Team Members: Karros Huang, Brett Milliken, Girish Narayanswamy, Hamilton Nelson, Prerit Oberai, Christopher Quinn
Project Sponsor: Creative Peripherals LLC
Product Description: Since 1986, when IBM came out with the Model M, keyboard design has not significantly evolved despite changes in human-computer interaction and advances in technology. Using a keyboard requires the user to sit in one place, often tethered to a desktop computer. Phones are mobile and comfortable to use; however, the speed sacrificed makes it difficult to work on larger tasks. Especially with the recent development in Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technology, the need for an effective yet dynamic keyboard is higher than ever.
Introducing the V-Board: a highly configurable Human Interface Device (HID) with a focus on ergonomics and comfortability. Each handpiece has a touchscreen and thumb joystick, which combine to create a mouse-and-keyboard schema in a compact package. With each module attached to a hand, the user can type easily at a desk, lounging on a couch, and even on-the-go. Due to its highly configurable nature, each V-Board can be customized to address the user’s needs including the ability to host a full keyboard on a single handpiece, split keyboard on multiple handpieces, utilize joystick controls, and assign unique touchscreen buttons. The handpieces also function as independent units, allowing freedom of movement for the user. The V-Board serves as a multifunctional controller that interfaces with various applications ranging from virtual reality, remote controlled drones, web browsing, and 3D modeling. This product reaches out to a market spanning from industry professionals to casual consumers. The purpose of this device is to expand the user's functionality and freedom of movement in any environment.
Each module provides a level of customization with an ease of use that is unrivalled by any other controller. The V-Board incorporates a touch screen keyboard and joystick, allowing for finer degrees of control and a variety of user input. The product interfaces across most computing platforms, acting in a similar manner to a Bluetooth keyboard-mouse pair. Just as the standard QWERTY keyboard has reached out to all markets in the computer industry, the V-Board is the next standard in keyboard design.