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191 lines
11 KiB
191 lines
11 KiB
% Chapter 0 - Proposal
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% Section 1 - Motivation, problem statement and thesis objectives
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\section{Bachelor Thesis Proposal - Philip Gaber}
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{\huge Impact of adjusted, per key, actuation force on efficiency and satisfaction while using mechanical keyboards}
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\subsection{Motivation}
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In recent years, computers are used to some extend in almost every industry in
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Europe \cite{eurostat_ent_w_comp} and China \cite{iresearch_ent_w_comp}. This
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leads to the conclusion, that also other countries must have a high usage of
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computers in corporations. Furthermore, according to a statistic published by
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\citeauthor{itu_hh_w_comp} in 2019, nearly half of the worldwide households have
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access to at least one computer \cite{itu_hh_w_comp}. One of the most used
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devices for data input while operating a computer is the keyboard
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\parencite[22]{handbook_chi}. Therefore, people who use a computer, either at
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home or to fulfill certain tasks at work, are also likely to use a keyboard. An
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important part of a keyboard is the keyswitch also called keyboard key or
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key. Those keyswitches use, depending on the manufacturer or keyboard type,
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different mechanisms to actuate a keypress. More commonly used mechanism to date
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are scissor switches, mostly used in laptop keyboards, dome/membrane switches,
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often used in low- to mid-priced keyboards, and mechanical switches which are
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the main switch type for high-priced and gaming keyboards
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\cite{ergopedia_keyswitch}. Depending on the mechanism and type of key used, it
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is possible that different force has to be applied to the key to activate
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it. Normally, the force required to activate a key is identical for each key
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across the keyboard. However, previous research has shown, that there is a
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disparity in force generated by different fingers
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\cite{bretz_finger_force}. This raises the question, why there are no keyboards
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with adjusted actuation forces per finger or even customizable keyboards, where
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an individual can select the actuation force for each keyswitch individually.
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\subsection{Proposed Objective, Research Question and Hypothesis}
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% This thesis is intended to provide an overview of already conducted research in
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% the domain of keyboards, especially in connection with actuation force and the
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% impact of different keyswitches on keyboard users.
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% Because there is no previous research in the particular field of per finger/key
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% actuation force for (mechanical) keyboards and the impact of such customization
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% on efficiency and comfort, this thesis is also intended to research if this is a
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% viable option in comparison to the classic keyboard with uniform actuation
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% force. Therefore the author proposes to answer the question:
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This thesis is intended to research if a keyboard with zones of keys, which have
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adjusted actuation force depending on the assigned finger for that zone and the
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position on the keyboard, is a viable option compared to the standard keyboard
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with uniform actuation force across all keyswitches.
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\begin{tabular}{p{0.3cm} p{0.5cm} p{13cm} p{0.5cm}}
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& \textbf{\large RQ} & {\Large Does an adjusted actuation force per key have a positive impact on efficiency and overall satisfaction while using a mechanical keyboard?} & \\
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\end{tabular}
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\vspace{1em}
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% TODO: Dissatisfied statt comfort da hohe error rate und dadurch frustriert
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% TODO: Bei hypothesen noch error rate bei geschwindigkeit mit einbeziehen
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% ASK: Doch noch comfort mit einbeziehen?
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\begin{longtable}{p{0.3cm} p{0.5cm} p{13cm} p{0.5cm}}
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& \textbf{H1} & Lower key actuation force improves typing speed over higher key actuation force (efficiency - speed). & \\
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& & & \\
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& \textbf{H2} & Higher key actuation force decreases typing errors compared to lower key actuation force (efficiency - error rate). & \\
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& & & \\
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& \textbf{H3} & Keys with lower actuation force are perceived as more satisfactory to write with than keys with higher actuation force. & \\
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& & & \\
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& \textbf{H4} & Users perform better and feel more satisfied while using Keyboards with adjusted key actuation force than without the adjustment. & \\
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\end{longtable}
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\section{Proposed Method}
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\subsection{Subjects}
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Main target group to recruit participants for the research study from are
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personal contacts and fellow students. It is planned to recruit ~20 participants
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in total. Participants are required to type with more than just one finger per
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hand. Thus, touch typing is not a mandatory but helpful skill to
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participate. The age distribution for the subjects is estimated to be between 18
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and 56 years. The average typing speed should be known prior to the main
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experiment. Therefore, a typing speed test should be performed on the subject's
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own keyboard beforehand. This pre experiment typing test has to be performed
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within the standardized test environment consisting of an adjustable chair,
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desk, monitor and the typing test software used within the main experiment.
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Also, all subjects have to give their written consent to participate in the
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study.
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\subsection{Study design}
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The experiment should consist of a experimental group and a control group. The
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control group will perform all typing tests with the same keyboard. The text
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used for the typing test should be easily understandable. Therefore, the text
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has to be evaluated with the help of a Flesch-Kincaid scala \cite{flesch_fre}
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adjusted for German language \cite{amstad_fre}.
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\begin{equation}\label{fre_german}
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FRE_{deutsch} = 180 - \underbrace{ASL}_{\mathclap{\text{Average Sentence Length}}} - (58,5 * \overbrace{ASW}^{\mathclap{\text{Average Syllables per Word}}})
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\end{equation}
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The adjusted formula (\ref{fre_german}) to estimate the understandability of the
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texts used in this experiment usually yields a number in the range of
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\([0;100]\) called the \gls{FRE}. Higher \gls{FRE}s refer to better
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understandability and thus the texts used in this experiment all have to fulfill
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the requirement of a \gls{FRE} \(> 60\) which represents a standard text
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\cite{amstad_fre} and \cite{flesch_fre}.
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One typing test will consist of several smaller, randomly chosen, texts
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snippets. The length of the snippets has to be between 100 and 400 characters
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and a snippet has meet the \gls{FRE} requirement. The snippets are generated by
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volunteers via the web interface of the platform used in this experiment which
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can be seen in Figure \ref{gott:contribute_text}.
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\begin{figure}[h!]
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\centering
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\includegraphics[width=0.42\textwidth]{images/gott_contribute_text.png}
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\caption{Go TyingTest (GoTT) - Text contribution section }
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\label{gott:contribute_text}
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\end{figure}
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% ASK: Should there be a control group at all, if so should they use their own keyboard or always the same random keyboard while they think they are testing different keyswitches?
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\textbf{Planned experiment procedure:}
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\begin{enumerate}
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\item Pre-Test questionnaire to gather demographic and other relevant
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information e.g., touch typist, average \gls{KB} usage per day and previous
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medical conditions affecting the result of the study \gls{RSI}, \gls{CTS},
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etc. (5 min)
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% ASK: Medical conditions OK?
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\item Adjustment of test environment (Chair height, monitor height, etc.) (2 min)
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\item Familiarization with the typing test (5 min)
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\item Familiarization with the keyboard (5 min)
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\item \textbf{Main-Test part 1 (H1-H3):} In this part the subject has to take
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two, 5 minute, typing tests per keyboard, with a total of 3 keyboards
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(\gls{KB} A, \gls{KB} B, \gls{KB} C). After each typing test, the subject has
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to fill out the post typing test keyboard comfort questionnaire. Each keyboard
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is equipped with one set of keyswitches and therefore provides one of the
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following, uniform, actuation forces across the whole keyboard: 35 \gls{g}, 50
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\gls{g} or 80 \gls{g}. These specific values are the results of a self
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conducted comparison between the product lines of most major keyswitch
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manufacturers. The results shown in appendix \ref{app:keyswitch} yield, that
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the lowest broadly available force for keyswitches is 35 \gls{g}, the highest
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broadly available force is 80 \gls{g}, and the most common offered force is 50
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\gls{g}. The keyboards used in this experiment are visually identical, ISO/IEC
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9995-1 conform \cite{iso9995-1} and provide a \gls{QWERTZ} layout to match the subjects
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day-to-day layout and keyboard format. All keyboards are equipped with linear
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mechanical keyswitches from one manufacturer to minimize differences in haptic
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and sound while typing. The order for the keyboards and texts for the
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individual tests is randomized and across subjects counterbalanced to mitigate
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order effects \cite{statist_counterbalancing}. \textbf{(total: 65 min)}
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\begin{enumerate}
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\item First typing test with \gls{KB} A (5 min) \\
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Follow-up ISO keyboard comfort questionnaire (ISO9241-410) (5 min)
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\item Second typing test with \gls{KB} A (5 min) \\
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Follow-up ISO keyboard comfort questionnaire (ISO9241-410) (5 min)
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\item First typing test with \gls{KB} B (5 min) \\
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Follow-up ISO keyboard comfort questionnaire (ISO9241-410) (5 min)
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\item Second typing test with \gls{KB} B (5 min) \\
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Follow-up ISO keyboard comfort questionnaire (ISO9241-410) (5 min)
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\item First typing test with \gls{KB} C (5 min) \\
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Follow-up ISO keyboard comfort questionnaire (ISO9241-410) (5 min)
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\item Second typing test with \gls{KB} C (5 min) \\
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Follow-up ISO keyboard comfort questionnaire (ISO9241-410) (5 min)
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\end{enumerate}
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\item \textbf{Main-Test part 2 (H4):} Another typing test to compare the
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results of keyboards with uniform actuation force to keyboards with adjusted
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actuation force per finger/key. Typing tests (2x 5 min + 5 min break in
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between tests) \textbf{(total: (i) 60 min / (ii) 45 min)}
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\begin{enumerate}
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\item \textbf{Alternative Methods:}
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\begin{enumerate}
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\item \textbf{Personalized keyboard:} Typing sample text on an analog
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keyboard with high actuation force (150 \gls{g}) (less accurate) or on a
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normal keyboard which is placed on top of a force plate (more accurate) to
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measure difference in typing force per finger and key. The subject should
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be forced to press every relevant key (letters, digits, common special
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characters) at least 5 times (Measurement: 15 min, Keyboard adjustment: 15
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min)
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\item \textbf{Adjusted keyboard:} Keyboard that is equipped with different
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zones of keyswitches that use appropriate actuation forces according to
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finger strength differences and key position. (Keyboard adjustment: 15 min)
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\end{enumerate}
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\item Familiarization with the keyboard (10 min)
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\item First typing test on the personalized/adjusted keyboard (5 min) \\
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Follow-up ISO keyboard comfort questionnaire (ISO9241-410) (5 min)
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\item Second typing test on the personalized/adjusted keyboard (5 min) \\
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Follow-up ISO keyboard comfort questionnaire (ISO9241-410) (5 min)
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\end{enumerate}
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\end{enumerate}
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All tests could be enhanced with the use of \gls{EMG} measurement and/or additional force measurement (with force plates) during the typing tests.
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This test scenario is inspired by the tests conducted by \cite{kim_typingforces}. |