Overview
ISO/IEC TR 15440:2016 - "Information technology - Future keyboards and other input devices and entry methods" is a Technical Report that documents user requirements and design considerations for current and emerging keyboards, input devices and entry methods. It addresses physical and virtual keyboards, labelling (hard and soft), ergonomic and accessibility needs, multilingual and cultural requirements, and new phenomena such as Internet, multimedia and virtual reality interfaces. The report is aimed at both users and manufacturers and explicitly excludes biometric input for access/security.
Key topics and technical requirements
ISO/IEC TR 15440:2016 covers a broad set of technical topics and practical considerations, including:
- Ergonomics and comfort of use - considerations for children, elderly and disabled users; recommendations to improve productivity and reduce error-prone layouts.
- Keyboard classification - linear, segmented, mono-handed, specialized keyboards (banking, healthcare, telephones) and virtual keyboards.
- Keytop labelling and function symbols - guidance on soft (LCD) and hard labels, icon consistency, and ergonomic labelling for multi-group keytops.
- Multilingual and cultural adaptation - principles for supporting diverse character sets, multilingual labelling and Level/Group selection (e.g., AltGr, Level 3).
- Logical interface and identification - interaction with host systems (scan codes, self-identifying keys, software-recognized keys) and proposals for keyboard self-identification to improve software mapping.
- Portability and interchangeability - drivers, plug/connectivity, and consistency across desktop and portable devices.
- Related input devices - pointing and free-hand devices (mouse, trackball, stylus, eye-tracking) and control of multimedia functions.
- Virtual input and emerging use cases - requirements for virtual/programmable keyboards and camera-recognized surfaces.
- Test methods and national keyboard layouts - evaluation methods and a national layouts database to support international deployment.
Note: The report references and builds on related standards (e.g., ISO/IEC 9995 series, ISO/IEC 24757, ISO/IEC TR 30109) and discusses real-world standards examples (e.g., DIN 2137-01).
Applications and who uses it
This Technical Report is practical for:
- Keyboard and peripheral manufacturers designing physical and virtual input devices
- Operating system and driver developers implementing keyboard identification, mapping and accessibility features
- UX/HCI designers and accessibility specialists optimizing layouts and labelling for diverse users
- Product managers for devices involving multimedia, telephony, VR or kiosk deployments (hotels, internet cafés)
- Standards bodies and national layout registries coordinating interoperable keyboard solutions
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 9995 (keyboard layout series)
- ISO/IEC 24757 (programmable/soft keyboards)
- ISO/IEC TR 30109 (usability and localization guidance)
- National standards such as DIN 2137-01 (example layout considerations)
Keywords: ISO/IEC TR 15440:2016, future keyboards, virtual keyboards, keyboard ergonomics, multilingual keyboard layouts, input devices, keytop labelling, accessibility, human-computer interaction.