A handset for controlling a device having a plurality of movable elements, optionally wherein the device is a surgical operating table and the elements comprise segments of a tabletop of the surgical operating table, the handset comprising: a housing; a display on a front face of the housing, the display being divided into a plurality of zones, each zone including at least one icon switch, each icon switch being aligned with a respective associated icon, wherein each icon identifies a respective element or group of elements of a device to be controlled by the respective icon switch, wherein the plurality of zones are serially arranged on the display to form a series of columns of icon switches arranged on the display, each zone comprising a respective column and at least one of the columns comprising a plurality of icon switches, a plurality of physical switches on the front face, each physical switch being associated with a respective zone, and wherein each physical switch is configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone, the plurality of physical switches including: a first physical switch configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone along a first translational orientation associated with vertical motion of the element or elements of the device; a second physical switch configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone along a second translational orientation which is orthogonal to the first translational orientation and is associated with horizontal motion of the element or elements of the device; and a third physical switch configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone in a rotational orientation, and a control mechanism within the housing which is connected to the plurality of icon switches and the plurality of physical switches, the control mechanism being arranged to generate an output control signal for transmission to the device in response to an input command at the plurality of icon switches and the plurality of physical switches. a housing; a display on a front face of the housing, the display being divided into a plurality of zones, each zone including at least one icon switch, each icon switch being aligned with a respective associated icon, wherein each icon identifies a respective element or group of elements of a device to be controlled by the respective icon switch, wherein the plurality of zones are serially arranged on the display to form a series of columns of icon switches arranged on the display, each zone comprising a respective column and at least one of the columns comprising a plurality of icon switches, a plurality of physical switches on the front face, each physical switch being associated with a respective zone, and wherein each physical switch is configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone, the plurality of physical switches including: a first physical switch configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone along a first translational orientation associated with vertical motion of the element or elements of the device; a second physical switch configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone along a second translational orientation which is orthogonal to the first translational orientation and is associated with horizontal motion of the element or elements of the device; and a third physical switch configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone in a rotational orientation, and a first physical switch configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone along a first translational orientation associated with vertical motion of the element or elements of the device; a second physical switch configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone along a second translational orientation which is orthogonal to the first translational orientation and is associated with horizontal motion of the element or elements of the device; and a third physical switch configured to control movement of the element or elements shown by the icon or icons in the respective zone in a rotational orientation, and a control mechanism within the housing which is connected to the plurality of icon switches and the plurality of physical switches, the control mechanism being arranged to generate an output control signal for transmission to the device in response to an input command at the plurality of icon switches and the plurality of physical switches.