Tamil keyboards have faced many approaches since the introduction of Indic languages into font encoding standards. Depending on the operating systems like Windows, Linux & Mac OSx. Further font encoding standards like TAB, TSCII, TACE & UNICODE & respective keyboard layouts have added lot of complexity to the Tamil computing. Mainly because many entrepreneurs with interest to find a solution; have introduced different keyboards like Typewriter, Tamil99, Bamini, Anjal, Google & Unicode etc.  Most of them are based on the platform of the English phonetic type. They followed English typewriter structure & English characters usage calculations. I strongly doubt about the evolutions and development of keyboards truely based on repeated usage of Tamil characters and convenient in typing speed.  I would like to know if any dedicated research documents available on such tamil character usage?

Well, one would generously agree that using Tamil in computing is still a mess, when a person move from one computer to another computer.  Rendering tamil characters & font used in is completely different unlike  in home computer.

But the latest trends show the technology change and huge drift in the way keyboards are integrated into touch based display keyboards. This thought lead me to prepare a white paper on proposing Touch Tamil  Keypad standard.

I am attaching here my paper that was proposed at Tamil Internet Conference 2011, Pensylvania University. An International conference was organised by Pensylvania University & INFITT. (Submitted PDF file attached here for reference.)

Core Extract about Touch Tamil Keypad proposal:-
A touch on the device can bring animated auto complete features as well show many options of a character by vowel & consonants combinations. As well position of tamil characters  based on continuity positions to increase the typing speed.

Note:
This is just an initiation thought, I request scholars and tamil language experts to  come forward in creating universal Touch Tamil Keypad standard as early as possible. This should be an unique model to work across Operating Systems and universal standard.

Reference images are attached below.

தமிழ் அன்புடன்
கோ தேவராஜன்.

Existing English Tamil Phonetic Keypad

Proposed :  Touch Tamil Keypad model
Hints : –
1)  Caps characters can be formed logically typing by repeating the characters especially, vowels. Ex : அஅ = ஆ, referred to Unicode 6.0 Tamil Chart or with caps lock.
2)  Dependent Signs may be called when a key is pressed for more than a second, which gives options to select Dependent signs.

PDF File Download_ :   Paper_Devarajan G 26042011.pdf (405.82 kb)