Arrow Keys History

First Keyboard with Embedded Arrow Keys

Who invented the arrow keys?

The first keyboard to have embedded arrow keys is probably SAIL Keyboard. 1970. Although not dedicated arrow keys. It has arrows ← → ↔ ↑ ↓ embedded on J K L ; :

← → ↔ ↑ ↓
j k l ; :

The ADM-3A Terminal year 1976 is probably also a big influence.

• 
  ADM-3A, 1976

First keyboard with dedicated arrow keys

The first to have dedicated arrows is maybe Space Cadet Keyboard (year ~1980) It has thumb keys 👍 👎 👈 👉 But these keys are not documented in manual. Not used by default.

Arrow Keys Arrangement

Inverted T

first inverted T arrangement is probably DEC LK201 keyboard, 1983.

• 
  DEC VT220 + LK201, 1983

left down up right

First is probably ADM-3A terminal, 1976

up down left right

left right down up

• 
  Apple IIe, 1983

• 
  Apple IIe Platinum, 1987

• 
  Apple Standard Keyboard M0116, 1987

Cross

• 
  MSX, 1983

• 
  Mykey, 1994

Diamond

• 
  SHARP MZ-700 PC, Year 1982

Horizontal Diamond

• 
  Truly Ergonomic 2016

Arrows Square

• 
  Atari 400/800, 1979

Split Arrows

• 
  Kinesis, 1991

Efficiency of Arrow Keys Arrangement

Arrow Keys Arrangement Efficiency: vim HJKL vs IJKL

[history of the inverted T arrow key arrangement on keyboard 1998 By Jim Burrows. At http://www.eldacur.com/~brons/NerdCorner/InverseT-History.html ]

2018-07 thanks to Marcin Wichary

2018-07-12 to read [The Keys To Success. A lot of early video game consoles secretly wanted to be home computers, too: Their makers either sold keyboard add-ons or failed miserably in the process. 2017-04-27 By Ernie Smith. At https://tedium.co/2017/04/27/video-games-keyboards-intellivision/ ]