Your Hands Go INSIDE this Keyboard

The video presents the DataHand Personal, a highly unconventional ergonomic keyboard from the 1990s designed to minimize hand movement and finger strain by placing each finger into its own well and enabling four directions of input. The host explains that the two modules are split and adjustable, connected by a long cable, and supported by palm rests that reduce carpal tunnel stress. The design emphasizes minimal finger travel, with each keystroke requiring only a half inch of movement and optical switches that snap back with magnets. While the concept promises ergonomic benefits, the video also highlights significant challenges such as a steep learning curve, high sensitivity that can cause accidental presses, and the need to relearn a large portion of the keyboard layout. The walkthrough includes demonstrations of how the modified layout relocates common letters, why some keys end up on unexpected fingers, and how modifiers unlock multiple layers, including one layer that serves as a mouse, which is portrayed as less desirable. Real-world usability is weighed against practicality, with discussions about the slow initial typing speeds even for skilled typists, and the substantial time investment required to achieve meaningful performance gains. The host relays user anecdotes, noting that some users report months of practice before reaching usable speeds, while others propose open-source alternatives like the lalboard as a more accessible path to similar ergonomic goals. The segment closes with reflections on why DataHand eventually faded from the market, citing a combination of a narrow target audience and a high lifetime cost, and contemplates how today’s enthusiasts might bridge the gap with modern DIY approaches and better ergonomics. Finally, the video suggests that for most users an ErgoDox or Moonlander offers a more practical balance of comfort and learnability, while acknowledging the DataHand’s enduring appeal to keyboard nerds and historians of computer hardware.

Topics · technology · ergonomics · history · open-source-hardware · peripherals · computers · hardware-review