Date of Award

Fall 1999

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

First Advisor

Nagurka, Mark

Second Advisor

Marklin, Richard

Third Advisor

Nigro, Nicholas

Abstract

This thesis describes the development of a special-purpose test rig for the measurement of stiffness and damping characteristics of computer keyboard keys. The ultimate aim of the project is to gain a more complete understanding of the tactile "feel" of computer keyboard keys by quantifying their mechanical impedance. To achieve this goal, a PC-based test rig has been designed to perform both static and dynamic tests. During the tests, the key is depressed and released by the test rig which measures the contact force and key displacement during the keystroke. The objectives of the measurement and data analysis system, and a description of the hardware and software configuration, including the detailed techniques of data acquisition and motion control, are presented.

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