Split ergonomic keyboard project

[litster]

Thanks. I will test again tonight with resistors added.

[dox]

You can use it with only the controller hand connected but you absolutly need the resistors on the controller side.

I also thing that you need the additional usb connector installed for it to work.

[bisl]

I really enjoy reading through these details--it's great to see this coming along. Nice work!

[litster]

having all the resistors installed was not enough. I had to connect teensy's USB to the PCB USB connector. Now the keyboard is recognized, but the key mapping is all wrong. Does the source on github have some kind of usable default layout?

Also, it would be really nice to be able to have ergodox's firmware loaded and the teensy recognized without needing all the components soldered. Is there a reason for this requirement?

[ic07]

Sorry about the key mapping... I've checked it as well as I can with a breadboard, I'll have to check again when my board's soldered. If it's the firmware that's all messed up, it'll probably be a matter of fixing the macro that maps the physical location of the keys to their place in the matrix once's they're scanned. There's only one layout that's implemented at the moment, whether you download the latest .hex or compile it yourself.

I can't think of a reason why the Teensy and PCB USB connectors would *have* to be connected... I was certain that power and ground were connected to the board no matter which connecter you used, and the data lines don't matter as long as they get from the Teensy to the computer. Hmm...

As for needing the 2.2kΩ resistors: IIRC, it's because I2C is open drain - so without pull-ups, the pins are going from low to hi-Z, and the Teensy has no way of knowing whether there's a chip on the other end talking or not (it can't even reliably determine that its messages weren't acknowledged).

[litster]

Good, as long as the mapping in the current firmware has not been confirmed yet, then maybe I can look in the mapping array to map it right. I just worry that I messed something up while soldering the PCB.

The best would be that we can flash firmware onto an unsoldered teensy and can verify the teeny is running the ergodox firmware without any soldering. It will be easier to debug problems if the teensy can work individually by itself.

Or if dox already has an older working version of the firmware, I can test my PCB's matrix with that firmware first to verify my soldering is good.

[mikelanding]

Not sure am I too late for this awesome ergo KB. Put me 1 in prefer fully assembled. A native Mac compatible without need any software will be great.
No restriction on price.
Had develop RSI recently due to long hour in front of PC.

Thank OP for this great idea

[ic07]

I thought bpiphany said it looked like it was working a while ago, but I'd have to go back and look... If you find anything, let me know

All that should be necessary for basic tests would be pull-up resistors on the I2C pins. If that's all you were doing, a couple alligator clips with some resistors between Vcc and each of those would suffice, I would think... Can't think of a way around that.

The older version Dox was using was for the 1st rev of prototype boards, so it wouldn't be much help here.

@mikelanding: You're not too late Dorkvader should be around to add you to the list presently.

[bpiphany]

It looks like I did a small blunder with the VCC line. The VCC pin on the Teensy isn't actually connected to anything on the board. So yes, you'd need to at least jumper that pin to the VCC pad for the external USB port. Otherwise the pull-up resistors don't have access to VCC at all. It's a bit silly, there isn't even any traces in the way to route VCC over there. I just overlooked the need for it. Next revision...

[litster]

Cool! Beta tester found a bug! I will check on the layout mapping next. See if I can find the mapping code in the source

[ic07]

:) Part of me wants you to find it yourself, so you can let me know what you think of my code organization... But that wouldn't be nice, so here it is :) . And layouts are defined here.

[litster]

Part of me wants you to find it yourself, so you can let me know what you think of my code organization... But that wouldn't be nice, so here it is . And layouts are defined here.

Thanks. Just took a quick look and I am on my way out to lunch. Before I go, i want to ask this. Looks like you already have the matrix mapped out, why doesn't it works as it is now? Have you tested it on your ergodox? Thanks.

[ic07]

Don't have mine completely soldered up yet... hopefully today! I took the mapping from the drawings bpiphany gave me, so it *should* work...

[litster]

hum, maybe I will wait for you to get yours soldered and have the fimware tested first.

[ic07]

Got it . The mapping works fine on mine... Haven't really used it more than to test that though, yet. I'll post pics later

[litster]

I redownloaded your firmware instead of building it myself and this time it works. All right hand side keys work except SW2:7 doesn't do anything.

Now I will solder the left hand side

[justcallmecrash]

This is exciting!

[litster]

I finished the right side, minus confirmation that I soldered the capacitor correctly. Unfortunately I didn't order the 3.5mm cable. So I won't be able to test the right side until next week.

[ic07]

Weird that your build didn't work... I thought Dox had compiled it under windows before, but maybe it's been a while. If some non-portable stuff snuck in there somehow, I'll have to look at it some time.

SW2:7 (and SW2:6, on the left hand side) are the layer shift keys... Everyone always thinks they don't do anything, lol.

Sorry about your TRRS cable... If you lived closer, I'd trade you for a spare USB connecter... (since that's what I forgot...). Yay for the rest though

Pics!

Spoiler:

Note: the only really important thing that you can't see is that the Teensy Vcc pin is jumpered to the board's USB 5V pin, per bpiphany's instructions.

[dirge]

Looking good lads! Feels like were getting real close now.

[localredhead]

Please put me down as an interested member. I am willing to purchase ANY form of this keyboard in order to have it ASAP. I would love to beta test - I am a computer programmer and I have electrical experience.

[regack]

Weird that your build didn't work... I thought Dox had compiled it under windows before, but maybe it's been a while. If some non-portable stuff snuck in there somehow, I'll have to look at it some time.

SW2:7 (and SW2:6, on the left hand side) are the layer shift keys... Everyone always thinks they don't do anything, lol.

Sorry about your TRRS cable... If you lived closer, I'd trade you for a spare USB connecter... (since that's what I forgot...). Yay for the rest though

I like the sewn on protective padding... very creative. Is it also non-slip?

[ic07]

I like the sewn on protective padding... very creative. Is it also non-slip?

Thanks . It's yoga mat - so it actually, for me, has the perfect blend of static and kinetic friction (I don't like my keyboard moving for no reason, but I do like to slide it around a lot).

[bisl]

Thanks . It's yoga mat

Ah, nice. I've been curious how well the board could be used without a case, since without a lot of circuitry/soldering experience (or almost any, really) I figured it might be bad for it to be sitting on the pins sticking through the back of the board. Cool!

Also, reading through this thread I'm as excited as I've been all year. This is great!

[litster]

3.5mm cables came in. But with the cable plugged in, my left hand side doesn't work. Not sure what to do next. On my right hand side PCB, the black band on the diodes are on the square pad side.

With the left hand side PCB, should the black band of the diodes still be on the square pad side, or do I need to flip them as well?

[ic07]

I have the diodes with the black band on the square side on both sides of the board. It sounds like you do too, but on the off chance that I misread: it's not hard to change the diode direction in the firmware - I made a macro option for it.

I dunno what to suggest either, assuming you've already broken out the multimeter and checked your connections... :/

[litster]

Correct, I have black band of the diodes on the square pad side on both PCBs. I will need to do more multimeter debugging. Any suggestions would be great.

[dox]

Did you place the jumpers correctly on the side of the TRRS connector? Any photo of your PCBs?

[Ian S]

Will this keyboard work via passing through a Cherry number pad? Sorry if this is already answered earlier.

Or would both separately plug into USB? Or the number pad into the PS2? I use the built in number pad daily. I'll need one.

Is it possible to make a wireless version of this ErgoDox?

[ic07]

Will this keyboard work via passing through a Cherry number pad? Sorry if this is already answered earlier.

Or would both separately plug into USB? Or the number pad into the PS2? I use the built in number pad daily. I'll need one.

Is it possible to make a wireless version of this ErgoDox?

It looks like the Cherry number pad has a 1-port USB hub in it. If so, the ErgoDOX could certainly plug in to that. Alternatively, depending on you use case, you might want to try using the integrated number pad on the ErgoDOX. Check back periodically, if you like, for when we start posting more detailed pictures of the layouts.

Only the right hand side will have a USB port. The left hand side connects to the right hand side via a TRRS cabal. Doing things differently would require DIY hardware and software mods.

Somebody mentioned that they were going to make theirs wireless. For the group buy though they'll all be wired, as implementing wireless would 1) require batteries, which Dox specifically doesn't want, 2) make things more expensive, and 3) make things *much* harder to put together. It'd essentially be a redesign, both in hardware and software, and there isn't time for it this time around.