keyboard for people with shaky hands

Ergonomic Children's Desks and Furniture - Dublin, Ireland | KOS - KOS Ergonomics - Back Care Seating Specialists

Thank you. That is a good site to be aware of. I didn't see any keyboards that had a large tactile force and Ireland is not ideal for a US shopper but still, it is a very good site for people trying to overcome physical limitations.

This site might help:-

https://thegamingsetup.com/gaming-keyboard/buying-guides/keyboard-switch-chart-table

There is a huge table which you can sort on actuation force and actuation point

I haven't looked to see how easy it is to ensure you get any particular switch on any particular keyboard.

Also, it may be that "gaming" carries the same sort of price penalty as "medical".

Also worth pointing out that Cherry have always had a good reputation for mechanical keyboards. Although I think they only appear at the head of this table because the initial sorting was done alphabetically on brand.

That guy seems to be very serious about keyboards. It will take a little time and a couple of reads to fully translate "fast as hell gaming" over to "reliable operation with tremors", but it does look encouraging. Thank you.

I just had one of those "smack on the head, I could have had a V8" moments. I never knew that these existed but I should have assumed that they did and done a search for them. Thank you.

voice to text ?

Good suggestion.

In this case short term memory is slowing down and time to frustration is speeding up. In this particular case I don't think the extra complications of voice to text will work out. Good idea though, thanks.

Voice-to-text is a decent possibility. I'm trying it for converting 1890s cursive script to editable text. Dictation, as MS Word calls it, seems to work fine, but I almost have to re-learn how to talk the language to properly record numbers, punctuation, capitals, etc. Dictation is already in MS Word.

Randall's reply is spot on. Check out gaming keyboards on NewEgg or similar sites.

I use a G.Skill Ripjaws mechanical keyboard using the Cherry Red keys (opposite direction you want to go). Basically you can specify any type key from the chart.

I love the clacking sound (but I'm in a room by myself, hated in when I worked in an office with many people).

Agree. Thank you.

I have essential tremors myself and am picky about keyboards, especially since I learned to type on old manual (non-electric) typewriters in high school.

That said I recently had a need for a new keyboard and found a Corsair keyboard I really like. While it doesn't feel like a manual I would characterize it as very close to an IBM Selectric keyboard. Because I learned on a manual I tend to beat pretty hard on keyboards.

Click HERE to see the keyboard on Amazon. It's pricey but I'm very picky.

Disclaimer - I have no financial interest or gain if someone clicks that link and buys that product. Caveat Emptor.

Gulp. Price is painful but the personal recommendation is worth a lot.

For many years he (me too) only had access to an old Underwood typewriter with the cast metal frame and keys with chrome rings around each keycap. The "old time feel" is both familiar and, in this case, expected to be helpful.

A personal and specific "essential tremor" recommendation is very valuable. Thank you.

One of the reasons I chose the pricey Corsair keyboard is it has media keys built in. I especially like the mute button and the volume roller in easy reach. With the huge variation in volume across different media and web sites it's very convenient. There's probably a cheaper Corsair without the media stuff.

And it has Cherry blue switches which, because I have to jab at keys to stay on target, are very tactile/responsive and unlikely to suffer from key bounce. And, like most gaming keyboards, is built to take abuse.

Ooops, I forgot to mention, backlighting is also a must for me.

I'm afraid I can't help with the keyboard, but having lived with familial tremor all my life I can prescribe the medication!!

Quite serious

https://beerconnoisseur.com/beer/seismic-brewing-co/tremor-california-citrus-wheat

Not an endorsement, what works for one may not work for another...

https://www.amazon.com/Ergonomic-Mechanical-Keyboard-Windows-Tenkeyless/dp/B09RDZ9BB8/ref=psdc_12879431_t1_B000OCQTWM

I'm going to have to do some careful reading to better understand some of this. At the moment I have no ideal what is meant by a keyboard being in the "middle ground" between typing and gaming. I quit playing games on my computer when the Glaxian game on my 4 MHz 486 AT wouldn't run properly on my upgraded 8 MHz AT.

This looks like a good keyboard to consider. Thank you SE.

Okay, I admit that I posted the picture just after thinking there had to be a beer named Tremor- and sure enough there was! I've never tried it, but now that you've done your usual wizardry I think it looks pretty darned good. Wonder if we can get it in Canada!

Footnote- it is the alcohol, whether beer or otherwise that does it.

I think you are serious. I wonder how much relief from tremors you get with a little "medication" and how much of a driving or other safety risks you face from "over medication"? Does a little help a lot?

I'm wondering the same as you. Is this for real? I've been looking for possible homeopathic solutions for tremors without much luck. I refuse to take prescription drugs with more side effects than cures.

So far not much has helped except brain discipline, willing myself to overcome the shakes.

You can get weighted wrist bands: I don't know if they would be appropriate for this condition.

Thanks for the thought. I'll try to rig something up in my workshop to test that out. I have to say I'm not overly optimistic.

Years ago a doctor prescribed a medication to help with my ET. I think it was propranolol or some similar name. It did help, but made me so sleepy that I didn't continue it. My ET isn't bothersome for typing, but it sure makes my handwriting shaky especially if someone is watching, I'm hungry, I'm hyper about something, etc.

Yeah, to me the side affects from prescription drugs for tremors are worse than the tremors.

And you're right, handwriting (printing, for me) is troublesome and gets worse with aggravation and frustration.

And stay away from me if I'm trying to use a soldering iron. I get shaky from anticipation, which frustrates me, and next thing I know it almost looks like I'm in a sword fight.

It takes considerable concentration to get back under some sense of control.

Tried propranolol too - gave it up very quickly. Actually induced angina pectoris! My neurologist was annoyed. He said that the drug is sometimes used off-label to relieve angina. Go figure. No other drug available in the Philippines. Alcohol will relieve some of the shakes, but gauging the right amount is impossible so far.

Absolutely. My mom asked our family doctor about it one time, as my shakiness can be annoying. He looked at me and told her what it was, and i distinctly remember his comment "brandy usually will take care of it"! Unfortunately since I was a teenager at the time it was a prescription issue...! (btw Hooker, does this make it prescription not homeopathic??)

Apparently it varies with people, level of tremor and even age. I do find it helps less now than in my twenties (late forties), but one beer would never have been enough.

I do have a simple rule that provides endless amusement to my brother in law- if I don't shake, I don't drive. About twenty minutes after a couple of stiff drinks I can hold my hand up, fingers spread, and it's quite steady, or hold a needle out in front of me and thread it. I have asked about medication as I am on low levels of blood pressure medication and propanalol is sometimes used for that, but apparently the side effects are too much hassle.

Seeing as how it's your "family" doctor (kin or not) I'd say that's close enough to homeopathic for gov't work.

BTW, I've had people tell me to see a doctor about my shakiness since they let me out in public. I just tell them, no problem, I inherited it from my dad, which is true. My brother and sister got his alcoholism and I'm happy to be left out of that.

My real problem is that it's only gotten somewhat debilitating since I turned 70.

In all seriousness, I'd far rather have the shakes than the alcoholism.

I do have a couple of relatives on my mother's side with minor tremors but none to the extent that I have it.

You might try 1/2 teaspoon of vicks nyquil honey severe cold liquid medication, helps sleeping as well...

For shakes? Or just because the reviews say how bad it tastes!!

I think it helps in 2 ways, first a good sound sleep seems to make you feel better, and the slight calming effect seems to help with concentration...the dosage is very critical, too much and it just puts you to sleep, a half teaspoon appears to be about right for me....I find it compares to a sip of aged thick sherry....and of course caffeine is a no no... and moderate exercise a must...

Come visit us at the small museum in downtown Louisville, OH. We have a prescription for "Alcohol" on display. It's pretty old though, but I forget what year.

My cousin used to drink about 6 pints (UK pints: 20 fluid ounces) of Guiness every night. When he suffered a bit from night cramps his doctor told him to try drinking more Guiness. He wasn't sure whether to rejoice or despair.

Old school Model M keyboard

I've posted this link before. It's the Model M keyboard with the mechanical/capacitive key switches. It's they original 104 key keyboard. Keys click solidly with very good resistance and no key bounce. I have three of them on my various machines and they are the best of the best. And they can be cleaned and rebuilt! Key caps have molded in lettering so they don't wear the letters off the most used keys. etc. etc.

I'm getting along fairly well with the desktop keyboard I have now, but not with the laptops I have had (2). My problem is not shakiness while typing, but slight misaiming--if I just brush another key on the laptop, it records an extra & unwanted character. thus, too sensitive. The misaiming is likely due to age and arthritis, but I have a bit of essential tremor too.

The desktop keyboard is a Dell that I got used at a garage sale. Model SK-8115.

This site has replacement springs to customize the force needed.

custom springs