In the early days of computing, many companies relied on physical buttons for keyboard input. However, as technology advanced and users demanded more functionality, this approach became increasingly cumbersome. Some companies attempted to address this issue by overlaying a filter on the screens and pointing out areas that would represent buttons and functions.
Unfortunately, this solution had its own set of problems. Due to heavy use of the screens, oily fingers would often make them slow and unresponsive. This would result in either slow response from the software (app) or a broken screen from the pressure when users got stressed and pressed the screen multiple times until the app lagged.
Enter Valdi Ivancic, a visionary serial entrepreneur from Sweden who saw a better way. While working with schools and children introducing Edison, one of the first online magazines in the internet, he noticed that kids were asking why the keyboard was not in alphabetical order but had the QWERTY-settings. He also saw the problem when travelling around as a keynote speaker in Europe where every country had its own setting and also different letters, such as å, ä, ö, ü, which would confuse and slow down people from using the keyboards.
In 1998, Mr Ivancic had the solution and put together a team to create the iBoard, a keyboard that could visually change keys when choosing different languages or starting up an app so the keys would have other functions. The project was originally named the ClaveBoard, but the name was later changed because people would mistakenly say ClayBoard. His company, Intelligentia International, developed new technologies and one of these was the patented keyboard technology.
This prototype was introduced to companies such as Apple, HP, Logitech and several other big tech- and computer companies.