An sEMG-Based Ergonomic Assessment of Mechanical Keyboard Switches: User Experience, Typing Performance and Bilateral Forearm Muscle Activation

Mechanical keyboard switches differ in force–travel characteristics, tactile feedback, and sound, but their combined effects on user experience, typing performance, and muscular loading remain unclear. We compared four switch types (Clicky, Tactile, Linear, and Silent) using subjective, performance, and surface electromyography (sEMG) measures. Twenty healthy, right-handed adults completed standardized typing tasks under all four conditions in a 4 × 4 balanced Latin square. Custom ratings, System Usability Scale, NASA Task Load Index, typing speed and accuracy, and bilateral forearm muscle activity normalized to maximum voluntary contraction were recorded. A Symmetry Index described side-to-side activation balance. Switch type significantly affected perceived noise, pleasure, and tactile feedback. Clicky switches received the highest pleasure and tactile-feedback ratings but the least favorable noise ratings, whereas Silent switches showed the opposite pattern. Silent switches also required more self-rated effort than Tactile switches. Typing speed, accuracy, usability, overall workload, and mean forearm muscle activity did not differ. The exploratory Symmetry Index showed clear side-to-side differences within individuals, but these did not differ across switch types. In this short typing task, switch design affected the subjective typing experience more than performance or muscular loading.