Membrane Keyboard

Membrane Keyboard Robotron Z1013

Membrane keyboard (sometimes called “membrane” keyboard ) - an electronic keyboard without separate mechanical moving parts, made in the form of a flat, usually flexible, surface with a pattern of keys printed on it. Keyboards of this type are distinguished by a very low cost, exceptional compactness (thickness is a fraction of a millimeter), the ability to bend, high reliability and almost perfect protection from dirt and moisture. The main disadvantage is the almost complete absence of tactile feedback , which makes it difficult to accurately and blindly dial . To compensate for this drawback, membrane keyboard devices usually have a sound confirmation of a keystroke. In addition, the membrane load is not “dosed” by the “pusher-cap” system (see below), but is determined solely by the fingers of the operator, which significantly reduces the membrane life. Over time, depending on its quality and environmental conditions, the material of the upper layer of the membrane may lose elasticity, which leads to the destruction and failure of the keyboard.

In the 1980s, membrane keyboards were used in some low-end home computers . Currently, they continue to be used in household appliances (for example, in microwave ovens ), a rubber cap presses on a plastic key, providing tactile feedback, and presses on the membrane.