Author Topic: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)  (Read 5031 times)

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Offline Tarzan

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Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 08:06:51 »
Posting this write-up here in case anyone else runs across these kits.  As noted in the title, despite the look of the key switches and keycaps, these are not MX-compatible.   :(

Looking good so far, nice mix of custom cap legends and colors...  Keyboard emulator?  Looks like most of a full keyboard to me.
36912-0

Pretty simple PCB, I think these units were used in a college classroom
36914-1

Cham-Bana!  When these were copyrighted/made, I was going to college a few miles away, and even dated a sorority girl from there.  (Delta Delta Delta. Huh, the things that linger in one's memory...)
36916-2

Medium thick caps, all one profile - almost flat.  Switches are flat with a cross-shaped stem...
36918-3

But NOT MX-compatible.  Stems are thicker than Cherry MX, the caps won't fit Cherry switches, nor will Cherry keycaps fit these switches. 
36920-4

Pretty simple switch mechanism (more pics later once I desolder one...), uses a flat spring to hold the stem up.
36922-5

Old Intel chip
36924-6

And there you have it.  A board full of incompatible switches, not useful for very much except soldering practice.  Kind of nice aluminum cases, could be used for a project box (on the large side...).  I may try to dremel out the stems on a few of these, do Ripster's keycap mod, if I run out of other projects.   :rolleyes:
36926-7

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« Last Edit: Thu, 26 September 2013, 08:19:39 by Greystoke »

Offline SpAmRaY

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Re: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 08:11:48 »
Too bad those key caps are not compatible they look pretty cool!

Offline terran5992

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Re: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 08:18:20 »
Cool ****

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Offline Tarzan

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Re: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 08:23:09 »
Those keycaps were what motivated me to buy them, I may try modding the red/green ones, they have interesting legends.  Just pad-printed (I think), not double-shot or anything.

Very industrial, in keeping with their intended use. 

http://web.vtc.edu/elm/projects/2003-2004/Rhino/Important%20Documents/Manual/Manual.html

Too bad those key caps are not compatible they look pretty cool!

Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 08:31:30 »
Whoa. That's sweet. What do you think it was used to control or was hooked up to Greystroke?

Offline Tarzan

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Re: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 08:48:35 »
Looks like a line of bench-top robotic assembly/manufacturing systems.

Company seems to be focused on the educational market, teaching students how to program and use robotics systems.

http://rhinorobotics.com/

36932-0

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Huge-Lot-of-Rhino-Robotic-Arms-Conveyors-XR-Series-Experimental-Robot-/141059112536

Whoa. That's sweet. What do you think it was used to control or was hooked up to Greystroke?
« Last Edit: Thu, 26 September 2013, 08:51:24 by Greystoke »

Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 08:55:28 »
Um, let's get a groupbuy on THOSE. Those look like a ton of fun!

Offline xiaodian317

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Re: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 08:58:30 »
Just like the CHERRY M8 Switch

Offline Tarzan

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Re: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 08:59:21 »
Um, let's get a groupbuy on THOSE. Those look like a ton of fun!

Any of the guys with MakerBots should be looking at these, sounds like the next logical step.   ;D

Offline jbondeson

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Re: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« Reply #9 on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 09:12:06 »
Depending upon the difference in size between the two modding them to fit on MX could be very ... interesting.

I'd be interested to see a side-by-side with an MX and one of these stems.

Offline dorkvader

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Re: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« Reply #10 on: Thu, 26 September 2013, 12:37:54 »
I was monitoring those! good to see you got one. I actually emailed rhino robotics about them, but they didn't have much to say. I can post the details later if anyone is interested.

Thanks for the excellent pictures and post.

Offline Daniel Beardsmore

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Re: Rhino Robotics - Keyboard Emulator (non-MX)
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 05 February 2014, 18:17:08 »
Just like the CHERRY M8 Switch

It's not, but your having written that was useful, as I just found this page while looking for good M8 photos.

Those switches ..... how truly odd. Those are Apple hairpin spring switches, but they're not Apple branded!

Apple apparently used those in the Apple IIc from April 1984 to August 1986:

http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/convert-apple-iic-to-usb-t7256.html#p144313

Someone appears to have removed the Apple logo from the mould and produced another run of switches with another logo. Notice how the "G" logos are all hand-carved into the mould?

This is an Apple-patented switch, filed in 1984, granted in 1985, and lapsed in 1997, making this switch seem a bit suspect, if the OEM was selling these without Apple's knowledge. I can't see Apple permitting their logo to be badly removed from a patented product! They could be clones, but who would want to clone such a terrible switch?
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