Velotype
A syllabic chord keyboard for faster typing.
Velotype is a trademark for a syllabic chord keyboard, invented by the Dutchmen Nico Berkelmans and Marius den Outer. Instead of pressing one key at a time to produce single characters, as on a standard QWERTY keyboard, a Velotype user presses several keys at once to generate whole syllables. This allows a practiced operator to type up to 200 words per minute—roughly double the speed of a fast conventional typist—making it common for live applications like television subtitling and captioning for the hearing impaired.
The keyboard’s history begins with Marius den Outer’s invention of the Tachotype in 1933. In 1982, Herman Schweigman and Rudolf Nitzsche created an electronic version of the Tachotype and called it the Velotype. A standalone Velotype text processor, the Veyboard, followed in 2001. The keyboard was improved and modernized in 2011 by Wim Gerbecks and Sander Pasveer. Velotype is a Dutch company.
The Velotype is an orthographic chord keyboard, distinct from phonetic chord keyboards like the stenotype. Phonetic keyboards (such as those from Stenograph) produce an intermediate shorthand format based on phonetics and spelling, which software then translates into output. Orthographic keyboards let the operator rely on traditional spelling directly. The Velotype-pro includes software for creating custom abbreviations and short forms alongside built-in ones.
Stenographic keyboards are generally harder to learn than the Velotype, and trained stenotype operators can exceed 300 words per minute. However, if unusual words appear, a stenotypist slows down, whereas a Velotypist maintains the same speed, up to 200 words per minute.
- Inventors
- Nico Berkelmans and Marius den Outer
- Predecessor
- Tachotype (invented by Marius den Outer in 1933)
- Electronic version creators
- Herman Schweigman and Rudolf Nitzsche (1982)
- Standalone device
- Veyboard (2001)
- Modernization contributors
- Wim Gerbecks and Sander Pasveer (2011)
- Maximum speed
- 200 words per minute
- Company
- Velotype (Dutch company)
Lore & Background
The Velotype traces its roots to the Tachotype, invented by Marius den Outer in 1933. In 1982, Herman Schweigman and Rudolf Nitzsche created an electronic version of the Tachotype and named it the Velotype. A stand-alone text processor called the Veyboard was produced in 2001. The keyboard was improved and modernized in 2011 by Wim Gerbecks and Sander Pasveer. Velotype is a Dutch company.
The Velotype is an orthographic chord keyboard, distinct from phonetic chord keyboards like the stenotype. Phonetic keyboards produce an intermediate shorthand format requiring translation software, while orthographic keyboards allow the operator to rely on traditional spelling. The Velotype-pro includes software for creating custom abbreviations and short forms. A practiced velotypist can reach speeds up to 200 words per minute, double that of a fast traditional typist, making it suitable for live applications such as television subtitling.
Reader's Guide
The Velotype's significance lies in its orthographic chord design, which offers a different approach to high-speed text input compared to phonetic systems like the stenotype. While trained stenotype operators can exceed 300 words per minute, they slow down when encountering unusual words; a Velotypist maintains consistent speed up to 200 words per minute. This reliability with uncommon vocabulary makes the Velotype valuable for live captioning and subtitling, particularly for television and the hearing impaired. The 2011 modernization by Gerbecks and Pasveer kept the system current. The Velotype-pro's ability to let users create custom abbreviations further enhances its flexibility. Its legacy is as a specialized tool that prioritizes orthographic accuracy and steady speed over the peak but variable speed of phonetic chord keyboards.
Did You Know?
- The Velotype is a syllabic chord keyboard invented by Dutchmen Nico Berkelmans and Marius den Outer.
- A practiced velotypist can type up to 200 words per minute, double the rate of a fast traditional typist.
- The Velotype is an orthographic chord keyboard, unlike phonetic chord keyboards such as the stenotype.
- The Velotype-pro allows users to create their own abbreviations and short forms.
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