Kinesis
Mac & Sun Interfaces
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Various keyboard accessories are available, such as footpedals and devices
allowing the use of multiple keyboards and converting between different computer systems.
 Bilbo Innovations Inc.
1290 Oakmead Parkway, #118,
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
(408) 736-6086, Fax: (408) 736-6083;
bilbo@bilbo.com
http://www.bilbo.com/
STEP ON IT! Keyboard Control Pedals
- Compatibility:
- Estimated Price:
- Availability: Retail
STEP-ON-IT! Keyboard Control Pedals supplement the computer keyboard with three
electronic foot switches that take over the operation of selected keystrokes and mouse
clicks. The system moves part of the entry activity from the keyboard to the floor pedals
- thus speeding up the typing process through reducing hand movements.
STEP-ON-IT! Keyboard Control Pedals can be custom-programmed by the end-user to assign or
reassign any three keys or mouse clicks to the floor operation, to suit the needs at the
time. An initial default configuration for the foot-operated switches is these frequently
used keystrokes: Pedal 1 - Shift; Pedal 2 - Control; Pedal 3 - Alt. However, the operator
can choose to assign any other keystroke, such as - Esc, Return, PgUp, PgDn, a longer
macro (up to 13 characters per pedal), or a mouse button click.
(see website given above for more manufacturer product information)
Research
Comments
Miscellaneous
(Information last checked: Nov'97)
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Kinesis Corporation
22121 17th Avenue SE, Suite 112, Bothell, WA 98021-7404
800-4-KINESIS (800-454-6374) or 425-402-8100
Fax: 425-402-8181
http://www.kinesis-ergo.com
 Kinesis
Mac Interface II
- For PS/2-compatible keyboards and mice
- Estimated price is $133
- Special bundled prices are available for both Mac and Sun boxes with the Maxim
adjustable keyboard
The Mac interface device allows your Macintosh computer to accept PS/2 compatible
keyboards and mice. With the new Mac Interface II, you can now connect a PS/2-compatible
mouse or trackballs plus a Mac-compatible pointing device at the same time!
(see website given above for more manufacturer product information)
 Kinesis
Sun Interface II
- For PS/2-compatible keyboards and mice
- Estimated price is $125
The Sun interface device allows your Sun workstation to accept Kinesis' PC-compatible
state-of-the-art keyboards. And with the new Sun Interface II, you now can connect PS/2
compatible mice and trackballs and Sun compatible pointing devices at the same time!
(see website given above for more manufacturer product information)
(Information last checked: Nov'97)
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P.I. Engineering
801 E. Grand River Ave.
Williamston, MI 48895
(517) 655-5523, (800) 628-3185
Fax (517) 655-4926
info@ymouse.com
http://www.ymouse.com
Order direct or they are also distributed by Micro Central-800-83-MICRO
Y-Mouse
- Estimated Price: $49.95
- Availability: Direct and larger mail order catalogs
- Tiger Direct (http://www.tigerdirect.com)
- Dalco (http://www.dalco.com)
- Global Computers (http://www.globalcomputers.com )
- Products
- Y-mouse Dual Mouse Adapter
- Y-mouse Tablet and Mouse Adapter
- Y-key key Dual Keyboard Adapter
- Y-see two Dual Monitor Adapter ($89.95)
Y-mouse adapters give you the power to connect two devices to the same port. With these
small, easy to use, Y shaped adapters you don't have to open your computer or install any
driver. Simply plug them in and you're ready to go.
•Great for switching between your favorite pointers.
•Switching between devices helps avoid repetetive motion problems
•Daisy chain multiple adapters to attach multiple input devices.
Compatibility: Works with all standard mouse-type devices including trackballs,
touchpads, and other devices using standard mouse protocal. Both devices operate on one
driver. Some devices, such as the Microsoft® IntelliMouse, use advanced features which
may not be compatible with other devices. Please call to ensure compatability. Switching:
Automatic, initiated by use of pointing device.
Attaching Multiple Y-mice: The Dual Mouse Adapter can be daisy chained with other
like Dual Mouse Adapters to obtain three or more mouse ports from one.
(see website given above for more manufacturer product information)
(Information last checked: Nov'97)
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Silicon Valley Bus Company
475 Brown Rd., San Juan Bautista, CA 95045
408-623-2300 or maybe 800-775-0555
Fax: 408-623-4440
http://www.svbus.com/KEDS.html
- Estimated price is $119 plus shipping.
The KeyStone brings a world of new choices to your selection of keyboard and mouse.
Choose from the wide variety of high-quality PC Compatible keyboards.
KeyStone's control panel software even lets you use a three button mouse or trackball and
maps your custom commands to all three buttons. Without the control panel, your-PC
Compatible keyboard and mouse will function as a standard Apple keyboard and mouse.
(see website given above for more manufacturer product information)
(Information last checked: Nov'97)
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Sun Microsystems
2550 Garcia Ave., Mt. View, CA 94043-1100
To purchase, contact Sun Express:
(800) USE-SUNX (800-873-7869)
http://sunexpress.usec.sun.com/
 Sun Interface Converter
This simple interface converter allows you to use PS/2 standard keyboards,
mice and trackballs, in conjunction with, or instead of the Sun(R) keyboard and mouse
options. It also allows you to use a Sun mouse and PS/2 trackball simultaneously.
(see website given above for more manufacturer product information)
(Information last checked: Nov'97)
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USAR Systems
568 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
(212) 226-2042, Fax (212) 226-3215
info@usar.com
http://www.usar.com
- Availability:
- Retailers include Cyberian Outpost (an online store) and certain retailers on the West
Coast: Safe Computing, Keyboard Alternatives, and Work Link
- USAR also sells them directly
- Kinesis and PerfecTouch also sell directly
AppAdapt is a PS/2 Keyboard and Mouse to MAC Protocol Interpreter.
Want to use an ergonomic keyboard or mouse but can't because the one you want doesn't work
with your computer? No problem. USAR's AppAdapt Interpreter lets you access the full range
of ergonomic keyboards and mice. Plus, each Interpreter lets you plug in three input
devices instead of just one. So you can hook up a PC keyboard a PC mouse and an ADB
device. All you do is plug the Interpreter into your regular input device port, and then
plug you PC devices into the ports provided by the interpreter box. That's it. What's
more, the PC devices can be connected and disconnected from the system at any time with no
need to reboot your computer. No extra hardware, power supply or software drivers are
required.
- Availability:
- Retailers include Cyberian Outpost (an online store) and certain retailers on the West
Coast: Safe Computing, Keyboard Alternatives, and Work Link
- USAR also sells them directly
- Kinesis and PerfecTouch also sell directly
SunAdapt is a PS/2 Keyboard and Mouse to Sun Protocol Interpreter. Want to use an
ergonomic keyboard or mouse but can't because the one you want doesn't work with your
computer? No problem. USAR's SunAdapt Interpreter lets you access the full range of
ergonomic keyboards and mice. Plus, each Interpreter lets you plug in three input devices
instead of just one. So you can hook up a PC keyboard a PC mouse and a Sun device. All you
do is plug the Interpreter into your regular input device port, and then plug you PC
devices into the ports provided by the interpreter box. That's it. What's more, the PC
devices can be connected and disconnected from the system at any time with no need to
reboot your computer. No extra hardware, power supply or software drivers are required.
(see website given above for more manufacturer product information)
Comments:
Another application -- in addition to the obvious one of being able to use a greater
variety of input devices -- is use by the whole cross-platform developers market (use one
kbd/mouse, a swichbox, and the AppAdapt) -- very handy for web/software developers.
Deborah Rothman, USAR Systems, drothman@usar.com
(Information last checked: Dec'97)
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Interfaces/Compatibility Issues
- X terminals
- A number of X terminals (NCD, Tektronix, to name a few) use PC-compatible keyboards. If
you have an X terminal, you may be all set. Try it out with a normal PC keyboard before
you go through the trouble of buying an alternative keyboard. Also, some X terminals add
extra buttons - you may need to keep your original keyboard around for the
once-in-a-blue-moon that you have to hit the Setup key.
Often, X termainals will use a
small DIN-8 connector rather than the larger old-style PC keyboard connector. Have no
fear! Many newer PCs also have this new smaller connector, so you can usually find
adapters at good computer stores. I have also seen this adapter in a number of mail-order
cable catalogs.
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- NeXT
- NeXT no longer makes workstations, but the last batch of NeXTstations were made with the
Apple Desktop Bus. If you really need to be using NeXT hardware, make sure it is the
latest stuff, and you can use Mac keyboards
(or PC keyboards through an adapter).
Of course, you can also run the NeXTstep
operating system on a PC, HP, or Sun workstation, which are easier to adapt.
Malcolm Crawford <m.crawford@dcs.shef.ac.uk>
recommends Kinesis users remap their keyboard such that:
- Backspace = Backspace
- Delete = Command
- Caps Lock = Control
- Insert = Option
- And, in software, make Caps Lock settable with Command-Shift
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- Silicon Graphics
- Silicon Graphics newer machines (Indigo^2, Indy, and beyond) use standard
PS/2-compatible keyboards and mice. I do not believe this also applies to the Power Series
machines. It is not possible to upgrade an older SGI to use PC keyboards, except by
upgrading the entire machine. Contact your SGI sales rep for more details.
For older
machines, see if you can upgrade to Irix5 or later. The current X server supports the
XTEST extension, which allows a2x to function properly. See ``spoofing'', below.
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- IBM RS/6000
- IBM RS/6000 keyboards are actually similar to normal PC keyboards. Unfortunately, you ca
not just plug one in. First, you need a cable converter to go from the large PC keyboard
connector to the smaller PS/2 style DIN-6. After that, you will probably need to run a
special program (dkbd) to initialize the keyboard.
See the file rs6000-keyboard-info
in the ftp archive for more information.
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- HP workstations
- If you are using an HP workstation, you can buy a converter box that converts the HP-HIL
serial to PS2. The converter is made by Modular Industrial Computers 615-499-0700.
Apparently you can also get these from Jon Simkovitz & Associates at 800-953-9262. At
any rate, they are expensive ($400) because not many are made.
Newer HP workstations
use PC-compatible keyboards and PS/2 mice! The changeover occured in early 1995 with the
model 712. You were planning on upgrading your machine sooner or later, right?
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- Sun workstations
- Sun now manufactures an adapter box which lets you connect a PC mouse and keyboard to
your Sparc workstation. I am told it is called the ``Sun Interface Converter'', part
#X465A, and costs $75. Call 1-800-USE-SUNX, or see Suns Web page: http://sunexpress.usec.sun.com
Kinesis (phone 800-4-KINESIS), resells
Suns adapter as well as makes their own. The original Kinesis adapter required you to use
your original Sun mouse. The new Sun adapter works with your original Sun mouse or any
PS/2 mouse.
The downside to either of these adapters is the lack of Sun-specific keys - a Sun
keyboard has more keys on it than a traditional PC keyboard. If you often use the L-keys
or other obscure keys, you are going to have to learn how to remap your keys with xmodmap.
For some info on this, check out kinesis-sun-mappings
in the typing injury archive.
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- Spoofing a keyboard over the serial port
- If you have got a proprietary computer which uses its own keyboard (Sun, HP, DEC, etc.)
then you are going to have a hard time finding a vendor to sell you a compatible keyboard.
If your workstation runs the X window system, you are in luck. You can buy a cheap used
PC, hook your expensive keyboard up to it, and run a serial cable to your workstation.
Then, run a program on the workstation to read the serial port and generate fake X
keyboard events.
A number of programs can facilitate this for you. kt and a2x
support ASCII input. a2x-RawPC and serkey support raw PC scancode input.
Also, the new version of kt (kt18) additionally supports raw PC scancodes.
For more info about a2x, check out this URL:
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/a2x-voice/
a2x is a sophisticated program, capable of controlling the mouse, and even
moving among widgets on the screen. It requires a server extension (XTEST, DEC-XTRAP, or
XTestExtension1). To find out if your server can do this, run "xdpyinfo" and see
if any of these strings appear in the extensions list. If your server does not have this,
you may want to investigate compiling X11R5, patchlevel 18 or later, or bugging your
vendor. X11R6 works fine, too.
kt is a simpler program, which should work with unextended X servers. Another
program called xsendevent also exists, but I have not seen it.
a2x will work better, when it works, but it requires an extended server. kt
does not work with every application, but it is more likely to work on older servers. Do
not you love compromises?
a2x-RawPC, serkey, and kt18 can take input from a device such as
the Genovation Serial Box which
converts a PC keyboard into a normal RS232 serial device, but otherwise passes through the
raw PC scancodes. This approach has several advantages: a Serial Box is only $150, whereas
the cheapest used PC you may ever find is over $300. A Serial Box could easily fit in your
pocket, while PCs tend to be much bigger. Most important, however, is the ability to use all
the keys of your PC keyboard with your workstation, like the function keys. Unfortunately,
Genovation no longer manufactures
this box. kt includes a DOS program which can make your PC simulate one of these
boxes, but that seems like overkill.
a2x, a2x-RawPC, serkey and kt are all available via anonymous ftp from
ftp.cs.princeton.edu.
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- Other stuff
- Some vendors here (notably: Health Care
Keyboard Co. and AccuCorp)
support some odd keyboard types, and may be responsive to your queries regarding
supporting your own weird computer. If you can get sufficient documention about how your
keyboard works (either from the vendor, or with a storage oscilloscope), you may be in
luck. Contact the companies for more details.
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Also see Keyboard
& Mice Software
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