Keycaps with raised letters?

[theseheights]

Hi, I live in Australia and I was wondering if anyone knows where I can get custom keycaps for cherry MX switches that have raised lettering so I can feel what each letter/number/etc is that's on the key?

[ideus]

All I can think about are the keyboards that have those cheap printed letters, but the letters thickness is very thin and while it can be feel, there is no way that may be useful for something. What you want sounds more in the line of braille. I have never heard of braille caps for MX boards.

[Lastpilot]

You can get engraved legends, which is the opposite of raised legends :]

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

There are very few keycap sellers in Australia.  Most of us just buy from overseas

I haven't heard of any keycaps with raised letters (not that there aren't any, I just haven't heard of them).

Assuming you don't mean braille (which gets discussed here form time to time), would you be able to differentiate Roman letters if they were embossed on the keycaps?

Is there a particular reason for asking?  I work and game in a dark environment, and I find that backlit suffices.  Or lighter keycaps with dark legends.  Otherwise I just tend to touch-type, and hence don't look at the keyboard that much.

[theseheights]

Welcome to Geekhack!

There are very few keycap sellers in Australia.  Most of us just buy from overseas

I haven't heard of any keycaps with raised letters (not that there aren't any, I just haven't heard of them).

Assuming you don't mean braille (which gets discussed here form time to time), would you be able to differentiate Roman letters if they were embossed on the keycaps?

Is there a particular reason for asking?  I work and game in a dark environment, and I find that backlit suffices.  Or lighter keycaps with dark legends.  Otherwise I just tend to touch-type, and hence don't look at the keyboard that much.

I'm fine buying from overseas if anyone can think of any that would ship to Australia.

Reason I'm looking for them is that I'm a writer and my vision has been decreasing steadily over the years, and my optometrist said there's a chance I might go blind in the future. Raised letters on my keyboard would be much, much easier for me to get used to as a guide for making sure I'm hitting the right keys if I do go blind rather than having to learn braille. I'd have to learn braille to some extent, obviously, but I'd still prefer raised letters on my keyboard.

I've seen some keycaps that have things like raised skulls/etc on them, so I didn't think it'd be too much of a stretch to find raised lettering. Looks like I might have to see if I can get any specially made.

[rowdy]

I'm fine buying from overseas if anyone can think of any that would ship to Australia.

Reason I'm looking for them is that I'm a writer and my vision has been decreasing steadily over the years, and my optometrist said there's a chance I might go blind in the future. Raised letters on my keyboard would be much, much easier for me to get used to as a guide for making sure I'm hitting the right keys if I do go blind rather than having to learn braille. I'd have to learn braille to some extent, obviously, but I'd still prefer raised letters on my keyboard.

I've seen some keycaps that have things like raised skulls/etc on them, so I didn't think it'd be too much of a stretch to find raised lettering. Looks like I might have to see if I can get any specially made.

That kinda sucks   My eyes are gradually going, but I have a good few years left I hope!

The biggest problem with these, whether raised letters or braille, is that each keycap is unique.

The skull and other designs are a single design with a single profile i.e. they are designed for the top row only (mostly).

For an ergonomic layout you would need the different height keys for each row, and a unique raised pattern on each key.

I'd suggest if you are looking at potentially learning braille, it would be better to start with braille keycaps from the start.

You might, might, also be able to raise some interest with visually challenged groups perhaps to make a few sets of braille keycaps, which might help to lower the costs a bit.

[Findecanor]

You can get engraved legends, which is the opposite of raised legends :]

Sometimes "engraved with infill" has the fill quite raised, but I can't feel the difference between keys - the script would have to be larger than normal, I think.

Maybe you could print raised letters with a 3D printer and ABS filament on top of blank ABS keys.

But anyway, I think you should learn to type using multiple fingers, using muscle memory so you won't have to see or feel the keys. Then you would only need to feel where the "homing keys" (F and J) are to position your hands and start typing from there. That is why F and J are different (bars, dots or scooped).

[Eszett]

You can get engraved legends, which is the opposite of raised legends :]

Yea, and when I long for a white T-Shirt, you'll tell me there is a black one waiting for me? :-)

Personally I think raised letters would be a fancy thing, but the productions process would be laborious. The most sensible method would be to glue some attachment on the top of each keycap. Or "engraved with infill", as mentioned above.

[ideus]

I'm very sorry your vision is getting weaker. What I suggest is, if braille is not your thing, you can learn to touch type and use some alternate profiles in your keyboard at your preferred positions in the keyboard as extra references. I am currently using DSA along with cherry profile just for fun, and I found is now very easy for me to find certain keys than before by touch only. The differences in height allow you to use them as references.

[Eszett]

Here is one example for raised letters: http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Monster-Silver-Esc-Metallic-Relief-Cherry-MX-Keycap-/231063479091?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35cc74e333

[rowdy]

Here is one example for raised letters: http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Monster-Silver-Esc-Metallic-Relief-Cherry-MX-Keycap-/231063479091?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35cc74e333 (Attachment Link)

~AU$8 - for a full size board ~ AU$800

[theseheights]

Here is one example for raised letters: http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Monster-Silver-Esc-Metallic-Relief-Cherry-MX-Keycap-/231063479091?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35cc74e333 (Attachment Link)

That's exactly what I'm after. Pity there's not a full set. I'll keep looking, though, or figure something out. Or learn how to touch type, if I really have to.

[nrd]

If you're a writer you should definitely learn to touch-type anyway. It's so much faster, not overly hard to learn and all keyboards come with all the markings you need already in place (bumps on F and J and the NumPad 5).

[ideus]

If you are a writer, why you do not touch type?

[theseheights]

If you are a writer, why you do not touch type?

Because I've been stuck in a weird habit of mostly typing with my right hand and doing capslock with my left hand ever since I started using a computer at 13. I'm fast at typing with one hand, so I never really tried too hard to change (except one time in high school when I had to do a touch typing class, but I gave up on that because it was "too difficult").

It's hard breaking old habits that I've had for 16 years, but I might have to start trying to learn. I can currently type without looking at my keyboard too often, but there's always some keys I need to look at.

[fohat.digs]

If you are a writer, why you do not touch type?

Because I've been stuck in a weird habit of mostly typing with my right hand and doing capslock with my left hand ever since I started using a computer at 13. I'm fast at typing with one hand, so I never really tried too hard to change (except one time in high school when I had to do a touch typing class, but I gave up on that because it was "too difficult").

It's hard breaking old habits that I've had for 16 years, but I might have to start trying to learn. I can currently type without looking at my keyboard too often, but there's always some keys I need to look at.

To move this into a psychological or existential conversation, buying a set of braille keys now and using them for "x" amount of time, while your sight is still intact, might be a great "backdoor" approach to learning braille for when you really need it.

Sometime in the future, your fingertips will instinctively recognize the bumps without you ever having gone through the motions of actively "learning" it.

Or maybe not, I have off-the-wall ideas sometimes.

[theseheights]

If you are a writer, why you do not touch type?

Because I've been stuck in a weird habit of mostly typing with my right hand and doing capslock with my left hand ever since I started using a computer at 13. I'm fast at typing with one hand, so I never really tried too hard to change (except one time in high school when I had to do a touch typing class, but I gave up on that because it was "too difficult").

It's hard breaking old habits that I've had for 16 years, but I might have to start trying to learn. I can currently type without looking at my keyboard too often, but there's always some keys I need to look at.

To move this into a psychological or existential conversation, buying a set of braille keys now and using them for "x" amount of time, while your sight is still intact, might be a great "backdoor" approach to learning braille for when you really need it.

Sometime in the future, your fingertips will instinctively recognize the bumps without you ever having gone through the motions of actively "learning" it.

Or maybe not, I have off-the-wall ideas sometimes.

That's actually a pretty good idea. Definitely worth a try. Thanks.

[ideus]

I just can say that I really regret that someone is loosing his sight. I hope you find a way around to keep writing.

[rowdy]

Maybe vaguely related, or potentially useful to someone ...

Braille phone goes on sale