Typecase is a chorded keyboard that brings back tactility to smartphones. It allows for one handed typing and control of your phone without using the touchscreen - designed for extreme users but useful for all.
It works by allowing input for chords of buttons presses, just like how you would play a piano chord. With just 5 buttons on the side of the phone, you can type all the letters of the alphabet and more.
The idea grew from a cross-over study on inclusive design and disability design. Integrating the technology into a smartphone case allowed for a less stigmatising alternative to voice-to-text input for blind users.
Project completed at:
Imperial College London
Royal College of Art
Collaborators:
--
Responsibilities:
Research and Development
Rapid prototyping
Arduino / electronics
User testing
Timeframe:
5 months, 2018
The Adafruit Feather board allows input from 5 buttons and accelerometer data for gestural control. The microcontroller uses bluetooth to connect to any smart device as a keyboard input, so TypeCase can be used anywhere, anytime, without the need for an app or additional software.
Douglas Mann
© 2020 Douglas Mann