Canadian computer keyboard could be lifesaver in hospitals

February 6, 2010

By Greg Gazin
Writer
Troy Media

EDMONTON, AB, Feb. 6, 2010/Troy Media/ — An Edmonton inventor and business executive is leading the way to eliminating one of the leading causes of hospital deaths.

He did it with – would you believe? — a computer keyboard.

The inventor is Randy Marsden, who has invented communications devices for millions of handicapped people around the world. Those devices are also useful to non-handicapped people, and that led to Marsden’s new mission: to keep computers from killing hospital patients, a terrifying fact medical professionals were struggling to deal with.  

While computer technology has undoubtedly saved millions of lives in   hospitals, it turns out that computer keyboards, with all their nooks and crevices, spread infections in hospitals more than any other device. And at least 100,000 people died in North America last year due to hospital infections.

Eliminating nooks and crannies

Simply, Marsden designed a keyboard sans nooks and crannies. It’s smooth and flat and can be easily wiped clean with disinfectant.

Randy Marsden

So now Marsden is CEO of an Edmonton company called Cleankeys Inc., and it’s rushing to fill thousands of orders for its smooth keyboard, which sells for $400.

How Marsden developed his keyboard technology can be traced to a university assignment more than 20 years ago when he was an engineering student — and, many years later, to a bit of serendipity in a dentist’s office.

For the university project, Marsden and another student went about inventing a communication device for Marsden’s quadriplegic friend. 

Upon graduation, with funding from the National Research Council’s IRAP program and the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Marsden and his colleague started Madentec Ltd., to create devices to help the handicapped communicate.

Countless handicapped people – including Muhammad Ali and Christopher Reeves – have benefited from the company’s devices.

Serendipity at a dentist’s office

One the products Madentec developed over the years is a wireless device called TrackerPro. It features a small dot of reflective tape worn on the forehead, hat brim or glasses that replaces a computer mouse for users lacking hand movement.

Marsden’s attention turned to keyboards and to fighting infection because a TrackerPro was purchased by a non-handicapped dentist. Curious as to why the gadget was being used by someone who wasn’t handicapped, Marsden investigated.

He found that the dentist was using TrackerPro to save time in his infection-control procedure. Before, to view X-ray images while treating a patient, the dentist had to remove his protective gloves to use a mouse, then put the gloves back on. With TrackerPro – no hands, no delays.

That jolted Marsden’s thinking.

He formed a focus group of four veteran dentists and learned that anything within two metres/six feet of a patient’s mouth needed to be wiped down between patients. “That includes almost the entire room.”

So Marsden’s thinking widened from the mouse to infection control and on to the challenge of infested keyboards.

New way to fight infections

“You could properly wipe down a keyboard,” Marsden says. “People had them wrapped in Saran Wrap.” But they had to be rewrapped frequently, and they looked unprofessional.

“Keyboards are the No. 1 cause of bacterial infections and are more germ-infested than public toilet seats,” says Marsden.

Marsden and his team created a USB keyboard: slightly smaller than a typical keyboard  to save cubicle space, with a completely smooth glass top with the lettering on the underside of the glass. No mouse is needed.

The keyboard won best-of-show for new products at the American Dental Association Trade Show in Las Vegas in January 2008.

It also won the 2008 ASTech Award for Societal Impact, the 2009 University of Alberta Alumni Honour Award, the innovation awards from the Canadian Manufacturing and Exporters Association in 2009 and the National Research Council in January.

Cleankeys wasn’t meant to be mass-produced. Nevertheless, orders rolled in – 4,500 units in 18 months.

A wider need

Marsden realized that the need for a cleanable keyboard went way beyond the dentist’s office. “Most keyboards aren’t used by just one person. Think clinics, schools and airport check-ins and food services – anyplace people share computers.” Even the home. H1N1 drew more attention to the need.

The company changed its name to Cleankeys Inc., with Marsden as CEO, reflecting a primary focus on keyboard design and production.

The forthcoming second-generation glass keyboard will be a wireless USB model that’s lighter and improves performance. In addition, another wireless model, made from high-grade acrylic with molded keywells with slight indentations, will be introduced.

While Cleankeys is primarily sold in Europe, it will be launched worldwide this month. “It’s a world market we’re taking this product to, and we’re making it here in Edmonton,” Marsden says.

Logican, an Edmonton company, is building the keyboards. President Harvey Sheydwasser believes Marsden’s technology will be widely adopted.

Marsden, 46, hopes to help fight infection and save lives . . . one keyboard at a time.

Channels: The Calgary Beacon, February 9, 2010