1. Copyright 2004 © James H. Redin
Verbal Numerals AN ERGONOMIC WAY TO ENTER NUMBERS IN ELECTRONIC DEVICES by
James H. Redin
Copyright © James H. Redin

2. 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….
In your opening, establish the relevancy of the topic to the audience. Give a brief preview of the presentation and establish value for the listeners. Take into account your audience’s interest and expertise in the topic when choosing your vocabulary, examples, and illustrations. Focus on the importance of the topic to your audience, and you will have more attentive listeners.

3. 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.
If you have several points, steps, or key ideas use multiple slides. Determine if your audience is to understand a new idea, learn a process, or receive greater depth to a familiar concept. Back up each point with adequate explanation. As appropriate, supplement your presentation with technical support data in hard copy or on disc, , or the Internet. Develop each point adequately to communicate with your audience.
Two years later this becomes the famous COMPTOMETER …

4. 1887 the COMPTOMETER. The quest for a keyboard had just started…
Felt & Tarrant, from Chicago, successfully launches a full keyboard adding machine;
the COMPTOMETER.
The quest for a keyboard had just started…

5. 1900
Standard Adding Machine Co. introduces the John Hopkins Machine with a single row of digits!
Which lead to the next step in the keyboard evolution…

6. 1902 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…

7. 1914
Oscar J. Sundstrand introduces the modern 10-keypad design with three rows of digits plus a zero key.
Which remains the de facto standard.

8. 1914-2004 Since then, electronics have changed everything …
…except the way we enter numbers in numerical devices.
But, that may also change in the future…

9. …by using Verbal Numerals.
Our mind does not conceive a number as a sequence of digits.
We live in the year “two thousand four” not in the year “two zero zero four”.
Numbers are objects made up of small quantities supported by powers of ten acting as numerical structures.

10. 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 “2T4.”

11. Numerical Structures Numerical English Structure US UK Japanese
10^ Juu 10^2 Hundred Hundred Hyaku 10^3 Thousand Thousand Sen 10^ Man 10^6 Million Million ^ Oku 10^ Billion ^ Trillion Billion Chou 10^ Quadrillion ^ Kei 10^ Quintillion Trillion ^ Gai

12. Verbal Numeral Examples
1,047,000 M47T
500,007 5HT7
302,015 3H2T T15
2,003,067,001 2T3M67T1 (UK) 2B3M67T1 (US)
2TM3M67T1 (US)

13. Extended Numerical Keyboard
It may be time to get rid of
the Num Lock key.

14. Number Entry Operation Million five hundred thousand and forty six
KEYSTROKES DISPLAY
M 1,000,000 M ,000,005 M5H ,000,500 M5HT 1,500,000 M5HT4 1,500,004 M5HT ,500,045 M5HT4 1,500,004 M5HT ,500,046
Determine the best close for your audience and your presentation. Close with a summary; offer options; recommend a strategy; suggest a plan; set a goal. Keep your focus throughout your presentation, and you will more likely achieve your purpose.

15. 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.
Can co-exist with traditional input means.
The novelty factor will give an edge to initial manufacturers.