ESD Systems - Questions And Answers

Is it possible the ESD will destroy the data through keyboard during an operator working on it? - Achmat Kismiki, BSPP, KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia

It may be possible, but it is not typical for an operator to damage a computer by using its keyboard via an ESD event.

An operator touching an electronic keyboard would fall under the Human Body Model (HBM). If the operator was charged to several kilovolts, a discharge could occur and may travel through the keyboard's I/O cable into the computer. To protect from a HBM incident, the first thing an operator can do is wear a grounded wrist strap. This will keep them at ground potential, which is typically power ground (same ground the computer is running off of).

An un-grounded operator can make use of dissipative and grounded mats under a keyboard and or mouse pads to help reduce charging themselves via triboelectric generation by making frequent direct contact with the mats.

If environmental conditions make tribogeneration a concern then following the guidelines in the ANSI/ESD S20.20 standard can help to reduce the operator to charging above 100 volts.

Another problem to consider is the possibility to experience reboot or reset problems from ESD to computer equipment.

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