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What Is A Membrane Keyboard? The Industrial Keyboard!
ByAnna Bonilla- Read Time6 mins
What Is A Membrane Keyboard?
Depending on your age, you may or may not remember typing on massive monsters (the mechanical keyboard). While their clacking sound was fun, they were almost impossible to use while mobile. As technology progressed, it was necessary to create keyboards that could travel with users. That’s where membrane keyboards came in. These keyboards were much smaller than their predecessors and featured a silicon membrane that acted as a switch for the key presses. The membranes would deform when you pressed a key, sending an electrical signal to the computer.
Membrane keyboards are the most common type of keyboards that you can find on computers or mobile phones. In a sense, they are what gave birth to technology. Membrane keyboards were first introduced in 1968, and they have been improved ever since until they started to be used on laptops and touchscreens as well as tablets, featuring a thin and flexible design. They allow for a simple, lightweight, slim, and convenient typing experience with attached functional reliability for various portable devices.
Now, let’s talk about why it is one of the best keyboards to exist today.
How Does A Membrane Keyboard Work?
A membrane keyboard consists of two sheets of plastic, separated by a layer of rubber. When you push down on the key, the rubber bends and makes contact with the bottom sheet of plastic. That causes an electrical current to flow at each point where contact is made, which registers as a key press on your computer.
A membrane keyboard is different from a mechanical one because it has no moving parts. Instead, there’s just one layer of plastic underneath all the switches. When you press a key, this plastic flexes and contacts the bottom circuit board. That layer of plastic/rubber between the key we click and the circuit board is called a pressure pad.
This keyboard has a simple mechanism and is not as complicated as the other keyboards. That’s why this is one of the most sought keyboards of all time.
Features Of A Membrane Keyboard
The number one key feature of the membrane keyboard is that it is lightweight and durable. Membrane keyboards are lightweight, thanks to their thin design and plastic membrane. The material used in these keypads is also highly durable, making them a great choice for those who are looking for something practical.
Also, they are waterproof, spill-resistant, and dirt resistant. Because of the nature of these keyboards’ design, they are resistant to spills and dirt from liquids such as water or coffee. This makes them perfect for use in any environment where there is a possibility that you may be exposed to such hazards (like kitchens or food service areas).
And lastly, unlike mechanical switches on traditional mechanical keyboards, which make noise when typing or clicking buttons on your mouse cursor around the office cubicle environment, membrane switch keyboards will not produce any sound at all. This makes typing on one much easier than using other types of input devices like mice or trackpads, where constant clicks can get annoying after a while since many offices have rules against making noises while working so as not to disturb others nearby when trying to concentrate during meetings etc.
Uses Of A Membrane Keyboard
Membrane keyboards are used in industrial applications; for example, membrane keyboards can be found on ATMs and other devices that need to be waterproof and require heavy-duty use. Some membrane keyboards use a tactile membrane, which uses a silicone rubber layer to provide the user with tactile feedback. This is useful for applications that require the user to feel when they have pressed the key (Somehow, what we feel in ATMs.)
Also, this can include environments with high humidity or extreme temperatures, such as the food industry or boiler rooms. They are also used at higher altitudes or in situations where there is a lot of dust and debris. Big factories have many buttons that serve such functions, and it can accumulate debris over time, which needs a membrane keyboard.
But of course, membrane keyboards are also famously used in computers. When you need to make sure your keyboard will continue functioning even after long periods of use (like when typing out documents), it’s best to invest in one that isn’t mechanical, so you don’t have to worry about parts breaking down over time. Membrane keyboards are generally more durable than other types of keyboards because they’re less likely to have moving parts that could break down over time.
Average Price For A Membrane Keyboard
The average price of a membrane keyboard is between $10 and $20. Yes, it can be that cheap. However, you can find them for as low as $5 if you’re willing to sacrifice some quality. On the flip side, there are also luxurious membrane keyboards that cost over $100. These are usually made with high-quality materials like aluminum or gold-plated keys. Still, they’re generally not worth the price tag unless you really need something fancy or something that would fit your setup.
As mentioned earlier, the price range of membrane keyboards varies greatly depending on where you get yours from and what brand it is. For example: if you buy an Apple Magic Keyboard, then it’ll cost around $150. This is actually pretty standard pricing since all their products cost more than other brands’ products due to their reputation for being of top-notch quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wrap Up
We hope this article has helped you understand a membrane keyboard, its features, and its main uses. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section below!
