The Kord® Grip 
The Kord® Grip is a prototype 6-button hand controller which was originally designed to operate the SeaSlate underwater computer. Its 6 buttons are housed in a solid polyurethane moulded hand piece. When used in conjunction with patented Kord® Interface Technology the grip enables the SeaSlate to be controlled with one hand.

Each Kord® Grip has two thumb buttons which enable it to be used by either right or left-handed users (by mounting it upside down). The second thumb button can also be used to deactivate the other buttons, if required. Kord® Software is needed to support these features.

Each button consists of a plastic piston and conical stainless steel spring which fit within a small hole (cylinder) in the moulded hand piece. Hall-effect sensors are used in the switch mechanism. They detect a small magnet which is embedded within the wall of each piston. When the magnet is adjacent to the sensor, appropriate circuitry sends a signal to the computer. A spring returns the button to its “open”, or resting position, once it is released.

The buttons are flooded when underwater, meaning that water enters behind the piston. Thus pressure compensation is not required, whilst tested to 50m, it will have a bottom limit far greater. Each button has an activation force of approximately 100 grams

The buttons are retained by a small plastic screw and can be removed so that the switch chamber can be cleaned and any small particles removed.

The hand piece, which contains an internal stainless steel backbone, has considerable rigidity. The Kord® Grip can be mounted from both the top and bottom using stainless steel screws.

Specifications 
(subject to change without notice)

Hand piece: moulded polyurethane with perforated stainless steel backbone
Moulding colours: blue, black, red
Buttons: Delrin (red)
Switches: hall effect sensor
Springs: conical wound stainless steel (100 grams force)
Screws: plastic and stainless steel
Hose: abrasion resistant pressure hose (1000 mm)
stainless steel stem; 10-way data cable
External Dimensions: 180 mm (height) x 80mm (width) x 100mm (length)
Cable: 1000 mm (length) x 15mm (thickness)
Weight: 800 gms (in air)
Depth Rating 50m (tested); 30m (operational)