How does it work?

The keyboard

The keyboard

• Oldest computer accessory (~1870)

• Hasn't changed a lot

• ~104 keys

• QWERTY

QWERTY

• 1873, Christopher Latham Sholes

• to avoid jams

• far from optimal

• used everywhere, even on phones

Endless list of alternatives:Dvorak, Colemak, Workman, ...

Common keyboards

• Rubber dome "switches" + membrane

• Low quality

• Cheap

• 99%

Common problems

• bottom-actuation

• membrane is vulnerable

• staggering

• ghosting

• max. 2-3 key rollover

Mechanical keyboards

• PCB

• Plate

• Switches

• Keycaps

• Case

• Controller

PCB

PCB

PCB

Plate

Plate

Plate

Plate

Keyswitches

Cherry MX family

• Black - linear, 60g

• Red - linear, 45g

• Brown - tactile, 45g

• Clear - tactile, 55g

• Blue - clicky, 50g

... and endless customization: replaceable stems, custom springs, leds, lubing...

Bulking spring, Hall-effect, mechanical, ...

Keycaps

profile - SA, DCS, DSA, ...

color

material - ABS, PBT

captions - font, position, double shot, laser-etched, dye-sub, ...

Keycaps

profile - SA, DCS, DSA, ...

color

material - ABS, PBT

captions - font, position, double shot, laser-etched, dye-sub, ...

Case

• old keyboard cases

• made of wood

• laser cut acrylic

• 3D printed

• CNC cut aluminium (anodized)

Controller

• mostly Atmel microcontrollers

• ErgoDox: Teensy 2.0 (ATMEGA32U4, 16MHz)

• Arduino compatible, Teensyduino

• gnu avr toolchain

• USB HID is well specified :)

https://github.com/dyuri/ergodox-firmware

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Written on an ErgoDox.2013, György HorákImages and most info from geekhack.org and deskthority.net.

Thanks!