personal computers which led to the popularization of QWERTY keyboards. Till date there have been various updates made to the design of keyboards by making it customizable, wireless, etc. However, keyboards still remain an important and fundamental input device.

Types of Keyboards

There are some type of keyboard explained below.

• QWERTY Keyboard

This is the most common and classic keyboard structure. It is named so because of its first 6 keys of the keyboard (QWERTY). Its design was inspired from the early typewriters. The keys were designed in such an order so that the letters which are frequently used, are spaced out to prevent any jamming of keys. The design was made in early 1870's by Christopher Latham Sholes and is used till date. It consists a variety of keys like alphanumeric keys, special keys, function and modifier keys, etc.

• Dvorak Keyboard

It is an alternative to the QWERTY keyboard. In QWERTY keyboards, the typing process was slow because of the arrangement of letters. On the other hand, Dvorak keyboards are designed in a way that the user can type without much movement of fingers, hence resulting in fast and easy typing. However, this layout failed to gain popularity as users found it difficult to adapt with this layout.

• Ergonomic Keyboards

The term Ergonomic means designing in such a manner that it provides users an efficient working environment. That is exactly what Ergonomic keyboards provide. These keyboards are designed in a way that they help in reducing strain and any discomfort faced by user while typing for a long time. This is achieved by design which allows user to rest their hand in natural position in a comfortable way and arranging keys in the order which causes least finger movements. A keyboard which is split in two halves to provide better typing experience, comes under this category.

• Mechanical Keyboards

Mechanical keyboards are highly durable keyboards. They have individual mechanical switches or springs attached under each key. This makes them not only more durable but also easy to repair. They are popular for their, unique keypress sound, and responsiveness. However, they are expensive than standard keyboards.

• Gaming Keyboards

Gaming keyboards are purposely made for gaming purposes. It has features like lesser keys which are arranged in a way that it provides quick access to the gamers. It also has other features like RGB lighting, longer durability and customizable design. The most important quality of gaming keyboards is that the keys have a faster response time.

There are some keyboards with special features like– Wireless keyboard, Foldable keyboard and Backlit Keyboard.

Types of Keys on Keyboard

As stated earlier, the structure of a keyboard consists of various buttons. These buttons are called keys and every keyboard has a variety of keys with unique functions. All input to a keyboard is given through these keys. The variety of keys present in a keyboard are listed below:

1. Text and Numbers

• These keys are called alphanumeric keys and are used to enter textual and numeric data. They consist of letters A-Z and numbers 0-9.
• The number keys also contain some special characters (like !, @, #,$,&,*) .

2. Navigation and Managing Input

• Keys like Arrow Keys, Page up and Page down help in navigating and moving cursor around.
• Editing is also possible through Delete key which removes unwanted characters from the right of the cursor.
• Some other keys help in controlling the input entered by the user like - Caps lock (switches between uppercase and lowercase letters), Num lock (activates and deactivates number keypad) and Scroll lock (controls scrolling).

3. Special Function Keys

• A traditional keyboard has 12 Function Keys, from F1 to F12 where each key has a unique function related to the software or application.
• Whenever a single key has two characters on it, a Shift key is used to access the upper character. It also enables typing in uppercase.
• Control (Ctrl) and Alternate (Alt) keys are used with combination of other keys for various shortcuts.

4. Other Important Keys

• Enter Key: It basically confirms any selection or is used for submitting purposes.
• Backspace Key: It removes unwanted characters to the left of the cursor.
• Spacebar: It inserts a space between characters.
• Escape (Esc) Key: It is used to exit a currently running operation or dialog box.

Conclusion

Keyboard has always been the most essential input device required in a computer. They provide users a medium through which they can communicate or enter their commands in a computer. A user-friendly layout and various other features makes keyboard a significant input device for computers and other electronic devices.