Finally, a keyboard I can connect my garden hose to!
Could call it the "sprinkler"...
Some more details:
- Choc switches (crystal reds)
- PBT keycaps from aliexpress
- Handwired (PCB possible, maybe...)
- Seeeduino XIAO SAMD21
- Built-in 15-degree tent angle
- Steel plate at bottom for weight and sound dampening, hopefully
- 4-pin microphone connectors to connect the halves
- 30-key layout inspired by Hummingbird
Excellent work! I’ve wanted to implement this feature in a future keyboard as well. The angle of pinky columns on Dactyl keyboards have always felt a bit weird to me since the row curvature achieves the exact opposite of this.
Actually, some of the later Maltron keyboards have angled columns like this.
yay, two pinky gang!
Personally I prefer still having 3 keys on the inner index column as I find it easier to hit inner column keys if they are part of one of the rows (and I only use the homerow pinky + don't like chords, so having 3 inner column keys per half is preferable to me).
Naming wise, you could always go for silly portmanteaus like "scoolp" (scoop + sculpted) or "scoob / scooboard" (scoop + keeb / keyboard) ;)
Thanks! With that much stagger on the pinky column, and the pinky being significantly shorter, it just made sense to me.
Awesome! The only other keyboard I've seen this on is the Ergowarp. I couldn't quite manage to tweak it properly, and I have so many nice-to-have requirements floating around in my head that I can't progress with a design. Well done!
I get that, this design has been brewing for years with no visible progress until recently.
The way the pinky row meets your pinky in the final picture is really satisfying. Its hard to tell using just the last picture, but I think your typing position has your fingers a bit more extended than mine and your typing, while still largely with the tips of your fingers, I'm even closer to the direct tips than you are with more finger curl while typing.
If I do the same smiley-face exercise, I only get the smiley-face if I don't bend my knuckles very far. As I curl my fingers in more towards either my knuckles or center of my hand, the smiley face disappears and even eventually inverts (though that inversion happens far past what would be comfortable for typing). The amount of curl I have for my normal typing is pretty neutral and doesn't really make the smiley face.
Interesting, thanks for playing along. I guess fingers vary here. If you don't get the smiley face for typing, I guess you prefer a flat board as opposed to a sculpted board? Do you see a similar amount of inwards angle on your fingers?
Great project. It is really nice to see other 30 key boards. I daily drive a Rommana today and would really like to try one of these. Are you planning to make this project open source?
Good to hear. Yes I will make this open source, hopefully within a couple weeks.
It's an interesting design. I wonder if that could work with high profile MX switches and keycaps.
In Dactyls, the reason keys often face inward is as to keep key tops is close to each other as possible. Facing outward would obviously have the opposite effect, but with low profile keys it is less noticeable.
Now, there is one case you really want the keys closer, it is between 2 columns belonging to the same finger.
You're right, it wouldn't necessarily work as well with high profile MX switches, unless someone has bigger hands. Having only 2 keys on the inner index column helps to mitigate some of the extra reaching - but, that's not for everyone. Ideally there would be no inner index column. One day...
I'm not sure that I'd like a convex shape, but I love to see it. Nice work.
It's actually concave, in that the pinky and index are higher off the table, like in the Dactyl. It looks convex in the photo because the columns are angled outwards. The other photos might show this better. EDIT: I picked a better photo for the post to make the shape clearer.
Ah, that was a confusing perspective.
~~Convex in the X direction, concave in Y one, it's a saddle shape, isn't it?~~
Edit. Ah no sorry it's more subtle: there is a stairway effect. The keys face outward, but those in the middle are indeed deeper!
Really interesting! I'm not sure I'm willing to drop below 34, but this design makes me want to consider it.
ErgoMechKeyboards
Ergonomic, split and other weird keyboards
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Some useful links
- EMK wiki
- Split keyboard compare tool
- Compare keycap profiles Looking for another set of keycaps - check this site to compare the different keycap profiles https://www.keycaps.info/
- Keymap database A database with all kinds of keymap layouts - some of them fits ergo keyboards - get inspired https://keymapdb.com/