An innovative smart keyboard designed to significantly improve typing ability for people living with Parkinson’s disease has been named a Global Winner of the prestigious 2025 James Dyson Award.
The groundbreaking invention, called “OnCue”, was created by Italian product designer Alessandra Galli as a school thesis project at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
It’s the first assistive keyboard that integrates cues to help manage motor symptoms like tremors, slowed movement (bradykinesia), and ‘freezing’.
“OnCue is a clever and empowering solution, allowing people with Parkinson’s and other motor conditions to stay connected and communicate independently,” said the award’s founder James Dyson, a visionary inventor known for his persistence in developing groundbreaking products (like the 5,126 prototypes he built over four years before perfecting the first bagless vacuum cleaner).
Galli developed OnCue after focus groups revealed how typing obstacles challenged the independence and confidence of Parkinson’s patients.
The device’s core features work in concert to support a steady typing flow:
- Haptic Feedback: Subtle vibrations are transmitted through the keys and optional matching wristbands to help guide users’ typing rhythm and compensate for reduced tactile sensitivity.
- AI Lighting System: An artificial intelligence component predicts the most likely next letter the user will press and illuminates the corresponding key with a green light. This visual cue helps to reduce hesitation and errors, a common issue with the condition.
- Ergonomic Design: Inspired by gaming keyboards, OnCue has a compact, split layout to reduce strain on the hands and arms. The keycaps also feature raised edges to guide finger placement and prevent accidental presses.
In addition, OnCue is designed with customization in mind, allowing users to adjust haptic and visual cue intensity through software or physical sliders, accommodating the daily fluctuations in Parkinson’s symptoms.
Galli says the $40,000 award from Dyson will help bring her invention to market for those who need it. She plans to enhance the electronics and conduct further usability testing with occupational therapists and Parkinson’s organizations.
CHECK OUT: Previous Dyson Award Winning Inventions
Learn more and stay up-to-date on the keyboard’s development by visiting the project’s website, OnCueDesign.net.
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