Lagos (pte/22.04.2005/16:43) – A Nigerian mechanical engineer has invented a multi-lingual computer keyboard that is capable of typing “diacritical marks and characters” of over 400 Nigerian languages. According to language experts, diacritical characters and marks are meant to distinguish different sounds and meanings of various words and letters. As All Africa http://www.allafrica.com  reports, Olukayode Oluwole said the keyboard, which is already in commercial production, will hit the Nigerian market in May. His new invention will be marketed by the Lagos Analysis Corporation (LANCOR).

According to Oluwole, he spent eight years on extensive research with Ade Oyegbola, the president of LANCOR and George Van-Lare, the corporation’s managing director before they completed the project. He pointed out that Ambassador Yusuf Usman, Ciroma of Kastina, the chairman of LANCOR, played a significant role in providing the Hausa autography of the project.

“We consulted extensively at home and abroad, especially with experts at the Nigerian Institute of Languages in Aba, Nigerian universities and those involved with the Nigerian Type Writer Project, who we also consulted for Nigerian autography,” said Oluwole. “We initially thought of only the three major Nigerian languages, but had to go beyond that to cover every language group in Nigeria when we realised that it was feasible,” he continued.

According to Oluwole, the new keyboard, which has been named KONYIN.Yoruba, meaning “drop of honey”, accommodates all the alphabets in local Nigerian languages as well as four major currency symbols, including the Naira sign. “This keyboard does not change the way you type and it is also Nigerian-specific,” he added.

“It is a physical keyboard, not a virtual keyboard that is only uni-language specific. We have a country specific keyboard. There are virtual keyboards that try to emulate a physical keyboard but this is not a practical solution. For the first time in electronic history, we now have a Nigerian keyboard with which you can mix English with any Nigerian languages in the same document,” he concluded.

This is the first Truly Complete PC Keyboard designed to accommodate combined character-sets for Multiple Language Groups on a single keyboard layout using LANCOR Technologies’ multi-function enabled kbd driver. The new physical keyboard is based on the QWERTY layout with additional spaces for twenty-six (26) alphabets and twenty-one (21) combining diacritical marks from any combination of languages.

The new multi-function enabled kbd driver technology is particularly suited for most countries with more than one Official Language, and Institutions that deals in multiple languages at the same time. The new kbd driver technology does away with the need to switch keyboard layouts from one language to another during regular typing.

Most multilingual input devises in the market today use the virtual multi-layout keyboard approach which allows users to switch from one language layout to another in other to access character-sets for various languages. These virtual keyboard layouts cannot be considered as true multilingual input devices, because users can only input one or two language character-sets at a time; and users have to understand and remember multiple combination keystrokes and shortcuts during typing.

These problems have been eliminated with the introduction of the first multi-function enabled single-layout multilingual physical keyboard from LANCOR Technologies. Simply put, KỌNYIN multilingual keyboard users do not have to switch keyboard layout to type in any language. The keyboard truly does not change how users type today, and does not use the “dead key” typing process.

Press Release
LANCOR Technologies Introduces World’s First Multi-Function Enabled Single-Layout Multilingual Computer Keyboards
Boston, MA – Apr 22, 2005 (PRN): LANCOR Technologies, a division of Lagos Analysis Corporation today announced the release of its KONYIN Physical Multilingual Keyboard

The First Truly Complete Computer Keyboard designed to accommodate combined character-sets for Multiple Language Groups on a single keyboard layout using LANCOR Technologies multi-function enabled kbd driver. The new physical keyboard is based on the QWERTY layout with additional spaces for twenty-six (26) alphabets and twenty-one (21) combining diacritical marks from any combination of languages.

The new multi-function enabled kbd driver technology is particularly appropriate for most countries with more than one Official Language, and Institutions that deals in multiple languages at the same time. The new kbd driver technology does away with the need to switch keyboard layouts from one language to another during regular typing.

Most multilingual input devises in the market today use the virtual multi-layout keyboard approach which allows users to switch from one language layout to another in other to access character-sets for various languages. These virtual keyboard layouts cannot be considered as true multilingual input devices, because users can only input one or two language character-sets at a time; and users have to understand and remember multiple combination keystrokes and shortcuts during typing.

These problems have been eliminated with the introduction of the first multi-function enabled single-layout multilingual physical keyboard from LANCOR Technologies. Simply put, KONYIN multilingual keyboard users do not have to switch keyboard layout to type in any language. The keyboard truly does not change how users type today, and does not use the “dead key” typing process.

KONYIN Multilingual Keyboard, for Windows 2000 or above, models will be available for purchase beginning April 30, 2005, via the KONYIN website, http://www.konyin.com. Shipment of accepted orders is expected to start on May 15, 2005. (Macintosh version will be available in October 2005)

Available: KONYIN United States Multilingual Keyboard, in addition to standard Latin alphabets, includes five (5) specific alphabets, fifteen (15) combining diacritical marks from English, Espanol, Hawai, other languages combined and three (3) currency symbols commonly used in commerce, clearly labeled on the keyboard.

Available: KONYIN Africa (Niger-Congo) Multilingual Keyboard, in addition to standard Latin alphabets, includes twenty-six (26) specific alphabets and nineteen (19) combining diacritical marks from various African languages combined, clearly labeled on the keyboard, representing Official Languages of over forty (40) countries.

Available: KONYIN Nigeria Multilingual Keyboard, in addition to standard Latin alphabets, includes fourteen (14) specific alphabets, thirteen (13) combining diacritical marks from Nigeria Official Languages combined (English, Edo, Efik, Fulani, Hausa, Kanuri ) and four (4) currency symbols commonly used in commerce, clearly labeled on the keyboard. In development: KONYIN Multilingual Keyboard for Latin America, European Union and Ghana.

About LANCOR
LANCOR designs and develop technology based solutions that tailor hardware, software, and other technology products and services to support existing business processes rather than forcing generic technology products on our clients.

Our technology solutions incorporate tools and services that enable businesses to integrate their operations efficiently, and reduce costs through process efficacies and improved employee productivity. Our process reengineering packages are based on modular solutions that are highly adaptable, using service-oriented hardware and software architecture designs.

For more information, contact:
Ade G Oyegbola
President & CEO
Lagos Analysis Corporation
P. O. Box 961144
Boston, MA 02196 USA
Phone: (339) 987 9249
Email: Oyegbola@Lancorltd.com
Website: http://www.lancorltd.com

For more information please visit us at: http://www.konyin.com, or http://www.lancorltd.com