Most or almost all computer keyboards have two pins on the back that can be raised or lowered. An interesting question, the answer of which may be surprising, is: what are the feet of a computer keyboard used for? "> Really interesting article that answers this question as you would not really expect.
In answering this question, it is important, first of all, to underline how irrelevant it is from the point of view of ergonomics and the correct position to be seated in front of the computer .
The feet under the keyboards have been mandatory since the early eighties according to an ISO 9241-410 standard that establishes how to adjust the height of the rear side of the keyboard.
At that time people used typewriters so they were all with feet.
The ISO standard mentioned above provides that the rear side of the keyboard must be adjustable with an angle between 0 and 15 ° and that the height of the keyboard cannot be greater than 3 cm.
But what are the advantages and disadvantages of folding feet under the keyboard?
From the point of view of ergonomics there is no advantage, indeed, it would be better to keep them lowered and type with the horizontal keyboard.
The feet only serve to better see the keys .
In practice, those who write using two fingers, looking at each single key that strikes, are more comfortable with their feet raised.
Those who write without looking have no advantage in keeping the keyboard feet up.
In addition, extending the rear feet go to rest the wrists on the table putting more weight on it.
For this reason, concludes the article, those who can write without looking at the keys would do better to keep the keyboard horizontal on the table without using the feet or, even better, to keep it higher on the front (with a negative slope), keeping it more distant from the body, so as not to rest your wrists (the support on the table is on the forearms).
In conclusion, the small feet that can be extended to keep the keyboard a little higher and facing the person were not designed for convenience or ergonomics.
Those who can write well on the computer and don't have to look at the keys do well to keep it flat and away from the body.
