Yesterday at work, I was brainstorming with a colleague about a business idea.

I was thinking about all the different things I’ve learned how to do with 1 hand: read a newspaper, make a latte, eat lunch. But it’s still quite difficult to hold a child and type an email. The keyboard simply isn’t made for 1-handed operation.

We brainstormed briefly about the size of such a market in the U.S. In addition to parents of young children, amputees and people with carpal tunnel syndrome (in 1 hand) would be thrilled by such a product. Rather than actually attempt to size the market, we decided that we’d pose the question in job interviews and average the candidates’ responses.

Anyway, I got home and googled “1 handed keyboard” and it turns out the product already exists.

There are 2 options:

1. The Half-Qwerty: Retail price: $595.  This option adds additional capability to a standard keyboard, so users can switch back and forth between standard Qwerty and half-qwerty.  Easy to learn.
2. Chorded Keyboard: Retail Price: $182.  This is a special system designed for blind and disabled people. I’m not clear on exactly how it works, but it seems to be faster, though harder to learn.

I guess this just goes to show that my instincts are in the right place, and eventually I will hit on a brilliant idea that no one else has thought of.