k2-mouse

[tlem]

This is k2-mouse. 



Timeline

Ideas and Design
March-July

Shopping
June-August

Assembly
August-October



The initial ideas

• don't use the Teensy2, use the TQFP
• 2 halves
• direct connection between halves
• bluetooth
• able to use a TKL or 104 keyset
• food pedal jacks
• hidden screws
• trackpoint

As you will see, not everything was realized.  Maybe I will revisit some ideas in the future.



Gallery


The case is made of 3 acrylic layers.  The middle is a 9mm white piece.  The bottom (and top) is a 3mm silver piece.  The middle and bottom layers are glued together.  This picture shows the bottom part of the right-hand case.

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The top part of the right-hand case.  The white pieces are glued on and tapped (M2).

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The bottom part of the left-hand case

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The top part of the left-hand case.  The glue is Weld-On 4.

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The left-hand case and PCB.  Some components have been soldered.  The reset button resets the keyboard, but I have to ground PE2 at the same time to enter programming mode.  Maybe this is only for PJRC's 32U4 chip, which I am using.

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The HDMI connector was difficult to solder with an iron.  The pins are about twice as dense as the ATmega32U4.

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The underside of the left-hand PCB

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The right-hand PCB is the same as the left, but I cut off the mini USB part.

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The bottoms of the cases were filed at the location of the stabilizer screws.  O-rings were added to sit in between the PCB and case.

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The MX leads and support legs were trimmed.

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The switches and stabilizers installed

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Laser cutting 9mm pieces is not the best.  One side of the cuts is nice.  The other side not so much.

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Keycaps installed

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The connectors

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Everything is assembled.  The HDMI cable is from Monoprice.  I would have liked to use thin cables from ebay, but they were missing some of the 19 HDMI wires.

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CAD files

The PCB and case was designed in KiCad.  Here are the files.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4DQH9OMBEIAaWgxVmhDT2c1ekU/view?usp=sharing



Cost

The PCB and case cost around $350.  I don't want to add up the rest.



Thanks to

bpiphany's ErgoDox PCB files - has useful footprints
http://ergodox.org/downloads.aspx

komar's GH60 PCB files - BOM has some low price components
http://blog.komar.be/projects/gh60-programmable-keyboard/

hasu's TMK firmware
https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard

matt3o's guide on how to customize TMK
http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/how-to-build-your-very-own-keyboard-firmware-t7177.html

Ivan for his keycap and stabilizer group buys

7bit for switches

jdcarpe for pointing out the 32U4 being sold by PJRC.  When I was shopping, the chip was not in stock in my preferred shop.
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48851.msg1248125#msg1248125

how a key matrix works
http://pcbheaven.com/wikipages/How_Key_Matrices_Works/

learning PWM for AVR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhIRRyhfhLM

[jacobolus]

Some of those keycaps are silly big for the context, but in general, looks awesome! Congrats.

[jacobolus]

What’s the logical layout? I.e. which keys do what, on every layer you use?

[dorkvader]

Oh my goodness that's awesome! It's like a larger, better, ergodox! That HDMI cable is a little overkill with those two ferrites on it: maybe consider replacing it with a lighter cable if you think it's stessing the jacks too much.

I like the fullsize enter key and the use of shift keys for the thumbs. Spacebar for the palm button bump bar is also great. Lots of good ideas here. I also like how you can use normal keycaps on it.

I'd like to know the layout as well.

How are you adjusting to it? I don't know if I'd like the ?/ key on the middle like that, but I'm more used to dvorak placement with it near its counterpart \|

[CPTBadAss]

Actually Jacobus, I think that keycap setup makes a lot of sense. It looks like it's minimal hunting for odd ball caps. A TKL set and some spares some EK if I'm not mistaken. Dorkvader of course pointed this out right before me as well.

Tlem, this is incredible. I too would love to hear what you're layout is. And I love that your using Cherry/GMK caps. Would it be possible to see a typing test or video?

Regardless, great job and thank you for the build log.

[nubbinator]

There are very few projects that make me stop and go holy crap. This is one of them.  It looks fantastic and pretty damn easy to use...if I could get used to the new layout in the middle.  It makes sense, but it's still an unusual one.

How is the palm space bar working?  It's an usual concept that I could see potentially causing ergonomic issues from flexing your wrist up and down. 

[obra]

Very, very nice work!

[tlem]

Here is my key map.  I am only using 1 layer.  I don't use the ones with red letters, so I will either not use them or remap them later.



I would like to get cables without the ferrite cores, but I am not sure where to get short ones with all 19 pins connected.

[dorkvader]

omg I love it. Please tell me you have a spare set of PCBs available.

Since you have 19-pin HDMI cables, might I assume you are just transposing the matrix from one side to the other?

[nubbinator]

Oh, I like the space bar as control. The layout looks a lot easier to get adjusted to now, but would make for awkward Ctrl+Alt combos. 

Don't let tp see this though, he may have to give up on his precious ergodox.

[dorkvader]

Oh, I like the space bar as control. The layout looks a lot easier to get adjusted to now, but would make for awkward Ctrl+Alt combos. 

Don't let tp see this though, he may have to give up on his precious ergodox.

Yeah Some people (myself included) already use CTRL with the palm of their hands (I have flexible fingers, not as bad as paganini though)  so this is an easy step.

B'sides you can use them for basically anything. I love it. I'd probably use them as function or ctrl, depending on what layout.

[jacobolus]

Actually Jacobus, [sic] I think that keycap setup makes a lot of sense.

I didn’t say it didn’t make sense! I said it was silly. :-)

[tlem]

omg I love it. Please tell me you have a spare set of PCBs available.

Since you have 19-pin HDMI cables, might I assume you are just transposing the matrix from one side to the other?

Sorry I don't have extras.

The 7 rows on the left are connected to the same 7 rows on the right.  7 unused pins from the 32U4 are connected to the columns on the right.  Then I can configure TMK as if it was a 7 row, 14 column board.  2 unused pins are also connected to leds on the right (F5, F6, F7, and F8 are leds).

[Coreda]

Came in expecting a mouse I'd never heard of  ) Is it a reference to something? Either way, very nice work there OP 

Edit: I must be blind, didn't notice the trackpoint in the description, although I can't see it in the photos.

[frosty]

Ya! I thought you made a orb weaver with mouse functions like a mouse keyboard of sorts

[cinnamonrollz]

Smoking k2 is bad. Dont try it. Won't likely mix with mouse very well