Using Genetic Algorithms to Design an Optimized Keyboard Layout for Brazilian Portuguese

Abstract

Currently, keyboards are the most common means of communicating with computers. Despite being the most commonly used keyboard layout, QWERTY has had various issues raised concerning its effectiveness, as it is not efficient in English (target language) or in fact other languages. Therefore, this paper presents the development process of a Genetic Algorithm with the intention of generating a more adequate and coherent layout proposal for Brazilian Portuguese, which has its focus on ergonomics and user productivity. Using five ergonomic criteria and a statistical analysis of the characters and sequences of most frequently used pairs in Brazilian Portuguese, a layout approximately 53% better than QWERTY was obtained.

Bahasa Indonesia

“…Pada penelitian [3], mencari layout keyboard yang ergonomik dengan melihat frekuensi munculnya 3.000 kata paling umum dalam bahasa Inggris menggunakan algoritma genetika. Pada penelitian [4], mencari layout keyboard untuk bahasa Portugis menggunakan algoritma genetika. Dari kedua penelitian tersebut, hasil yang didapatkan adalah layout keyboard QWERTY memiliki performa, dengan parameter tertentu pada masing-masing penelitian, yang lebih rendah kualitasnya dibandingkan dengan layout keyboard hasil pencariannya.…”

Engram: A Systematic Approach to Optimize Keyboard Layouts for Touch Typing, With Example for the English Language

“…= 403,291,461,126,605,635,584,000,000, or 4.03 E+26) possible ways to arrange a sequence of 26 letters, an NP-complete problem that is currently computationally intractable to optimize. Attempts to solve the "keyboard arrangement problem" have been ongoing (Ladany, 1975), with more recent contenders applying simulated annealing (Light and Anderson, 1993;Krzywinski, 2015;Salvo et al 2016), ant colony optimization (Eggers et al, 2003;Wagner et al, 2003), Cyber Swarm (Yin and Su, 2011), and genetic algorithms (Deshwal and Deb, 2003;Walker, 2003;Goettl et al, 2005, Deshwal andDeb, 2006;Malas et al, 2008;Khorshid et al 2010;Onsorodi and Korhan, 2020;Pacheco et al 2020).…”