# keyboard

> data input device

**Wikidata**: [Q1921606](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1921606)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_(typing))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/keyboard

## Summary
A keyboard is a data input device defined as a set of keys or a board of keys. It functions as a peripheral to provide data and signals to an information processing system and is classified as a subclass of input devices, boards, and assemblies. While distinct from specific implementations like computer keyboards or musical keyboards, the general concept encompasses the arrangement of buttons used for text entry and control across various appliances.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Subclass of input device, board, and assembly; part of appliance.
- **Components**: Contains push-buttons as a subsidiary mechanism.
- **Distinction**: Explicitly defined as different from "computer keyboard" and "musical keyboard" in descriptive contexts.
- **Identifiers**: 
  - GND ID: 4059102-5
  - YSO ID: 16527
  - IEV Number: 171-04-38
  - Library of Congress ID: sh93000139
  - Google Knowledge Graph IDs: /g/121ysw85, /g/121n9g5l
- **Related Entities**: Associated with the Intel iPDS (1982 computer) and scientific calculators.
- **Online Presence**: Has a dedicated subreddit (r/Keyboard), a Wikipedia page titled "Keyboard (typing)", and a Wikimedia Commons category ("Keyboards").
- **Multilingual Coverage**: Wikipedia articles exist in 24 languages, including be_x_old, ce, cs, cu, en, eo, he, id, ja, kaa, ko, ky, nl, pl, ru, sw, te, tt, uk, ur, uz, and zh_yue.
- **Encyclopedia References**: Listed in the Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition) (ID: 185906) and the Great Russian Encyclopedia Online (ID: 2070934).

## FAQs
**What is a keyboard classified as?**
A keyboard is classified as a subclass of an input device, a board, and an assembly. It is also considered a part of an appliance.

**How does a keyboard differ from a computer keyboard?**
In knowledge graph disambiguation, the general concept of a "keyboard" is treated as a distinct entity from a "computer keyboard," which is a specific class of device. The general term serves as a parent concept to the specific computer implementation.

**What components make up a keyboard?**
A keyboard typically comprises push-buttons, which are simple mechanisms used to control a device. It is also structurally related to assemblies and boards.

**What are some alternative names for a keyboard?**
Aliases include "set of keys," "board of keys," "key board," "instrumento de teclado," "لوحة المفاتيح" (Arabic), "자판" (Korean), "글쇠" (Korean), and "컴퓨터 키" (Korean).

**Where can I find visual examples of different keyboard types?**
Visual representations are available for various types, including the ErgoLogic Flex Pro (ergonomic computer keyboard), a telegraph apparatus-based typewriter keyboard, a musical keyboard, and the keyboard of an HP-32SII scientific calculator.

## Why It Matters
The keyboard serves as a fundamental interface for human-computer interaction, translating physical actions into data signals that information processing systems can understand. Its design as an arrangement of push-buttons allows for the versatile input of text and commands, making it essential for operations ranging from scientific calculation on devices like the HP-32SII to general computing on appliances like the Intel iPDS. By standardizing input methods across different languages and cultures, the keyboard facilitates global communication and operation of diverse computing resources.

## Notable For
- **Distinct Entity Status**: Recognized as a separate concept from specific types like "computer keyboard" and "musical keyboard" to distinguish descriptive pages from disambiguation pages.
- **Broad Taxonomy**: Listed as a parent class to specialized input devices such as keypads, Braille keyboards, and typewriter keyboards.
- **Historical Associations**: Linked to the Intel iPDS, a computer released in 1982.
- **Standardization**: Assigned an IEV number (171-04-38) and recognized by multiple national and international authority files (GND, Library of Congress, National Library of Israel).
- **Visual Documentation**: Associated with specific imagery documenting the evolution of input devices, from telegraph-based typewriters to modern ergonomic layouts.

## Body

### Classification and Structure
The keyboard is fundamentally defined as a data input device and a peripheral used to provide data and signals to an information processing system. Within taxonomic hierarchies, it is a subclass of an input device, a board, and an assembly. It is also structurally categorized as part of an appliance. The entity is distinct from specific implementations such as the "computer keyboard" and "musical keyboard," a distinction often used to separate general descriptive pages from disambiguation pages in knowledge bases.

The primary component of a keyboard is the push-button, a simple mechanism featuring an area that can be temporarily pushed down to control a device. This structural composition aligns it with other artificial objects designed to effect work or manufacturing.

### Types and Subsidiaries
The general concept of the keyboard encompasses several specific classes and related entities:
*   **Computer Keyboard**: A device comprising an arrangement of buttons or keys used to input text in computers.
*   **Keypad**: A small, rectangular keyboard supporting a limited set of symbols.
*   **Musical Keyboard**: A component of a musical instrument.
*   **Braille Keyboard**: A class of keyboard designed for Braille input.
*   **Typewriter Keyboard**: The keyboard mechanism specific to a typewriter.

The concept also contains or is associated with specific entities such as the "push-button" mechanism, the "Intel iPDS" (a 1982 computer), and the "scientific calculator" (a calculator designed for science, engineering, and mathematics problems).

### Visual and Media Representations
Documentation of the keyboard includes various visual media illustrating its different forms:
*   **Ergonomic and Computer Keyboards**: Images such as the ErgoLogic Flex Pro KB2652.
*   **Typewriter Keyboards**: Historical examples, including a perforator based on a telegraph apparatus (Tremlya T-29).
*   **Musical Keyboards**: General components of musical instruments.
*   **Calculator Keyboards**: Specific layouts like the HP-32SII scientific calculator (1992), which features function keys in the upper half and an "Enter" key due to the RPN system, lacking a "=" key.
*   **Video**: Media files exist demonstrating devices like the Rapoo Keyboard.

### Terminology and Aliases
The entity is referred to by numerous names across different languages and contexts, including:
*   **English**: set of keys, board of keys, key board.
*   **Spanish**: instrumento de teclado.
*   **Japanese**: キーボード (Kībōdo).
*   **Arabic**: لوحة المفاتيح (Lawḥat al-mafātīḥ).
*   **Korean**: 자판 (Jap-an), 글쇠 (Geul-swae), 컴퓨터 키 (Keompyuteo ki).

### External Identifiers and Authority Control
The keyboard is widely cataloged in academic and library databases:
*   **GND (Gemeinsame Normdatei)**: 4059102-5.
*   **YSO (Yleinen suomalainen ontologia)**: 16527.
*   **Library of Congress Control Number**: sh93000139.
*   **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007544094605171.
*   **Yale LUX ID**: concept/c38d7cfa-aa66-47a6-9e5d-3029617a582a.
*   **Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition)**: 185906 (键盘).
*   **Great Russian Encyclopedia Online**: 2070934 (КЛАВИАТУРА).

### Online Presence and Community
The keyboard maintains a significant presence on the web:
*   **Wikipedia**: The main article is titled "Keyboard (typing)" and is available in 24 languages, including Belarusian (Taraškievica), Chechen, Czech, Church Slavic, English, Esperanto, Hebrew, Indonesian, Japanese, Karakalpak, Korean, Kyrgyz, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Swahili, Telugu, Tatar, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, and Cantonese.
*   **Wikimedia Commons**: The associated category is "Keyboards."
*   **Reddit**: There is a dedicated subreddit named "Keyboard."
*   **Wikikids**: The entry is titled "Toetsenbord."

## References

1. YSO-Wikidata mapping project. 2023