Everyone uses or has used a keyboard. Keyboards are one of the simplest and most widely used input devices, and since they were first invented as typewriters, not much has changed. They are still mainly used for typing, and even the layout has stayed the same. Keyboards have had a major impact on people's daily life and society, allowing at first a faster and neater way to write letters, to now controlling many devices e.g. phones, computers, tablets etc. the list goes on.
History
The keyboard was first invented in 1868 by Christopher Latham Sholes in the form of the type writer. The layout of the keys on the typewriter have remained the same, and although now many people can type incredibly fast, the layout was designed to make people slow down when typing.
When the first computer was invented in 1946, it only made sense to use the keyboard layout from the typewriter because that was what people were used to.
Since then other keyboard layouts have been introduced, such as the Dvorak keyboard, which is designed to help people type faster. It was invented in the 1930's by August Dvorak, and is arranged based on the keys which are typed together most often.
When the first computer was invented in 1946, it only made sense to use the keyboard layout from the typewriter because that was what people were used to.
Since then other keyboard layouts have been introduced, such as the Dvorak keyboard, which is designed to help people type faster. It was invented in the 1930's by August Dvorak, and is arranged based on the keys which are typed together most often.
How does it work
Type writers worked on a switch system that meant that when you press down on one key, a lever with a bar gets 'activated'. The bar on the end of lever corresponds to the key, and is pressed onto whatever is providing the ink, before being pressed onto the paper.
In the 1920's electric type writers were introduced, which allowed people to type quicker, and in the 1980's typewriters with memories that could check spelling before it was printed on paper.
Nearly all keyboards work on the same sort of principal, which is lots of small switches. When your finger hits a key, a button presses down and completes a circuit. The circuit then sends a signal to the processor, which then finds out which switch has been triggered and sends that to the computer.
In the 1920's electric type writers were introduced, which allowed people to type quicker, and in the 1980's typewriters with memories that could check spelling before it was printed on paper.
Nearly all keyboards work on the same sort of principal, which is lots of small switches. When your finger hits a key, a button presses down and completes a circuit. The circuit then sends a signal to the processor, which then finds out which switch has been triggered and sends that to the computer.