Still a work in progress, the Shortcut keyboard is touted to have benefits beyond mere ergonomics.
Common physical ailments that gamers experience include back and neck aches, migraines and the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome.
The Shortcut is a far cry from the usual keyboard, using only 14 re-bindable keys and an ergonomic thumb control pad for each hand. It’s positioned such that users will never have to bend their wrists nor move their fingers excessively to hit a key.
According to Deilor’s blog, his decade-long work in the esports industry gave him insights into the physical and mental issues that high-level gamers suffer from.
To Deilor, it’s the archaic design of the keyboard, and its predecessor the typewriter, that contributes to the strain on the fingers and wrists, which consequently leads to a drop in performance among professional gamers.
“We shouldn’t accept a mediocre tool just because it’s been with us since we were born,” he said. “With today’s technology and human body knowledge we can create a keyboard designed to fulfill today’s tasks and needs at a level never before possible.”
Although the Shortcut keyboard is still in its testing phase, you can sign up here to win a prototype and give feedback to shape the final product.
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