At Your Fingertips

Tactus Keyboard (www.tactuskeyboard.com) aims to help non-typists young and old. Its creators claim that users won't have to look at keys anymore, saving them time when typing documents.

What makes Tactus different? There are more feedback points, or raised ridges, on the keys' surfaces, making it easier to pinpoint a key's placement on the keyboard. Unlike a standard keyboard, which features just two ridges (on the "F" and "J" keys), Tactus has many ridges. For example, there are horizontal ridges on the top edges for keys on the top and vertical ridges on the bottom edges for lettered keys on the bottom row. The location and shape of these ridges aim to "tell" a finger where it is on the keyboard. The product is suitable for skilled typists and people with visual impairments. It doesn't require any software and can be plugged in just like a standard keyboard. Schools can evaluate it for free.

The Tactus keyboard costs $49.95; a version with unmarked alphabetical keys is available for $69.95.