Using a separate physical keyboard to
type Unicode characters.

The Martian Keyboard is a separate, real physical keyboard, that works beside
 your normal keyboard.    You can use it as a Unicode keyboard.

 It has the ability to quickly and efficiently give you access to the special Unicode
 characters you may use in your daily work.
 
     • You can design the keyboard to support  just the special characters you need.
                          • Color code the keys for quick recognition.
                                                    • Position and group keys the way you want for quick access.

A Unicode input system needs to provide a large repertoire of characters, ideally all valid Unicode code points. Ref. Wikipedia: Unicode Input
The Martian Keyboard is a tool that allows quick direct input of Unicode characters in applications. This input method contains large
array of hotkeys. Over 800 code points can be installed, using "Layer Keys".  (i.e. Shift key up to 15 layers per key). 
- To type a Unicode character you press a single key or Shift single key.
- The whole keyboard is programmable (including the numeric pad) by the user to define the appropriate special characters, symbols, or graphics.


How it works:
Each key can be programmed like a hotkey to hold a whole Unicode key sequence that you would otherwise manually type on a normal keyboard. 
You can program all the keys including the numeric keys on the Martian Keyboard.
You can program  "layer keys" in any location that act as shift keys  to shift up to 15 layers yielding over 800 hotkeys.
Once you program the key, you do not need any software on the computer to run the keyboard.
     The keyboard has its own memory and the computer thinks you are using a normal keyboard.   You can move the keyboard
      to another computer without installing any software which makes it safe in corporate locked down systems..
You can re-deploy the keyboard for other applications such as Scientific Keyboard, Math Keyboard, Currency Keyboard by
saving and recalling your designs in a PC folder.

Relegendable keycaps makes labeling clear. Labeling does not  wear or smudge. 
                


A central resource to acquire and  find out more about Unicode characters is:   Alan Wood's  Unicode and multilingual
support in HTML, fonts, Web browsers and other applications:       http://www.alanwood.net/unicode/

Example of choosing a Unicode character:
- Download the font you need from internet, Some good resources are at   http://www.alanwood.net/unicode/
- This example uses below FreeMono font downloaded from:  https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/freefont/    file:  freefont-ttf-20120503.zip    
- The font can be used in Word, however this example uses BablePad text editor.
- Unzip the font file and choose FreeMono.  Install FreeMono by clicking on it and open its Unicode Character Map  in BabelPad.
- MS Word also will open the character map of the font you are using.



To type it in BabelPad  the keystroke sequence is:       Control Q then 0416, then Space character   (MS  Word would use a different keystroke sequence.)
Program that sequence into a Martian Keyboard key.



About MAC compatibility:
The Martian Keyboard should work fine with MAC systems.  Just a few key mappings would be different.
For example, use the equivalents below when programming the Martian Keyboard:
FOR MACINTOSH KEY: USE WINDOWS KEY:
COMMAND (for most shortcuts) or CONTROL CONTROL
COMMAND/Apple Windows/Start
DELETE BACKSPACE
DEL DELETE
SHIFT SHIFT
RETURN ENTER 
Summary:
Add the Martian Keyboard to your system to provide over 800 hotkeys that automate the Unicode keystroke
sequences you would normally have to look up and manually type or cut & paste.  

Choose the Martian keyboard because it does not interfere with your normal keyboard, and does not require any software to operate.

Use it also to store other text strings you use frequently, over and over, day after day, (e.g. account numbers, names, addresses, 
URLs, part numbers, or HTML code) .


Unicode Keyboard Example:   YouTube video 

Purchasing and more information.



Photologic Ltd.  has customers worldwide, and
         we ship daily to the U.S. and international
         destinations using UPS Overnight Courier
         and EMS Express Mail Service.
            
        PHOTOLOGIC LTD.
        Federal Building
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        Cobourg,  Ontario
        Canada    K9A-1M8   http://www.photologic.ca          TEL: (905) 377-8915    email   sales@photologic.ca