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Fontalizing Keyboard

 Pressure sensitive keys that alter text.
  (+10)(+10)
(+10) 		  [vote for,
against]

I have always wanted to make a keyboard and software that would allow you to type normally and also be able to alter your finger's downstroke in a direction that would alter the text being typed.

The basic mechanism is to have one of those little IBM finger mouse 'sticks' with a key on top or pressure sensor stick upon which the key is placed.

One direction would make the character 'spiky', another 'baloony', and other directions could make the text larger, smaller, rotate, smear etc. All setting should be user configurable.

The text itself could be PDF'ed into a font subset and included with the document or turned into a .gif and read within the email message.

Teenagers would love to alter their expressive styles within chat rooms and with text messaging.

Could javascript be used to place a graphical distortion over the text character space? This would alleviate the need for vectorizing text and possibly allow for plain text email and the alteration_map.jar to be sent within a reasonable amount of bandwidth.

—subflower, Aug 04 2005

Image-changing keyboard http://www.artlebed.../portfolio/optimus/
For [oneoffdave]... I especially like the Photoshop keyboard [moomintroll, Aug 05 2005]

Halfbakery: Piezo electric keyboard Piezo_20electric_20keyboard
The simpler version. [jutta, Aug 09 2005]

Totally Customisable Keyboard http://www.thinkgee...mputing/input/77ba/
Slightly off topic, but I thought it was a cool idea. [zen_tom, Aug 10 2005]

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       To be honest, I think a simpler keyboard which did capital letters if you HIT IT REALLY HARD would be good. +
—moomintroll, Aug 04 2005
   

       It would take a lot of getting used to, you would otherwise have a very messed document. I prefer moomintroll's idea better......
—jfox, Aug 04 2005
   

       Well, both idea's are the same. [moom] just has her settings pretty simplified.
—daseva, Aug 04 2005
   

       Sounds like a whole new world of possibilities in repetitive stress disorder!   

       "What's your opinion, doctor?"   

       "Well, you've been using Baloon font way too much. I would recommend you change up to Spiky Italics for a time, then, if you can bring yourself to do it, go back to regular font with just the occasional MASHKEY CAPITALS. Otherwise we're going to have to look into getting you finger braces. The kind that have a hinge like Mad Max's kneebrace."
—junglefish, Aug 04 2005
   

       I thought this was going to be a keyboard where the character image on each key changed according to which font you were using.
—oneoffdave, Aug 05 2005
   

       'his', actually, [daseva] ;-)   

       The more I think about this idea, the more I like it. Maybe it would be possible for software to monitor the speed and force with which you hit the keys and determine mood indicators simply from that information. Mind you, I expect my keyboard would just be permanently set to 'slurred babbling'.
—moomintroll, Aug 05 2005
   

       Yeah, I like this idea too, a slight forward flourish on my final characters making them more cursive, while a downward stroke splodges them up - ANGRY ALL CAPS IS A CLASSIC IDEA! Why press shift, when pressure sensitivity can do the hard work for you?   

       Also, that optimus keyboard [moomintroll] is awesome - can't wait to see how that's received when it comes out.
—zen_tom, Aug 05 2005
   

       I was just about to post an idea about a keyboard where the image on the keys changed according to if you needed a different language or symbols or whatever, but I think that's what that Optimus keyboard is. Just missed it.
—goober, Aug 06 2005
   

       I hope the optimus is out before my next review, so I can demand one. (for increased efficiency of course).
—Zimmy, Aug 06 2005
   

       Not hard to use Pa've because you get font feedback immediately. when you push up, for instance, the text would get taller and develop spikes. When the key is pressed down (more like leaned towards or away from the typer - a small rim around the edge might be necessary or a slightly deeper scoop for the key top) it gets thicker and shorter.   

       You could lean it to either side making it italic or underlined.   

       Have you used an IBM laptop? That little stick is akin to the feeling I imagine. The key would sit atop it with room on all sides. When the fingertip hits off center, the appropriate direction is sensed. Looks like a flat topped mushroom, so there is room to move on all sides just from downward pressure.
—subflower, Aug 09 2005
   

       // alteration_map.jar //   

       You seem to be operating under the illusion that there's some kind of relationship between JavaScript and Java. Regardless, I like the idea overall and the sub-idea to store the plain text and the distortion data separately. The software side of this idea should be a lot easier to bake now, with how far web technology has come since 2005. You might even be able to do it in pure CSS now, though it would be painful.
—notexactly, Dec 18 2018
   


 

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