Kinesis Contoured Advantage keyboard

The Kinesis line of ergonomic computer keyboards is an alternative to the traditional keyboard design. Most widely known among these are the contoured Advantage line, which feature recessed keys in two bucket-like hollows which allow the fingers to reach keys with less effort as well as a central array of modifiers such as enter, alt, backspace, control, etc. where they can be pressed with the thumbs. The Kinesis Advantage Contoured Keyboard is designed for users whose RSI-related pain is not helped by a traditional split keyboard, such as the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. Unlike a traditional keyboard, which features raised keys on a mostly flat surface, the Kinesis features two concave bowls that dip below the keyboard's wrist rest, so your fingers remain in a relaxed position. What's more, the two bowls of keys are set at the outer edges of the keyboard, so you can hold your arms closer to shoulder-width. (The keys on the right also double as a 10-key numeric keypad with the press of a button.) As you can imagine, the entirely new typing arrangement takes some time to get used to. The Kinesis lines of keyboards are often used by those who type throughout the work-day, and thus suffer or are at higher risk for such injuries as RSI. Because of their willingness to adopt new technology, the Kinesis was first widely used among computer programmers, who continue to be a major market for the devices.

Kinesis Advantage description

• Concave key wells reduce hand and finger extension to better accommodate the different lengths of your fingers: extension occurs when the joints in your fingers curl up and extend forward from your hands, rather than relaxing down slightly in the direction of the palms

• Vertical key layout arranges keys in vertical columns to reflect the natural motions of your fingers, and the keypads are sculpted and concave to fit the varying lengths of your fingers

• Design provides looser placement of function keys to the alphanumeric keys, so your fingers don't have to stretch as far to use them

• Integral palm support enhances comfort and reduces extension of the wrists

• Embedded 10 key layout eliminates the need to stretch your arm out to reach your keypad

• The Advantage keyboard is compatible with the Kinesis Numeric keypad for those who prefer a separate numerical keypad

• Smaller footprint allows you to place your mouse closer to your keyboard, making it easier to work in your neutral zone and reduce any shoulder pain.