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The OLED keyboard has a screen on each key that can be programmed and changed. It is energy-efficient, multilingual, and can be customized for different software. The Optimus OLED keyboard by Art Lebedev Studios costs around $470 USD and is expected to replace standard keyboards.
If you’ve ever wanted to see your keyboard in dimly lit rooms, had trouble remembering shortcuts and macros in Photoshop or word processors, or longed for an easier gaming experience, the Organic LED (OLED) keyboard is for you . This cutting-edge device features a miniature OLED screen on each key. Using the accompanying software, the function of each key is programmable along with its changeable display.
Art Lebedev Studios makes the Optimus OLED keyboard, the first of its kind. Unit prices on initial shipments have been advertised as high as $1,500 US Dollars (USD) each. As of spring 2008, the price has dropped to approximately $470 USD and is expected to drop further as increased sales reduce production costs. The Optimus connects to the computer via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable. Apple Computer also has an OLED keyboard in the works.
OLED screens are superior to LCD or CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) displays and consume about 20% less energy than LCDs. The technology allows for flexible paper-thin displays embedded under each key. To increase the life of small OLED screens, only the keys rise and fall when pressed, while the screens remain stationary.
The OLED keyboard can switch between English, Arabic, Chinese or Russian characters (to name a few), making it a multilingual device. A quick change to the software and OLED keyboard will alter some or all of the key characters, turning you into a custom high-tech control console.
Graphic editors and film editors using high-end professional software know the drawbacks of a standard keyboard, perhaps better than most. Trimming, filters, overlays, and even simple tasks like adding clips to a project involve memorizing dozens of discrete keyboard shortcuts. Working with multiple programs is even more confusing. The problem is that standard keyboards do not reflect the vast majority of functions and actions required by software.
The OLED keyboard is the long awaited answer. Its control software is open source, allowing software manufacturers the opportunity to write specialized programming options and screen icons for each compatible software package. When it’s time to use a film editor like Final Cut, for example, simply open the OLED software, load the Final Cut OLED profile, and viola! A specialized Final Cut keyboard with its own key icons and shortcuts displayed on each key.
Word processors, spreadsheet programs, and HTML editors can all have OLED keyboard software, allowing the user to put vital fonts and functions at their fingertips. No more memorizing which key does what: the OLED keyboard screen will remind you where you placed the necessary key. If its placement is uncomfortable, open the OLED software interface and change the function with its icon to a more comfortable key.
The OLED keyboard is every gamer’s dream. Imagine, for example, a black space bar with a glowing weapon icon that changes color when its ammo runs out. Radar, radio and com. line keys grouped close at hand, which do not interfere with tactical controls or movement keys. All mapped into icons, easy to read at a glance, even in the iridescent glow of a computer or HDTV screen.
Because of the OLED keyboard’s extreme flexibility, adaptability, and efficiency, coupled with its open source interface that invites custom software integration, it looks set to replace standard keyboards relatively quickly. If the price is compensated, wait a bit. Such a desirable product will likely become affordable before you know it.
