After splitting the keyboard into left and right halves, there seemed to be nowhere else to go in creating a functional keyboard that was easy on the fingers. orbiTouch's Keyless Keyboard is one of a kind - it breaks from the normal keyboard fare and does away with keys altogether.

Instead of individual keys for each input, there are two sliding domes that produce each letter, number or function. For example, sliding the left dome down will produce the letter 'i', while bringing both domes diagonally toward your body will five you a ‘v’. Additionally, you can produce Shift, Control and Alt combinations, and the right dome also doubles as a joystick for the mouse cursor.

It sounds like an overly complicated replacement for something as intuitive as the humble keyboard but the theory goes that the keyless design reduces carpel tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injury by forcing you to use your whole arm and upper body, rather than repetitive finger and wrist movements.

Learning the combinations is challenging, and fortunately there are colour wheels and coded charts to help. Remembering the combinations takes roughly as long as it would take to touch-type on a regular keyboard, but you’re looking at a maximum word rate of only 30-60 words per minute – certainly not a tool for situations where a high word output is required. That said, we were able to achieve a word rate of 30 words per minute in only two days, after which time the board became intuitive and comfortable to use.

This all amounts to a useful tool to reduce injury or help those with more serious typing related problems to achieve a reasonable degree of output. It’s a little on the expensive side and your only option is to purchase online at the already high USD price tag. With a local supplier and an attractive price tag, however, this would score much higher. But, regardless of price, if you’re into ergonomics, this hits the sweet spot.