KINESIS FREESTYLE KEYBOARD RESEARCH STUDY

To be presented by David Brodie*, MS, CPE, Atlas Ergonomics

Friday, November 20th 2009, at 12:45-1:45 PM, as part of
Session FB2, “An Evidence-Based Approach to Maximizing Purchases”

OBJECTIVES OF STUDY:
1. Evaluate the “natural” orientation of a fully-splittable, tentable keyboard by a large group of intensive
computer users (programmers).
2. Measure quantitative changes in posture and joint angles when changing to and self-configuring the new
keyboard.
3. Measure the impact of the new keyboard on comfort, productivity and its overall acceptability.

PARTICIPANTS:
~80 employees in a large U.S. computer software company.

STUDY DESIGN:
This was a multi-month case/control study of the Kinesis Freestyle splittable keyboard & VIP Accessory kit
(which provides clip-on padded palm rests and tenting accessory). An initial physical assessment and photo
documentation was performed at each workstation when the study began. Detailed online surveys were
provided before and after the study and automated brief status surveys were administered weekly throughout
the duration of the study. Quantitative data- logging software continuously recorded keystroke counts and
mouse actions.

Experimental subjects were provided the Freestyle keyboard in a splayable configuration (two sides attached
by a removable pivoting clip) and with the separate accessory kit. This kit included two snap-on padded palm
rests and two snap-on "V-lifters" which rotate between 10 and 15 degrees of tenting . Subjects in small
groups were shown how the product could be configured and were encouraged to self-configure product at
their workstations.

The initial randomly-selected control group was allowed to switch to the Freestyle keyboard for a second
phase of the study. Results for the two groups were evaluated separately and then combined.

KEYBOARD USED PREVIOUSLY:

- 70% used a Microsoft Comfort Curve keyboard (non-tented, 6% front approach angle due to curving key
rows)
- 30% use a standard Dell keyboard

DATA COLLECTED (for most participants over 12 to 13 weeks):

- Anthropometric variables
- Workstation setup
- Discomfort (subjective)
- Performance (subjective and quantitative)
- Acceptability (subjective)

STUDY CONCLUSIONS (PRELIMINARY):

- Wrist Angles improved dramatically with Freestyle. Average ulnar deviation before and after switching to
Freestyle were:
- Right: 34.21° Æ 7.5° (71% reduction)
- Left: 28.37° Æ 13.15° (54% reduction)

…continued…
STUDY CONCLUSIONS (PRELIMINARY): continued

- 20% reduction in total discomfort reported by users for hand, neck & arm (95% confidence level).

- 85% of subjects completely separated the Freestyle keyboard.

- 84% of subjects separated Freestyle keyboard further than the fixed separation of the MS 4000 Natural
(distance measured between D & K keys).

- 46% of subjects used some level of keyboard tenting with the snap-on, two-angle tenting accessory
provided

- Extremely high acceptance rate of Freestyle Keyboard: 96% of subjects preferred the Freestyle over their
previous keyboard.

- No loss of performance was measured for subjects with the Freestyle keyboard using quantitative data
logging. Subjects reported higher productivity with Freestyle (99% confidence level)

- These positive results for wrist angle and comfort improvement are even more striking given that most
participants were already using the Microsoft Comfort Curve keyboard.

* Principal investigators:
David Brodie, MS, CPE (Atlas Ergonomics, Grand Haven, MI), Jason Griffith, MSE, CPE (Design4work,
Everett WA), Will Hargreaves, PhD (Kinesis Corporation, Bothell WA).