deskthority

Here's a concept design for a keyboard that may be used either as a standalone keyboard or as a Linux-based computing environment. Here is a video overview.

I want to manufacture this keyboard under an Open Source licence. What are your thoughts about this design? Would a Kickstarter be the best way to go?

Ah, we are viewing it from the wrong angle... The keys that look like funky function keys are modifiers under the bottom row.

I would say that Kickstarter is only for commercial projects, but others may disagree...
If I were you I would see if it would be worth it to make it as an "upgrade kit" for the Planck keyboard, or at least see if some Planck parts could be leveraged.

Aye, you'd need a very strong show of community interest indeed before Kickstarter could be viable. Most projects there fail without a whisper. Things have got to have widespread appeal. Personal projects like this are seldom hits, even on the forum, let alone further afield. Everyone seems to have their own different something they're after…

Handmaking one for yourself, and updating a thread with progress and pictures, that's definitely doable. There's quite a few projects like that here in the Workshop.

Findecanor wrote: ↑Ah, we are viewing it from the wrong angle... The keys that look like funky function keys are modifiers under the bottom row.

I came up with the idea independently but it turns out I I stole the it.[\url]

Findecanor wrote: ↑I would say that Kickstarter is only for commercial projects, but others may disagree...
If I were you I would see if it would be worth it to make it as an "upgrade kit" for the [url=http://ortholinearkeyboards.com/planck]Planck keyboard, or at least see if some Planck parts could be leveraged.

"Therein," said the great sage, "lies the rub." Kickstarter programs need to have a wide commercial appeal while this design is definitely a niche product.

Insightfully, you mentioned the Planck--Jack's design is a huge influence on my work.

Muirium wrote: ↑Aye, you'd need a very strong show of community interest indeed before Kickstarter could be viable. Most projects there fail without a whisper. Things have got to have widespread appeal. Personal projects like this are seldom hits, even on the forum, let alone further afield. Everyone seems to have their own different something they're after…

Handmaking one for yourself, and updating a thread with progress and pictures, that's definitely doable. There's quite a few projects like that here in the Workshop.

I didn't know about the workshop, thank you! I see from a few posts what others have done to go from concept to working prototype. It's time to get out the xacto knife.

The Workshop's one of the best bits of DT. And some of its best bits in turn lie in this thread:

http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/work ... t7192.html

You'll find valuable info on controller construction and matrix making in there.

Muirium wrote: ↑ [snip]

Handmaking one for yourself, and updating a thread with progress and pictures, that's definitely doable. There's quite a few projects like that here in the Workshop.

I didn't know about the workshop, thank you! I see from a few posts what others have done to go from concept to working prototype. It's time to get out the xacto knife.

I have another idea. The design calls for a "loosely specific" software configuration to be most effective. The environment takes some doing to get right. I'd like to a) release the configuration files as open source and b) make the keyboard a kind of thin client, perhaps using the Guacamole HTML5 clientless remote desktop gateway.

Update: new design features:

a) measures shorter overall
b) modified the angle of the meta keys (30 degrees)
c. exported to STL for rendering in Blender (coming soon)



As a reminder here is a short video describing it's features and operatiing environment.

cstevens wrote: ↑I came up with the idea independently but it turns out I [url=http://i.imgur.com/USaQaIG.jpg]I stole the it.[\url]

There are not many pictures of Protomic DataStealth prototype out there on the web. ...

Most of all though, the slanting of those keys remind me of the lowest-most row on the Kinesis contoured. It is like your keyboard is a 40%-version of the Kinesis..

A full render to check aesthetics:

Here's your orthographic side render:

Version 2:

• * Lowered Space/Shift Key Deck
  * Low Profile Modifier/Space Cluster keys

Top render with keycap legend

Crowdsupply would be the platform of choice for open projects.

To me, it looks the wrong way round.


Ideally, you just run the group buy here and post at Geekhack that there is yet another keyboard group buy. No crowdfunding platform needed!

That will be more compelling once you finally ship any of your many projects!

I hit on an idea, inspired by the Orion glass cockpit project, to make the F1 useful as a computing environment in it's own right even given it's compact (though still full as far as your hands are concerned) size.

I will put a Bluetooth module in the device. For the slight extra expense you get the ability to have your phone or tablet serve as a secondary keyboard/mouse device.

The way it will work is that the keyboard will look at the active window on the PC and display a keyboard template for the given application you are working in. If you are working in a word processor, for example, your tablet will display all the available keyboard shortcuts for that word processor. If you press any of the Meta keys, the displayed template will show the keyboard shortcuts for the pressed modifier.

Keyboard shortcuts are great but they're often hidden while working with an application. This gives you access to those shortcuts in real-time.

If your tablet detects your moving your finger across it's surface it will forward your movement to the main PC as mouse movements.

I hope to render a concept image soon.

Top: F1 in "active state mode." The keyboard knows the active application running on your computer and changes it's display in context. While in the application the display will change also as modifier keys are pressed.

The display surface may be touched to engage a keyboard shortcut or used as a mouse.

Bottom Left: Orthographic view of active state mode.

Bottom Right: Keyboard in PDA/Alarm Clock mode.