Zergotech Zergo Freedom ZFR-006 User manual

Zergotech Freedom
Instruction Manual
Model: ZFR-006
2020 All Rights Reserved

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WELCOME
Thank you for your purchase and welcome to the Zergotech Freedom. You are on your way to a healthier
and more enjoyable typing experience.
Zergotech’s mission is to create the most ergonomic and innovative keyboard available while keeping it as
familiar to users as possible. Other ergonomic keyboards are too intimidating for the general user and the
Zergotech Freedom finally delivers a solution that all typists can use. Our sliding palm rests make a truly
enjoyable typing experience.
INSTALLATION
The Zergotech Freedom is a standard USB Human Interface Device. It is ‘plug-and-play’ ready as a
computer peripheral with all operating systems. No additional firmware or software is required to operate
the keyboard.
GETTING STARTED
SELECTING THE CORRECT KEYBOARD
The Freedom can cater for US ANSI QWERTY, UK ISO QWERTY, German QWERTZ, and French
AZERTY.While the Zergotech Freedom is neither strictly an ANSI or ISO standard, it accommodates all of
the main features of these two standards.
Refer to the KeyKortex programming guide for details on how to set up your keyboard..

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WRIST SLIDERS AND FIXED PALM RESTS
SLIDING PALM RESTS
Sliding palm rests are protected under patents owned by Zergotech Pty Ltd.
Sliding palm rests are one of the main features and proven concepts of the Zergotech Freedom. Typing
pain is greatly reduced by mobilizing the wrist and hands to roam freely around the keyboard. Hard to
reach keys, especially the outer most keys and top number and F rows, are within easy striking range
while maintaining a healthy aligned and ergonomic wrist position. You are no longer relying on
overstretching and twisting motions, such as damaging ulnar and radial deviations, a primary source of
wrist pain.
They are a joy to use. The feeling of almost frictionless gliding is a satisfying and enjoyable experience
upon immediate use.
FIXED PALM RESTS
Fixed palm rests may be purchased in addition to the sliding palm rests. The fixed palm rests are simply
placed in the slider bay without adhesive. They are interchangeable with the sliding palm rests at any time.
While our most effective innovation is the sliding palm rests, there is a plethora of ergonomic innovation in
the keyboard that still provides ergonomic benefits with the fixed palm rests alone.

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PROGRAMMING AND OTHER OPTIONS
Each user has unique typing styles and preferences. To accommodate these preferences, we have
integrated on-board programming capabilities. No software or programming skills are required.
Instructions on programming will be printed on screen as text. Be sure to open your preferred text editor
to receive the programming guidance.
Refer to the accompanying programming guide and programming reference card for more information on
how to program the keyboard.
POSITIONS AND ANGLES
The Zergotech Freedom has been designed at optimal ergonomic positions. The keyboard is adjustable
by rotation, distance, incline, decline, and inner lift or tenting.
The orientation of the keyboard can be put into two states:
1. Joined
2. Split
The bottom feet can be set such that the keyboard is angled at four different positions:
1. Flat Position (no feet extended)
2. Tented Position (inner feet extended only)
3. Inclined Position (rear feet extended only)
4. Declined Position (front feet extended only)
No other combination of extension of feet will provide a stable position. These positions can only be set
exclusively of one another.
With the two halves joined, the default
internally rotated angle is 25 degrees. This
ensures your forearms meet the keyboard at
an aligned angle.

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The split design of the keyboard allows for a
distance between the halves of up to 50cm.
You can set the distance between the two
halves that suit you. One suitable position is to
separate the boards to shoulder width.
The tented angle of the default flat position is
5 degrees away from the center. This
seemingly slight angle will make a noticeable
difference in improving wrist stresses
associated with pronation.
The tented angle can be increased to 12
degrees by extending the inner feet. This will
further help to relieve pronation stress.
Depending on your seating arrangements,
users might find this declined angle more
comfortable. This is especially true for users
whose forearms rest higher than desk height
and approach the keyboard from above. The
default tenting angle of 5 degrees is
maintained.

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Depending on your seating arrangements,
users might find this inclined angle more
comfortable. This is especially true for uses
whose forearms are relatively lower than desk
height and approach the keyboard from
below. The default tenting angle of 5 degrees
is maintained.
ACCESSORIES
KEYCAP PULLER
The Freedom is shipped with a custom made keycap puller. This small device is used to safely remove the
keycaps from your keyboard. The puller has two widths: The shorter width is used to remove the shorter
keycaps found on rows 1 to 5, while the wider width is used to remove the
longer keycaps on the bottom row.
To remove a keycap, place the keycap puller over the key and press down until
the switch springs back into the arms. The hooks of the keycap puller will now
be under the base of the keycap. Pull up to remove.
WARNING: Keycaps should only be removed using the provided keycap puller.
Keycaps removed using fingers or third party pullers are known to cause
breakage of the keycap or key switch stems. Keycaps broken due to removal
without the supplier keycap puller are not covered under warranty.
O-RING SOUND DAMPENERS AND SHOCK ABSORPTION
The Freedom is supplied with a set of ‘O-Rings’. O-Rings are small circular
pieces of rubber that are placed around the stem underneath the keycap.
This rubber hits the key switch on a down press, limiting the ‘clacks’
associated with mechanical keyboards and makes for quieter typing. They
are also ergonomically effective at reducing the shock and stress on your
fingers associated with strong tying.
The Freedom is not assembled with the O-Rings under the keycaps. To
install the O-Rings, you will need to remove the keycaps using the
supplied keycap puller, adding the O-Rings to each key.

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SEMI-ORTHOGONAL LAYOUT
The Zergotech Freedom is designed with our unique and design registered Semi-Orthogonal layout.
This layout was designed to (i) achieve symmetry of reach for each of your fingers, and (ii) minimize the
learning curve with change from a standard flat keyboard.
The Freedom retains the standard keyboard layout as much as possible, adjusting only for the
unergonomic features of standard keyboards. The main changes include aligning the columns of the keys
above the home row, and reallocating the most commonly used keys from the extreme right (Enter,
Backspace, Delete) to the left hand.
This design ensures you a minimal adjustment period and allows you to enjoy the familiarity of standard
keyboards.

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KEY LAYOUTS
The Freedom employs the familiar physical ANSI QWERTY layout while making minimal changes to
common key remappings. ISO keyboards and layouts are also configurable.
The physical locations of the keys have also been designed to retain the standard layout as much as
possible. The top three rows have been vertically aligned to the right to ensure a symmetry of finger reach,
while the home and bottom row remain unchanged as they already exhibit symmetry of reach. This format
ensures a quicker learning curve for users, and a more familiar experience.
The keyboard has integrated the Navigation Keys and Numerical Keypad to provide the full range of keys.
With the improved design, a new proprietary Error key is introduced on Row 5, Column 7. This allows
right-handed reach of Backspace and Delete keys. Dedicated Backspace and Delete keys are also found
to the left most column. Either hand now has access to the error correction keys.
THE DEFAULT LAYOUT
The default layout, indicated by white characters, maintains the standard keyboard layout, with only a
minimal number of key mappings.
The most effective remappings include:
1. Backspace relocated to Row 4, Column 1
2. Delete Key relocated to Row 2, Column 1
3. Enter Key relocated to Row 6, Column 6.

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THE FUNCTION LAYOUT
The Function Layout, indicated by blue characters, is activated by either pressing and holding the FN Shift
key, or the activation of the FN Lock key. This layout activates:
1. Media Keys
2. Navigation Keys
3. Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause, Insert keys
4. Optimized shortcuts
FN Shortcut
Windows Key Combination
MAC OS Key Combination
Reverse Tab
Shift + Tab
Shift + Tab
Select All
CTRL + A
CMD + A
Save
CTRL + S
CMD + S
Find
CTRL + F
CMD + F
Undo
CTRL + Z
CMD + Z
Cut
CTRL + X
CMD + X
Copy
CTRL + C
CMD + C
Paste
CTRL + V
CMD + V
Bold
CTRL + B
CMD + B
Close Window
CTRL + W
CMD + W

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THE NUM LAYOUT
The NUM Layout, indicated by yellow characters, activates a standard Numpad layout. This is integrated
on the right half of the keyboard. The layout is activated by either pressing and holding the NUM Shift, or
by activating the NUM Lock key.
The Tilde (~) key and Grave accent (`) key are located to the top row and right most columns.