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{{Short description|Data input device}}
{{Distinguish|keyboard computer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
[[File:Typing example.ogv|thumb|[[Typing]] on a laptop keyboard]]
A '''computer keyboard''' is a built-in or [[peripheral]] [[input device]] modeled after the [[typewriter]] keyboard<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thefreedictionary.com/computer+keyboard|title=computer keyboard|work=TheFreeDictionary.com|access-date=2018-06-26|archive-date=26 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326195947/https://www.thefreedictionary.com/computer+keyboard|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-12-04 |title=Keyboard and mouse basics {{!}} nidirect |url=https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/keyboard-and-mouse-basics |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=www.nidirect.gov.uk |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707173045/https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/keyboard-and-mouse-basics |url-status=live }}</ref> which uses an arrangement of buttons or [[Push-button|keys]] to act as [[Mechanical keyboard|mechanical levers]] or [[Electronic switching system|electronic switches]]. Replacing early [[punched card]]s and [[paper tape]] technology, interaction via [[teleprinter]]-style keyboards have been the main [[input device|input method]] for [[computer]]s since the 1970s, supplemented by the [[computer mouse]] since the 1980s, and the [[touchscreen]] since the 2000s.
Keyboard keys (buttons) typically have a set of characters [[Engraving|engraved]] or [[Printing|printed]] on them, and each press of a key typically corresponds to a single written [[symbol]]. However, producing some symbols may require pressing and holding several keys simultaneously or in sequence.<ref>{{cite book|title=New Directions in Behavioral Biometrics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rISKDQAAQBAJ |isbn=978-1315349312|author=Khalid Saeed|date=2016| publisher=CRC Press |access-date=6 August 2018}}</ref> While most keys produce [[character (computing)|characters]] ([[Letter (alphabet)|letters]], [[Numerical digit|numbers]] or symbols), other keys (such as the [[escape key]]) can prompt the computer to execute system commands. In a modern computer, the interpretation of key presses is generally left to the software: the information sent to the computer, the [[scan code]], tells it only which physical key (or keys) was pressed or released.<ref name="msusb13a">[http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/1/161ba512-40e2-4cc9-843a-923143f3456c/scancode.doc Microsoft Keyboard Scan Code Specification] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200909230403/https://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/1/161ba512-40e2-4cc9-843a-923143f3456c/scancode.doc |date=9 September 2020 }} ([http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/1/161ba512-40e2-4cc9-843a-923143f3456c/scancode.doc Appendix C, "USB Keyboard/Keypad Page (0x07)"] ), [[Microsoft]]. Revision 1.3a, 2000-03-16, accessed 2018-10-13.</ref>
In normal usage, the keyboard is used as a [[text entry interface]] for typing text, numbers, and symbols into [[application software]] such as a [[word processor]], [[web browser]] or [[social media]] app. Touchscreens use [[virtual keyboard]]s.
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As early as the 1870s, teleprinter-like devices were used to simultaneously type and transmit [[stock market]] text data from the keyboard across telegraph lines to [[stock ticker machine]]s to be immediately copied and displayed onto [[ticker tape]].{{cn|date=October 2023}} The teleprinter, in its more contemporary form, was developed from 1907 to 1910 by American mechanical engineer [[Charles Krum]] and his son [[Howard Krum|Howard]], with early contributions by electrical engineer [[Frank Pearne]]. Earlier models were developed separately by individuals such as [[Royal Earl House]] and [[Frederick G. Creed]].
Earlier, [[Herman Hollerith]] developed the first keypunch devices, which soon evolved to include keys for text and number entry akin to normal typewriters by the 1930s.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.zdnet.com/pictures/gallery-ibm-100-years-of-thinking-big/|title=Gallery: IBM: 100 Years of THINKing Big|author=Smith, Andy|work=[[ZDNet]]|date=15 June 2011|access-date=20 October 2015|url-status=
The keyboard on the teleprinter played a strong role in point-to-point and point-to-multipoint communication for most of the 20th century, while the keyboard on the keypunch device played a strong role in data entry and storage for just as long. The development of some of the earliest computers incorporated electric typewriter keyboards: the development of the [[ENIAC]] computer incorporated a keypunch device as both the input and paper-based output device, and the [[BINAC]] computer made use of an electromechanically controlled typewriter for both data entry onto magnetic tape (instead of paper) and data output.<ref>{{cite web|website=ComputerWorld.com|date=2 November 2012|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2493059/computer-peripherals/past-is-prototype--the-evolution-of-the-computer-keyboard.html|title=Past is prototype: The evolution of the computer keyboard|access-date=6 August 2018|archive-date=6 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806212417/https://www.computerworld.com/article/2493059/computer-peripherals/past-is-prototype--the-evolution-of-the-computer-keyboard.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030170414/http://www.nelson-miller.com/what-is-a-flexible-keyboard
|url-status=live
}}</ref> of flexible keyboards in the market are made from silicone; this material makes them water- and dust-proof. This is useful in hospitals,<ref>{{cite web
|title=Specifications Wireless Multimedia Flexible Keyboard
|quote=flexible keyboard is ... perfect for healthcare applications and other clean or dirty
|url=https://www.alliedelec.com/m/d/14cddaf36d8e0972092b549c108359cf.pdf
|access-date=30 October 2018
|archive-date=30 October 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030170351/https://www.alliedelec.com/m/d/14cddaf36d8e0972092b549c108359cf.pdf
|url-status=live
}}</ref> where keyboards are subjected to frequent washing,
and other dirty or must-be-clean environments.
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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807063450/https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-ergonomic-keyboards-that-actually-do-their-job/
|url-status=live
}}</ref> are designed to be held like a game controller, and can be used as such, instead of laid out flat on top of a table surface.
<!-- yes, the exact quote is A LOT OF ... A LOT OF ... twice! -->
Typically handheld keyboards hold all the alphanumeric keys and symbols that a standard keyboard would have, yet only be accessed by pressing two sets of keys at once; one acting as a function key similar to a 'Shift' key that would allow for capital letters on a standard keyboard.<ref>[http://alphagrips.com/WhitePaper.html Alpha Grip Programming and Productivity Improvement White Paper] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225043114/http://alphagrips.com/WhitePaper.html |date=25 February 2015 }}. Alphagrips.com. Retrieved on 9 December 2013.</ref> Handheld keyboards allow the user the ability to move around a room or to lean back on a chair while also being able to type in front or away from the computer.<ref>[http://alphagrips.com/comfort.html The Alphagrip – The World's most Comfortable Ergonomic Keyboard for Typing and Programming] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225045212/http://alphagrips.com/comfort.html |date=25 February 2015 }}. Alphagrips.com. Retrieved on 9 December 2011.</ref> Some variations of handheld ergonomic keyboards also include a trackball mouse that allow mouse movement and typing included in one handheld device.<ref>"It combines the body of a game controller with the functions of both a trackball and a keyboard." {{cite web
|date=9 February 2018
|url=https://www.allthingsergo.com/alphagrip-review-igrip
|title=AlphaGrip Review (iGrip)
|access-date=6 August 2018
|archive-date=5 August 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805141948/http://www.allthingsergo.com/alphagrip-review-igrip/
|url-status=live
}}</ref>
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[[File:Ascom BEG 100.jpg|thumb|Multifunction keyboard with LCD function keys]]
Multifunctional keyboards provide additional function beyond the standard keyboard. Many are programmable, configurable computer keyboards and some control multiple PCs, workstations and other information sources, usually in multi-screen work environments. Users have additional key functions as well as the standard functions and can typically use a single keyboard and mouse to access multiple sources.
[[File:WEY Smart Touch.png|alt=WEY Smart Touch|thumb|Multifunction keyboard with touch]]
Multifunctional keyboards may feature customised keypads, fully programmable function or soft keys for macros/pre-sets, biometric or [[smart card]] readers, [[trackball]]s, etc. New generation multifunctional keyboards feature a [[touchscreen]] display to stream video, control audio visual media and alarms, execute application inputs, configure individual desktop environments, etc. Multifunctional keyboards may also permit users to share access to PCs and other information sources. Multiple interfaces (serial, USB, audio, Ethernet, etc.) are used to integrate external devices. Some multifunctional keyboards are also used to directly and intuitively control video walls.
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An optical keyboard technology<ref>{{cite web |title=What is an Optical Keyboard? |url=https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-optical-keyboard.htm |access-date=6 August 2018 |archive-date=7 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807001541/https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-optical-keyboard.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>{{better source needed|reason=user-generated content, not a [[wp:reliable source]]|date=March 2023}} utilizes [[Light-emitting diode|LEDs]] and [[Photoelectric sensor|photo sensors]] to optically detect actuated keys. Most commonly the emitters and sensors are located in the perimeter, mounted on a small [[Printed circuit board|PCB]]. The [[light]] is directed from side to side of the keyboard interior and it can only be blocked by the actuated keys. Most optical keyboards<ref>{{cite web
|title=Best Optical Keyboards
|work=GamingFactors
|url=https://www.gamingfactors.com/best-optical-keyboard▼
|date=16 February 2018
|access-date=6 August 2018
|archive-date=7 August 2018
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=== Cursor keys ===
Navigation keys or cursor keys include a variety of keys which move the cursor to different positions on the screen.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Dedicated Cursor Control and Navigation Keys
|url=http://www.pcguide.com/ref/kb/groupNav-c.html
|access-date=6 August 2018
|archive-date=2 February 2017
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202171914/http://www.pcguide.com/ref/kb/groupNav-c.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref> [[Arrow keys]] are programmed to move the cursor in a specified direction; page scroll keys, such as the [[Page Up and Page Down keys]], scroll the page up and down. The [[Home key]] is used to return the cursor to the beginning of the line where the cursor is located; the [[End key]] puts the cursor at the end of the line. The [[Tab key]] advances the cursor to the next tab stop.
The [[Insert key]] is mainly used to switch between overtype mode, in which the cursor overwrites any text that is present on and after its current ___location, and insert mode, where the cursor inserts a character at its current position, forcing all characters past it one position further. The [[Delete key]] discards the character ahead of the cursor's position, moving all following characters one position "back" towards the freed place. On many notebook computer keyboards the key labeled Delete (sometimes Delete and Backspace are printed on the same key) serves the same purpose as a Backspace key. The [[Backspace]] key deletes the preceding character.
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====Escape key====
{{Main|Esc key}}
<!-- some keyboards said "ESCAPE" - NYTimes agrees -->
The [[Esc key|escape key]] ({{keypress|esc}}) has a variety of meanings according to Operating System, application or both. "Nearly all of the time",<ref name=SF>{{cite web |title=The Qodem Homepage |website=SourceForge |url=
The escape key was part of the standard keyboard of the [[Teletype Model 33]] (introduced in 1964 and used with many early minicomputers).<ref>{{cite web |first=David |last=Gesswein |date=n.d. |url=https://www.pdp8.net/asr33/asr33.shtml |title=ASR 33 Information |access-date=31 October 2019 |archive-date=24 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224071524/http://www.pdp8.net/asr33/asr33.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]] [[VT50]], introduced July 1974, also had an Esc key. The [[TECO (text editor)|TECO]] text editor (ca 1963) and its descendant [[GNU Emacs|Emacs]] (ca 1985) use the Esc key extensively.
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=== Miscellaneous ===
[[File:Multimediakb.jpg|thumb|Multimedia buttons on some keyboards give quick access to the Internet or control the volume of the speakers.]]
On [[Keyboard layout#East Asian languages|Japanese/Korean keyboards]], there may be [[
Some keyboards have power management keys (e.g., power key, sleep key and wake key); Internet keys to access a web browser or [[
=== Multiple layouts ===
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== Illumination ==
[[File:
Keyboards and keypads may be illuminated from inside, especially on equipment for mobile use. Both keyboards built into computers and external ones may support backlighting; external backlit keyboards may have a wired USB connection, or be connected wirelessly and powered by batteries. Illumination facilitates the use of the keyboard or keypad in dark environments.
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Plastic materials played a very important part in the development and progress of electronic keyboards. Until "monoblocks" came along, GE's "self-lubricating" [[Polyoxymethylene plastic|Delrin]] was the only plastic material for keyboard switch plungers that could withstand the beating over tens of millions of cycles of lifetime use. Greasing or oiling switch plungers was undesirable because it would attract [[dirt]] over time which would eventually affect the feel and even bind the key switches (although keyboard manufacturers would sometimes sneak this into their keyboards, especially if they could not control the tolerances of the key plungers and housings well enough to have a smooth key depression feel or prevent binding). But Delrin was only available in black and white, and was not suitable for keytops (too soft), so keytops use [[Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene|ABS]] plastic. However, as plastic molding advanced in maintaining tight tolerances, and as key travel length reduced from 0.187-inch to 0.110-inch (4.75 mm to 2.79 mm), single-part keytop/plungers could be made of ABS, with the keyboard monoblocks also made of ABS.
In common use, the term "mechanical keyboard" refers to a keyboard with individual mechanical key switches, each of which contains a fully encased plunger with a spring below it and metallic electrical contacts on a side. The plunger sits on the spring, and the key will often close the contacts when the plunger is pressed
Some keyboards, called pressure-sensitive, allow varying input according to the distance pressed, analogously to the [[analog joystick]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/03/razers-huntsman-mini-analog-keyboard-has-pressure-sensitive-mechanical-keys/ |title=Razer adds joystick-like control to a small mechanical keyboard |website=Arstechnica |date=4 March 2022 |first=Scharon |last=Harding }}</ref>
=== Control processor ===
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== See also ==
* [[Keyboard computer]] - popular form of computers in the early 1980s
* [[Digital pen]]
* [[Dvorak keyboard layout|Dvorak]]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Computer keyboard}}
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Computer keyboards| ]]
[[Category:Computer peripherals]]
[[Category:Computing input devices]]
[[Category:Flexible electronics]]
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