Waterproof keyboards protect against moisture exposure and come in flexible and solid-body designs. They are used in various industries, including medical and marine environments. Antimicrobial options are available for contamination-free use. It is important to determine the necessary level of protection and refer to industry standard rating sets.
A waterproof keyboard is designed to withstand varying levels of exposure to moisture. Keyboard models can offer protection ranging from the occasional spill to total immersion in liquid. A welcome perk for those of us who regularly spill coffee or soda on our desks, the waterproof keyboard also serves an important function in medical, marine, food prep, and industrial environments.
The early waterproof keyboard models were difficult to get used to, as they did not provide the tactile typing response that users have come to expect from typing on a keyboard. Newer models provide this tactile response and are easier to get used to.
There are two basic types of keyboards that provide water protection: flexible and solid-body. Flexible keyboards are constructed with a sealed sheet of silicone or polyurethane. They can be rolled into a ball or folded and placed in a pocket. Solid-body keyboards are made of the same silicone or polyurethane, but offer a rigid structure. Both can be loaded into the dishwasher or washed with soapy water for cleaning.
Rubber keyboards are used in food and beverage manufacturing, marine environments such as ships and ocean laboratories, and healthcare facilities. Totally silent flexible keyboards are used in military operations.
Flexible keyboards treated with special antimicrobial technologies are used in patient care and medical research settings to provide a contamination-free computer interface that is resistant to microbes and capable of being thoroughly disinfected with hospital-grade cleaning solutions. As computer-aided diagnosis and treatment become more common, the ability to disinfect equipment in patient rooms is critical.
When purchasing a waterproof keyboard, it is important to determine the level of protection required in any given environment. Because the term raincoat has many ambiguous meanings for many people, it is helpful to refer to an evaluation guide.
The National Electrical Manufacturer Association (NEMA) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) provide industry standard rating sets. The main difference between them is that the IEC Ingress Protection (IP) codes are mostly used in Europe and Asia and the NEMA standards are mostly used in the United States. Most keyboard manufacturers check and list both standards automatically.
Both NEMA standards and IP codes define the environment in which an electrical enclosure, in this case a sealed keypad, can operate safely. Situations tested range from occasional exposure to moist air to immersion in streams of water directed from a hose.
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