Este trabalho descreve um ataque que detecta as teclas pressionadas em teclados mecânicos pela análise das vibrações geradas quando as mesmas são pressionadas. Dois equipamentos foram experimentados no ataque: um teclado genérico de automação comercial e um terminal de ponto de venda (POS / PIN-pad). Acelerômetros são utilizados como sensores de vibração. Propositalmente, o equipamento necessário para a execução do ataque é de baixíssimo custo, de modo a ressaltar o risco das vulnerabilidades encontradas. Obtivemos taxas de sucesso médio de 69% no reconhecimento das teclas pressionadas para o terminal PIN-pad em repouso e 75% para o mesmo sendo segurado na mão. No caso de teclado de automação comercial, as taxas médias de acerto ficaram em torno de 99%. / This work describes an attack that identifies the sequence of keystrokes analyzing mechanical vibrations generated by the act of pressing keys. We use accelerometers as vibration sensors. The apparatus necessary for this attack is inexpensive and can be unobtrusively embedded within the target equipment. We tested the proposed attack on an ATM keypad and a PIN-pad. We achieved the key recognition rates of 99% in ATM keypad, 69% in PIN-pad resting on a hard surface and 75% in PIN-pad hold in hand.

To date, hundreds of millions of mini-QWERTY keyboard equipped devices (miniaturized versions of a full desktop keyboard) have been sold. Accordingly, a large percentage of text messages originate from fixed-key, mini-QWERTY keyboard enabled mobile phones. Over a series of three longitudinal studies I quantify how quickly and accurately individuals can input text on mini-QWERTY keyboards. I evaluate performance in ideal laboratory conditions as well as in a variety of mobile contexts. My first study establishes baseline performance measures; my second study investigates the impact of limited visibility on text input performance; and my third study investigates the impact of mobility (sitting, standing, and walking) on text input performance. After approximately five hours of practice, participants achieved expertise typing almost 60 words per minute at almost 95% accuracy. Upon completion of these studies, I examine the types of errors that people make when typing on mini-QWERTY keyboards. Having discovered a common pattern in errors, I develop and refine an algorithm to automatically detect and correct errors in mini-QWERTY keyboard enabled text input. I both validate the algorithm through the analysis of pre-recorded typing data and then empirically evaluate the impacts of automatic error correction on live mini-QWERTY keyboard text input. Validating the algorithm over various datasets, I demonstrate the potential to correct approximately 25% of the total errors and correct up to 3% of the total keystrokes. Evaluating automatic error detection and correction on live typing results in successfully correcting 61% of the targeted errors committed by participants while increasing typing rates by almost two words per minute without introducing noticeable distraction.

As epidemiologic research demonstrates health concerns for hand problems among pianists, scientists are measuring historic piano keyboards and realizing that much of the piano literature was composed for and played on pianos with smaller keys compared to what is used on the modern piano. Having to play this literature on a larger keyboard is especially difficult for small-handed piano students and professionals. Fortunately, smaller keyboards are now available for use with standard pianos - and research shows that this ergonomic adjustment does reduce piano-related hand pain for small-handed musicians. Major universities are now offering this option to students, but only a few music schools possess these keyboards and not many people know about them. There are no known research studies to address people's awareness and attitude toward ergonomically scaled piano keyboards (ESPKs). The purpose of this study was to assess perception and attitude toward ESPKs and help to raise its awareness. To examine pianists' perception, two surveys was composed. First one was conducted on UNT campus in which ESPKs are available for their students, and the second survey was carried out on schools of music in the United States. The results reveal that substantial number of people already know about the existence of ESPKs, but they are not totally aware specific information about ESPKs. Subjects who are aware of ESPKs report significantly higher positive attitude compared to those have not known about ESPKs. Results from this study may have implications for health education initiatives within NASM schools of music.

With an ever-increasing amount of cyberespionage and cybercrime, any potential attack vector into a computer system is worthy of investigation. One such vector could be through the wireless keyboard the user themselves use and trust. If an attacker was able to intercept the traffic between the keyboard and the computer they could spy on every keystroke that is being sent to the computer. Additionally, they could potentially inject keystrokes as if they were sitting at the computer themselves. This thesis evaluated 10 different keyboards that were purchased in common consumer electronic stores and 8 of them were found to have new substantial flaws that made it possible to reliably listen to every keystroke sent by the keyboards, as well as allow an attacker to send keystrokes to the connected computer, indirectly giving the attacker full control of the computer. It was concluded that wireless keyboards should not be used in situations where sensitive information is handled regardless of what the keyboard manufacturer claims, as it creates a potential attack vector that is otherwise nonexistent. / Med en ständigt ökande mängd cyberspionage och cyberbrottslighet så är alla potentiella vägar in i ett datorsystem värda att undersöka. Ett sätt att ta sig in i ett system skulle kunna vara genom det trådlösa tangentbord som användaren själv använder och litar på. Om en angripare hade möjligheten att fånga upp trafiken mellan tangentbordet och datorn skulle den kunna lyssna på varenda knapptryck som skickades till datorn. Utöver det så skulle en angripare möjligen kunna skicka egna knapptryck till datorn som om den själv satt vid den. Den här uppsatsen har studerat och utvärderat 10 olika tangentbord som köptes i vanliga elektronikaffärer och i 8 av dem hittades nya allvarliga brister som gjorde det möjligt att både avlyssna vad som skrevs samt att kunna skicka knapptryck till datorn som tangentbordet var kopplat till. Detta ledde indirekt till full kontroll över datorn. Slutsatsen som kunde dras var att trådlösa tangentbord inte bör användas i någon situation där känsligt innehåll hanteras, oavsett vad tillverkaren av tangentbordet hävdar. Detta då det öppnar upp en ny attackyta som inte finns om trådlösa tangentbord inte används.

Playing‐related pain is a common and serious problem among pianists. Information on cause and prevention is extremely limited due to a lack of scientific research. The purpose of this study was to (1) review and describe risk factors for piano‐related pain among college students and piano teachers that were reported in my previous two research studies, (2) justify the use of an ergonomically modified keyboard as a potential solution for reducing playing‐related pain, and (3) test and evaluate the effectiveness of an ergonomically modified keyboard for alleviating pianists' pain. Both study populations reported high prevalence rates for playing‐related pain: 86 % for college students (n = 35), 91 % for piano teachers (n = 47). For both populations, statistical analyses confirmed that pianists with small physical size (hand size) were more prone to pain. This finding helped rationalize the use of an ergonomically modified keyboard (the key width is 1/16 narrower than the standard) for small‐handed pianists as an ergonomic intervention. To test the effectiveness of an ergonomically modified keyboard, 35 college students played identical music on both the reduced-sized keyboard and the standard keyboard. Observations of video‐recorded performances revealed that small-handed pianists can avoid extreme stretching of their hands when playing on the modified keyboard. Statistical analysis of questionnaire data confirmed that the modified keyboard helped small‐handed pianists to play with less pain and tension. These results warrant the serious consideration of adopting ergonomic principals into the world of piano.