Adaptive keyboard teaching system

1 . A method comprising:

providing an audio or visual-based instruction to press one or more target keys of a plurality of keys on a physical keyboard;

providing sensor data from the physical keyboard corresponding to a user interaction with the keyboard;

analyzing the sensor data and determining how a hand of the user is engaging with the physical keyboard;

determining the typing proficiency of the user based on both a speed of typing based on a speed of reception of the sensor data and a determination of how the user's hand is engaging with the keyboard from the sensor data; and

activating one of a plurality of lighting elements on the physical keyboard to indicate a position of the one or more target keys, wherein the plurality of lighting elements operate in a plurality of lighting modes including at least indicating a general area of the keyboard and indicating individual keys, and wherein the selection of which lighting elements to activate is based on a measured typing proficiency of the user.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of lighting modes includes at least two or more of:

a first lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to highlight a side of the keyboard where the one or more target keys are located;

a second lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to highlight a column or row of keys where the one or more target keys are located;

a third lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to highlight a zone of the keyboard where the one or more target keys are located, wherein the keyboard includes a home row of keys, and wherein the zone corresponds to a plurality of keys adjacent to a particular key of the home row of keys; and

a fourth lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to individually highlight the one or more target keys.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the user's hand is incorrectly engaged with the physical keyboard when at least one of the following occurs:

the user is pressing the target key using an incorrect hand;

the user is pressing the target key with an incorrect finger; or

the user is not anchoring or incorrectly anchoring portions of their hand when engaging with the physical keyboard to press the one or more target keys of the plurality of keys.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the lighting modes are time-based lighting modes and include at least one of:

a first animated lighting mode that reveals the one or more target keys over a threshold time by gradually increasing an illumination of the one or more target keys using a first lighting pattern based on the threshold time;

a second animated lighting mode that reveals the one or more target keys over a threshold time by gradually decreasing an illumination of the plurality of keys not including the one or more target keys using a second lighting pattern based on the threshold time.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting when a computer mouse is being controlled by the user, wherein the computer mouse and the physical keyboard are communicatively coupled to a common host computing device;

determining when the user lets go of the computer mouse; and

executing a lighting schema that highlights a home row on the plurality of keys of the keyboard.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising providing sensor data from an image sensor device identifying an orientation and location of the user's hand based on the sensor data;

comparing the orientation and location of the user's hand to a reference;

determining that the user's hand is incorrectly engaged with the keyboard by detecting when the orientation and location of the user's hand is not within a threshold orientation and location as compared to the reference.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving sensor data from an image sensor device determining a direction of the user's gaze based on the sensor data;

comparing the direction of the user's gaze to a location of the target keys of the plurality of keys,

determining that the user's hand is incorrectly engaged with the keyboard by detecting when the user's gaze is not within a threshold distance of the location of the target keys of the plurality of keys.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving sensor data from one or more touch sensitive sensors,

analyzing the sensor data to determine a location of the user's hand based on the sensor data, and

determining that the user's hand is incorrectly engaged with the keyboard by detecting when the location of the user's hand is not on the target keys of the plurality of keys.

9 . A system comprising:

a physical keyboard having a plurality of lighting elements to indicate a position of keys on the physical keyboard;

one or more processors;

one or more machine-readable, non-transitory storage mediums that include instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

providing an audio or visual-based instruction to press one or more target keys of a plurality of keys on the physical keyboard;

receiving sensor data corresponding to a user interaction with the keyboard;

analyzing the sensor data and determining how a hand of the user is engaging with the physical keyboard; and

determining the typing proficiency of the user based on both a speed of typing based on a speed of reception of the sensor data and a determination of how the user's hand is engaging with the keyboard from the sensor data; and

activating one of the plurality of lighting elements on the physical keyboard to indicate a position of the one or more target keys, wherein the plurality of lighting elements operate in a plurality of lighting modes including at least indicating a general area of the keyboard and indicating individual keys, and wherein the selection of which lighting elements to activate is based on a measured typing proficiency of the user.

10 . The system of claim 9 wherein the lighting modes include at least two or more of:

a first lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to highlight a side of the keyboard where the one or more target keys are located;

a second lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to highlight a column or row of keys where the one or more target keys are located;

a third lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to highlight a zone of the keyboard where the one or more target keys are located, wherein the keyboard includes a home row of keys, and wherein the zone corresponds to a plurality of keys adjacent to a particular key of the home row of keys; and

a fourth lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to individually highlight the one or more target keys.

11 . The system of claim 9 further comprising determining that the user's hand is incorrectly engaged with the physical keyboard when at least one of the following occurs:

the user is pressing the target key using an incorrect hand;

the user is pressing the target key with an incorrect finger; or

the user is not anchoring or incorrectly anchoring portions of their hand when engaging with the physical keyboard to press the one or more target keys of the plurality of keys.

12 . The system of claim 9 wherein the lighting modes are time-based lighting modes and include at least one of:

a first animated lighting mode that reveals the one or more target keys over a threshold time by gradually increasing an illumination of the one or more target keys using a first lighting pattern based on the threshold time;

a second animated lighting mode that reveals the one or more target keys over a threshold time by gradually decreasing an illumination of the plurality of keys not including the one or more target keys using a second lighting pattern based on the threshold time.

13 . The system of claim 9 wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

detecting when a computer mouse is being controlled by the user, wherein the computer mouse and the physical keyboard are communicatively coupled to a common host computing device;

determining when the user lets go of the computer mouse; and

executing a lighting schema that highlights a home row on the plurality of keys of the keyboard.

14 . A computer-readable storage medium having data stored therein representing computer readable, non-transitory software executable by one or more processors, the software including instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

providing an audio or visual-based instruction to press one or more target keys of a plurality of keys on a physical keyboard;

receiving sensor data corresponding to a user interaction with the keyboard;

analyzing the sensor data and determining how a hand of the user is engaging with the physical keyboard; and

determining the typing proficiency of the user based on both a speed of typing based on a speed of reception of the sensor data and a determination of how the user's hand is engaging with the keyboard from the sensor data; and

activating one of a plurality of lighting elements on the physical keyboard to indicate a position of the one or more target keys, wherein the plurality of lighting elements operate in a plurality of lighting modes including at least indicating a general area of the keyboard and indicating individual keys, and wherein the selection of which lighting elements to activate is based on a measured typing proficiency of the user.

15 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14

wherein the lighting modes include at least two or more of:

a first lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to highlight a side of the keyboard where the one or more target keys are located;

a second lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to highlight a column or row of keys where the one or more target keys are located;

a third lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to highlight a zone of the keyboard where the one or more target keys are located, wherein the keyboard includes a home row of keys, and wherein the zone corresponds to a plurality of keys adjacent to a particular key of the home row of keys; and

a fourth lighting mode causing the plurality of lighting elements to individually highlight the one or more target keys.

16 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 further comprising determining that the user's hand is incorrectly engaged with the physical keyboard when at least one of the following occurs:

the user is pressing the target key using an incorrect hand;

the user is pressing the target key with an incorrect finger; or

the user is not anchoring or incorrectly anchoring portions of their hand when engaging with the physical keyboard to press the one or more target keys of the plurality of keys.

17 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the lighting modes are time-based lighting modes and include at least one of:

a first animated lighting mode that reveals the one or more target keys over a threshold time by gradually increasing an illumination of the one or more target keys using a first lighting pattern based on the threshold time;

a second animated lighting mode that reveals the one or more target keys over a threshold time by gradually decreasing an illumination of the plurality of keys not including the one or more target keys using a second lighting pattern based on the threshold time.

18 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

detecting when a computer mouse is being controlled by the user, wherein the computer mouse and the physical keyboard are communicatively coupled to a common host computing device;

determining when the user lets go of the computer mouse; and

executing a lighting schema that highlights a home row on the plurality of keys of the keyboard.

19 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 further comprising providing sensor data from an image sensor device identifying an orientation and location of the user's hand based on the sensor data;

comparing the orientation and location of the user's hand to a reference;

determining that the user's hand is incorrectly engaged with the keyboard by detecting when the orientation and location of the user's hand is not within a threshold orientation and location as compared to the reference.