Tag Archives: Ergonomic Keyboard

Logitech Wave Keys Wireless Keyboard Hands-On: Comfortable and Compact, both in Size and Price

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The average human makes roughly 1 million keystrokes each year… marking a major area for an ergonomic intervention. Unveiled today, the Logitech Wave Keys wireless keyboard joins the company’s Ergo line-up as a budget-friendly ergonomic keyboard to create a comfortable, reliable, and tactile typing experience. Designed to pair perfectly with the Lift Vertical mouse, the $59.99 Wave Keys offers a budget-friendly alternative Logitech’s $119.99 Ergo K860 split ergonomic keyboard launched back in 2020. Adopting a similar form factor, the Wave Keys gets its name from the unique wave-shaped form factor that’s a cross between traditional flat keyboards and those ergonomic spherical keyboards from the 1970s. This unique curved shape, along with the padded palm rest allows your hands to rest more naturally on the keyboard, enabling a comfortable experience for your fingers, wrists, and your palms… and I say this with a certain degree of confidence as I type this article out on the Wave Keys myself!

Designer: Logitech

The first impression you get with the Wave Keys is how comfortably petite it is. The keyboard measures less than 13 inches across (375.97mm), occupying the same horizontal space as a conventional 15.6″ laptop, but has a 96% layout, putting it in compact full-sized territory. That means the keyboard sports a num-pad along with a function row, giving you every key you could need. The function row is also feature-optimized to do useful things like take screenshots, toggle the emoji menu, mute/unmute your microphone during audio/video calls, and even play-pause actively playing content.

The keyboard’s biggest highlight is its wave-shaped design, a feature it borrows (and refines) from its predecessor, the Ergo K860. Unlike the K860’s split-key format, the Wave Keys has a continuous key layout and features larger mechanical keycaps that offer a comfortably tactile experience. It’s not as quiet as the K860’s chiclet-style keycap, but it isn’t as noisy as some other mechanical keyboards either.

The wave-shaped hump at the center of the keyboard is something the Logitech design team arrived at after years of designing, prototyping, and refining. The keyboard was carefully crafted with multiple rounds of user testing including at Logitech’s Ergo Lab and has a stamp of approval from US Ergonomics.

Other ergonomic considerations are the padded palm-rest along with height-adjustable tilt-legs that give the keyboard up to 4° of elevation for easier typing over longer periods of time. The palm rest (yet another feature extended from the K860 line) does make the keyboard wider than most, measuring 8.6 inches (218.9 mm) from top to bottom, but it vastly enhances the keyboard’s comfort levels, allowing it to live up to its ergonomic character.

The Wave Keys runs on Bluetooth as well as Logitech’s Bolt receiver, which additionally supports the Lift Vertical mouse.

The Wave Keys supports connections to up to 3 devices at the same time, allowing you to switch between them using the first three buttons on the function row. The keyboard connects to different devices using BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), supporting operating systems like Windows, MacOS, iPadOS, Chrome OS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Alternatively, it ships with the Logi Bolt USB receiver that plugs into a USB-A port, letting you connect using Logitech’s more secure wireless protocol. Additionally, the free Logi Options+ app lets you customize your keyboard experience by changing what the function buttons do, adding software/program-specific shortcuts, or even enabling Smart Actions that allow you to automate multiple tasks with a single keystroke so you can streamline your workflow. The Wave Keys runs on two AAA batteries, and Logitech touts an impressive 3-year lifespan before the batteries need to be replaced.

Sustainability also forms a core part of Logitech’s design and innovation approach. The company has touted using PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastics in their products and the Wave Keys is no different, with up to 61% of recycled plastic in its Graphite version, and 46% in its off-white version. The Wave Keys are also certified carbon-neutral and ship with zero-plastic packaging.

The Logitech Wave Keys launches today in two colorways – Graphite and Off White, with a third option named Rose launching in the spring of 2024. The Wave Keys starts at a retail price of $59.99 in North America and €79.99 in Europe, making it a perfect budget pick for individuals as well as for businesses. Visit the Logitech website to learn more.

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This ergonomic keyboard allows users to customize each key’s placement to improve workflow

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The Dygma Raise Keyboard is a customizable keyboard that splits into two halves to optimize ergonomics and streamline the workday.

For all that computers do for us, their design has remained pretty constant. You have the conventional keyboard, the rectangular trackpad, and the flat screen. No matter what kind of work you do on your computer, its design language never changes. While consistency is always a plus when it comes to design, the layout of computers and their accessories could benefit from some customization to fit different needs and physical tendencies.

Dygma, an electronic brand set on creating a paradigm shift within the industry, collaborated with designers Alvaro Navarro and Julio Redondo to create Dygma Raise, an ergonomic, customizable keyboard that can split into two halves for the ultimate bespoke experience.

The Dygma Raise was initially conceived to streamline workflow and avoid unnecessary finger movements. To achieve this, the Dygma team, along with Navarro and Redondo, worked to create a keyboard whose keys can be lifted and switched with other keys for users to have a completely unique keyboard experience.

If you find yourself using the same keyboard shortcut throughout the workday, Dygma allows users to position those keys near each other to avoid unnatural finger positioning.

Exuding ergonomics by its very design, the switching of the keys isn’t the only appeal of the Dygma Raise Keyboard. Users can also split the keyboard in half so that their wrists, hands, and shoulders can rest in a healthy, upright position throughout the workday.

Constructed from a double-coated anodized aluminum body and overlaid with PBT double-shot keycaps, the Dygma Raise keyboard also comes with removable and washable palm pads for wrists to have a comfortable resting position.

Designers: Alvaro Navarro, Julio Redondo x Dygma

Users can easily switch each key’s placement just by removing them and placing them elsewhere.

Magnetic tubing keeps the keyboard’s two halves together. 

Just like the individual keys, users can halve the keyboard by detaching the magnetic fasteners. 

The Dygma Rais Keyboard keeps a slim body to maintain a familiar look and size.

The Dygma Raise Keyboard comes in black or white with hidden neon spotlights. 

The post This ergonomic keyboard allows users to customize each key’s placement to improve workflow first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Alpha Ergo is a simple, modern Keyboard that you can ergonomically adjust

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While we have Taika Waititi slamming Apple’s keyboards just moments after winning his Oscar award, here’s a simple wireless concept that does something none of Apple’s products do… It adjusts to your needs.

Meet the Alpha Ergo, a wireless keyboard with a unique design that allows it to alternate between regular and split-keyboard layouts. This unique swiveling action allows you to adjust your keyboard’s design for more ergonomic typing, but that isn’t all. The Alpha Ergo’s seemingly large hinge element also serves as an interface with a touchscreen and dial giving you wide variety of extra functions. You can use the dial and screen to change in-program settings, toggle through options, switch between active apps, or assign pretty much any action to the controls based on which program in. The dial could work as a scope-zoom in a game, or as a volume knob in Spotify, or even a brightness/contrast control in Photoshop. Plus, the hinge’s form does the keyboard a service by propping it up as a slight angle, giving you a better keyboard that’s comfortable, adjustable, and is fitted with everything a power-user is looking for. The only caveat is a missing number pad.

Designer: Ryan Smalley

If Indiana Jones Used a Keyboard

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You’ll look like the office bada$$ if you gear up with the latest design from Anton Rickmon, simply called the Ergonomic Keyboard. This wearable (or not) QWERTY with integrated trackball adapts to the human body by utilizing a flexible connecting pad. The result is enhanced ergonomics while you work at your standing desk. Should you choose to sit, you can keep it in your lap or move it to your desk to use as you would a normal keyboard. In 3 cool colors including BLACK MOON, DEEP SPACE and CAMO, there’s a style for every taste of office aesthetic!

Designer: Anton Ruckman

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Smart hinge on the back hooks is providing rotation of the keyboard for 20 degree each side. Flexible “belt” to support any body shape and size.

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CAMO – military inspired finishes. The rubberised frames, matte buttons and metal looks like details
DEEP SPACE – most sophisticated monochrome solution with stainless steel look like keyboard frame. Rubberized keys are providing best tactic feel and grip.
BLACK MOON – will attract attention of the users with classic color preferences The new monochrome combination of shiny and matte plastics and anodized Black Moon aluminum will be a perfect choice for them

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Designed to be an effective mounting solution, the clip is adjustable in the two axis necessary for completed positional control. Simple height and rotation adjustment allows for a wide range of ergonomic profiles in order to allow the user total control over their size preferences. The clip is also designed to seamlessly retract into a stored position when out of use allowing the keyboard to cleanly sit on any workspace environment.

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When it comes to connecting the trackball, a couple of options are available. It may be possible to connect the trackpad in a similar way to the iPad Keyboard – by making use of a magnetic snap system. It would allow quick, easy and intuitive attachment.

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Considering the nature of both input options, they could be seamlessly integrated into the product or even made detachable. That provides added value to the user when using the keyboard on a desk. They could continue to use the pad as the primary input device. Alternatively, they could quickly switch to a mouse and incorporate the pad as a secondary controller option, to be used where they see fit.

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It was also crucial to consider a desktop use.  Adding an inbuilt trackpad or touchpad takes up more space than would be desired. The benefit of integrating a detachable trackball in the design above – the user can choose to work with the trackball as a primary or secondary mouse to suit their needs, positioning it out of the way if not required or close by to suit their preferences.

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