PSIApril2017

TEST
PRODUCT TEST
BakkerElkhuizen S-board 840
Finding somewhere to
put a keyboard can
be a problem;
balancing a unit on
your leg or on top of
a panel is tricky!
What’s in the box?
Keyboard
Instructions
Carry pouch
8.5 out of 10
Ever since the introduction of the PC in the
early 1980s , the keyboard has been an
integral part of the computer system. It
wasn’t until 1984 that the ‘mouse’ came along to
work alongside the keyboard. Since then the
keyboards we use haven’t changed much at all,
but in the years between there has been quite a
lot of research carried out into the relationship
between the continued use of a mouse and
keyboard on the likelihood and causes of
repetitive strain injury (RSI).
It was this research that drove the
development of the BakkerElkhuizen S-board 840
Design USB compact keyboard - a compact
keyboard that does not have a numeric pad. For
this reason, the mouse can be placed closer to the
keyboard. Research has shown that 90% of
keyboard users seldom if ever use the numeric
pad. Working with a compact keyboard results in
greater comfort because it reduces the reaching
distance to the mouse (Cook, C., et al., 1998)
which can be positioned right in front of the right
shoulder, which facilitates a better posture of the
right arm and shoulder when using the mouse.
This puts less strain on the shoulder and forearm
as it reduces the reaching distance required. Dark
letters on a light background make them easier to
read (ISO 9241), and contribute to increased
productivity (Snyder, 1990).
The keyboard also has two USB ports for the
connection of devices (not more than 500mA in
total) and a row of ten multimedia keys giving
shortcuts to various actions such as Save, Copy,
Paste, Email etc.
In action
In the security installation sector there are two
types keyboard operatives, the installer and the
office admin/support personnel.
For the installer, a USB keyboard is sometimes
used for the more complex programming of alarm
panels, so it is likely that you would have one in
the van. But are there any benefits to having an
ergonomically designed unit priced at £51.99 (ex
VAT) over a standard keyboard that costs less
than £10? There are a couple.
Firstly the S-board 840 is smaller than a
standard keyboard as it measures 30cm x 16cm
compared to around 43cm x14cm for a regular
design. This is obviously due to the compact
nature and lack of a number pad in the 840 which
makes the unit more portable. This coupled with a
carry pouch included in the box helps with the
day-to-day handling of the keyboard. And while
the unit is certainly not ‘ruggedised’ it does feel
more solid than cheaper options.
Over in the office where keyboards are a major
component of the working day there are a few
points of note with the unit not just its size –
which was the initial topic of discussion. The
scissor mechanism (instead of membranes) inside
the S-board 840 gave a light keystroke that
proved popular with experienced keyboard users.
It is recommended that the keyboard legs are
retracted to give a slope of 0-12° to prevent
excessive wrist extension so our reviewers used
this position for testing. There did appear to be
less ‘stretching’ involved with the compact nature
of the unit allowing closer proximity of the mouse.
The lack of a number pad did take some getting
used to.
Conclusion
While the anti-RSI design of the S-board 840
doesn’t really apply to installers while out on a
job, if you’ve ever needed to plug in a USB
keyboard to run some diagnostics or input some
more complex programming into an alarm panel
you might have found finding somewhere to put
the keyboard a bit of problem; balancing a unit on
your leg or on top of the panel is tricky! This small
footprint keyboard could therefore be of benefit in
tight spots.
Of course it is in the office that the benefits of
this keyboard are really apparent. The amount of
research that goes into RSI prevention in the
workplace outlines the very real problems that
can result of a desk, terminal and seating position
that does not provide the neutral position as
described in EU and ISO guidelines.
As an installer you might not want to splash
out on one these for yourself especially as the use
of touchscreens on panels is certainly on the rise,
but your office team might well appreciate the
benefits of the S-board 840.
18 www.psimagazine.co.uk