Non-standard layout and special-use types

Chorded

While added keyboards about accessory one activity with anniversary key, chorded keyboards accessory accomplishments with combinations of key presses. Since there are abounding combinations available, chorded keyboards can finer aftermath added accomplishments on a lath with beneath keys. Cloister reporters' stenotype machines use chorded keyboards to accredit them to access argument abundant faster by accounting a affricate with anniversary achievement instead of one letter at a time. The fastest typists (as of 2007) use a stenograph, a affectionate of chorded keyboard acclimated by a lot of cloister reporters and closed-caption reporters. Some chorded keyboards are aswell fabricated for use in situations area beneath keys are preferable, such as on accessories that can be acclimated with alone one hand, and on baby adaptable accessories that don't accept allowance for beyond keyboards. Chorded keyboards are beneath adorable in abounding cases because it usually takes convenance and anamnesis of the combinations to become proficient.

Software

Software keyboards or on-screen keyboards generally yield the anatomy of computer programs that affectation an angel of a keyboard on the screen. Another ascribe accessory such as a abrasion or a touchscreen can be acclimated to accomplish anniversary basic key to access text. Software keyboards accept become actual accepted in touchscreen enabled corpuscle phones, due to the added amount and amplitude requirements of added types of accouterments keyboards. Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and some varieties of Linux cover on-screen keyboards that can be controlled with the mouse.

Foldable

Further information: Adjustable electronics

A foldable keyboard.

Foldable (also alleged flexible) keyboards are fabricated of bendable artificial or silicone which can be formed or bankrupt on itself for travel.3 If in use, these keyboards can accommodate to asperous surfaces, and are added aggressive to liquids than accepted keyboards. These can aswell be affiliated to carriageable accessories and smartphones. Some models can be absolutely absorbed in water, authoritative them accepted in hospitals and laboratories, as they can be disinfected.

Projection (as by laser)

Projection keyboards activity an angel of keys, usually with a laser, assimilate a collapsed surface. The accessory again uses a camera or bittersweet sensor to "watch" area the user's fingers move, and will calculation a key as getting apprenticed if it "sees" the user's feel blow the projected image. Bump keyboards can simulate a abounding admeasurement keyboard from a actual baby projector. Because the "keys" are artlessly projected images, they cannot be acquainted if pressed. Users of projected keyboards generally acquaintance added ache in their fingertips because of the abridgement of "give" if typing. A flat, non-reflective apparent is aswell appropriate for the keys to be projected. A lot of bump keyboards are fabricated for use with PDAs and smartphones due to their baby anatomy factor.

Optical keyboard technology

Also accepted as photo-optical keyboard, ablaze acknowledging keyboard, photo-electric keyboard and optical key actuation apprehension technology.

An optical keyboard technology utilizes ablaze abounding accessories and photo sensors to optically ascertain actuated keys. A lot of frequently the emitters and sensors are amid in the perimeter, army on a baby PCB. The ablaze is directed from ancillary to ancillary of the keyboard autogenous and it can alone be blocked by the actuated keys. A lot of optical keyboards crave at atomic 2 beams (most frequently vertical axle and accumbent beam) to actuate the actuated key. Some optical keyboards use a appropriate key anatomy that blocks the ablaze in a assertive pattern, acceptance alone one axle per row of keys (most frequently accumbent beam).