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Verbal Numerals

AN ERGONOMIC WAY TO ENTER NUMBERS

IN ELECTRONIC DEVICES

by

James H. Redinjr@xnumber.com

Copyright 2004-2007 © James H. Redin

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Numerical keyboards have not changed for the last 90 years…

Did you know that the the keypad

you have in your calculator or computer was introduced in 1914 and has not changed since?

Let’s quickly review 119 years of history….

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1885

Dorr Eugene Felt, from Chicago, goes to the store, buys a wooden macaroni box, staples, rubber bands, wire, string, and meat skewers, and builds a prototype for the first practical calculator to use a keyboard.

Two years later this becomes the famous COMPTOMETER …

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Felt & Tarrant, from Chicago, successfully launches a full keyboard

adding machine; the COMPTOMETER.

The quest for a keyboard had just started…

1887

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Standard Adding Machine Co. introducesthe John Hopkins Machine with a single row of digits!

Which lead to the next step in the keyboard evolution…

1900

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The famous Dalton machine, designed by James I. Dalton.

Over 150 models were introduced until 1928!

But the quest was not over until 1914, when…

1902

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Oscar J. Sundstrand introduces the modern 10-keypad design with three rows of digits plus a zero key.

Which remains the de facto standard.

1914

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Since then, electronics have changed everything …

…except the way we enter numbers in numerical devices.

But, that may also changein the future…

1914-2004

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• Our mind does not conceive a number as a sequence of digits.

• We live in the year “two thousand seven” not in the year “two zero zero seven”.

• Numbers are objects made up of small quantities supported by powers of ten acting as numerical structures.

…by using Verbal Numerals.

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Verbal Numeral Components

• In a verbal numeral, digits are used to represent small quantities, and a symbol is assigned to each numerical structure.

• For example: H for “Hundred”T for “Thousand”M for “Million.”

• Yes, we live in the year “2T7.”

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Numerical EnglishStructure US UK Japanese

10^1 - - Juu 10^2 Hundred Hundred Hyaku 10^3 Thousand Thousand Sen 10^4 - - Man 10^6 Million Million - 10^8 - - Oku 10^9 Billion - - 10^12 Trillion Billion Chou 10^15 Quadrillion - - 10^16 - - Kei 10^18 Quintillion Trillion - 10^20 - - Gai

Numerical Structures

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Verbal Numeral Examples

• 3,000,056 3M56• 1,047,000 M47T• 500,007 5HT7• 302,015 3H2T15

302T15

• 2,003,067,001 2T3M67T1 (UK) 2B3M67T1 (US)2TM3M67T1 (US)

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Extended Numerical Keyboard

It may be time to get rid ofthe Num Lock key.

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Number Entry Operation

Million five hundred thousand and forty six

KEYSTROKES DISPLAY M 1,000,000

M5 1,000,005M5H 1,000,500M5HT 1,500,000M5HT4 1,500,004M5HT45 1,500,045M5HT4 1,500,004M5HT46 1,500,046

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VERBAL NUMERAL ADVANTAGES

• Consistent with the way the mind conceive a number.

• In many cases requires less symbols to be entered.

• Avoids mental conversion into a sequence of digits.

• Easily adapted as input means in electronic devices.

• Does not replace but enhance traditional input means.

• The novelty factor will give an edge to initial manufacturers.