Design of a test rig for measurement of stiffness and damping characteristics of computer keyboard keys

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 this 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 computer-controlled test rig that can measure key displacement, velocity, and contact force has been designed. The objectives of the measurement and data analysis, and a description of the hardware and software configuration, including the data acquisition method and motion control system, are presented.