BBV & Vista Keyboard
The Challenge
The product design team at GX was invited to work collaboratively with two different clients, both of whom supply security equipment to industrial markets. The companies wanted a unique design developed for a stylish keyboard which they could subsequently modify.
BBV and Vista both work in the security industry, providing high quality surveillance equipment including CCTV systems. Together they approached the design engineers at GX for their assistance in designing a more ergonomic keyboard which would interface with their existing equipment. They specifically turned to the team at GX because they wanted to incorporate an optical design into the keyboard, whereby certain buttons on the key pad would be illuminated to prompt the operator into a particular action.
The Solution
The product development team at GX designed a tough polycarbonate plastic moulded housing for the keyboard with a highly durable stainless steel panel fitted around the keys. They opted for this design so that in the future both companies could use the same tooling to develop alternative versions.
To provide feedback to the operator, the design team at GX utilised their long established optical design skills to illuminate the keys in different colours. By integrating light pads and lenses into the custom made keyboard the operator is given guidance on which buttons to press according to where adjustments need to be made. This leads to improved operator ergonomics and efficiency by simplifying complex command structures.
The Result
The design features introduced by GX at the outset of project in 2009 have enabled other models of the keyboard to be produced without additional tooling costs. The ergonomic advantages of selectively colour coding the keys on keyboard has become a firm favourite with operators and enabled both companies to further expand their markets and increase sales. The Vista keyboard has now been on the market for over five years and is a consistent best seller.