One-handed keyboard project

[GMatt]

I'm starting a project to build a keyboard for the left-hand only, and was wondering if anyone else has tried this?
I usually use a MS Sculpt ergonomic keyboard, but I'm not a fan of the low profile keys, or the layout of the delete/home/cursor key section so I started thinking about alternatives.
When I looked at how I used my computer closely at work (I'm a programmer) I realised the following:
1. I use the mouse heavily rather than keyboard shortcuts. I select text with my mouse, compile with the mouse, do pretty much anything I can with the mouse
2. I don't type heavily for long periods, a lot of my job is figuring out what to type, rather than laying down thousands of characters. So I don't really need 120 words per minute typing speeds

Ok so what if I could type totally on my left hand? That way I leave my right hand on the mouse all the time, and navigate around using it like normal, but I wouldn't have to move it back to the keyboard to type. It would also mean my mouse could be in front of my right shoulder rather than off to the side, which I like the idea of.
So I did some research and found the Matias half keyboard
http://www.halfkeyboard.com/resources/hkb_pix/hkb_375.jpg

Now I quite like this, it uses the spacebar as a modifier key to essentially flip the keys from the left hand ones to the right hand ones. There's even a flash simulator you can use to try this out, and it feels kinda sensible to me! There are a few problems though, primarily it makes it a bit hard to access all the random punctuation which C++ relies on so heavily. Similarly the function keys are, well, not really there.
Oh and it costs $600US!!!
So I'm thinking I could make my own, add in the punctuation keys I need, use proper mechanical switches etc. Seems like quite an interesting project to me, overlooking the risk that I might hate actually using it when I'm finished!

[Tom_Kazansky]

I do have a one-hand keyboard project,
but lately, I'm too busy to continue 

at first, I'm thinking it's a half left of 60% keyboard:


but I realized I can... move/rotate the keyboard around, so why not orthor-layout?
here is my current layout:


my board will be hand-wired and use pro-micro as controller.
I have finished hand-wiring the switches, the rest is to wire them to the pro-micro.

I will upload picture of the actual board later.

[GMatt]

Yeah that's definitely the same idea! Your layout is a fair amount more compact than mine though.
I went ortho but decided against changing any of the standard key sizes so I didn't have problems sourcing the keycaps. I did move the keys around though, and got rid of a few.

Mine looks like this


The plate is on the way from Lasergist, Cherry brown switches and a teensy board.

[tp4tissue]

are you guys sure relearning how to type on this is going to be worth it.

[Tom_Kazansky]

are you guys sure relearning how to type on this is going to be worth it.

I... don't know yet, that's why I want to try.
Maybe this will be useful in some particular situations. 

[Findecanor]

I'm surprised that TP4 is not yelling that you could do this on an ErgoDox.
I set up mine with a combined numpad/left-handed layer, where the left-hand side is
a left-handed keyboard and the right side is a numeric keypad.

[hoggy]

Have you come across the Fitaly layout?  I vaguely remember seeing another design for a compact grid layout for hunt and peck by an IBM researcher, but I can't find it again.

[Auk]

One handed keyboards and typing using chords doesn't get a lot attention, but I really like the ideas 

Gamer boards like the Logitech and Razer are interesting, but don't really try anything beyond gaming. However I remember seeing a circular one hand pad/keyboard. A bit of searching later I see it was sold as the Wolf King Warrior and other brands. Pretty sure it can only have been a membrane looking at the prices, but maybe there is something there to spark some ideas.

FrogPad is one that I couldn't remember the name of, but found while searching one handed keyboards.

Also, I stumbled on this potential resource for ideas while I was looking: http://onehandedkeyboard.com/


   

[GMatt]

It's a fair question, my main concern is whether it'll cause fatigue for my left hand as it's doing all the work.
But as far as relearning the key layout I don't think it'll be as mental as you might imagine. The right hand letter keys end up under the same fingers as before, just the other hand.
Also I figured if I was going to go to the trouble of building a keyboard from scratch I should take the opportunity to try something I really can't buy ready made. If it doesn't work out well I'll probably make a more traditional split one.
I did look at the Frogpad, and it's quite interesting. But it relies on toggling modes to get to all the characters, so you have to do three buttons to type one character: toggle mode, press key, toggle mode back. So a bit like the Matias it seems aimed at being as small as possible, probably for text entry on mobiles. Whereas I don't need mobility or extreme tinyness, just optimisation for one hand and the absurd requirements of C++.
Anyway the bits are on the way, so I'll update you as it comes together

[Snarfangel]

I'm starting a project to build a keyboard for the left-hand only, and was wondering if anyone else has tried this?

Ta-Daa!

[GMatt]

Magnificent!
It's so tempting, just to see people's faces when they see it in the office!
I especially like it in black, slightly less early 80's look to it


It's not too bad price wise either by the looks of things, for a pretty niche ergo keyboard.
That thing would really need some commitment to relearning the layout though, very very far from QWERTY!

[Rob27shred]

I'm starting a project to build a keyboard for the left-hand only, and was wondering if anyone else has tried this?

Ta-Daa!
(Attachment Link)

What a monster!!!!

[yoippari]

Does the black maltron there have a Fun Lock button next to Num Lock? What does it do?

[Snarfangel]

Does the black maltron there have a Fun Lock button next to Num Lock? What does it do?

It locks the fun. You don't want fun going off willy-nilly while typing.

[Vladimir]

I've try to make this frogpad into KLE.
The only thing I couldn't do was the side legends, but I added later by paint.net.
KLE: https://goo.gl/tUWecW

I don't know why i did this. I guess I was bored.

There is someone trying to make this keyboard handmade (i don't think the normal product is available).
If someone understand german, here it goes: http://electric-rocken.de/projekte/rockpad

Anyway, considering that it has 20 keys, maybe you could adapt a Numpad to act like the frogpad.
One problem would be the lack of leds, though...

And for those who think 20 keys is still too much: http://in10did.com/decatxt.html

[GMatt]

Complete build can be seen here:
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=90815.0

[switchnollie]

Super interesting

I've been typing with 1 hand for a long time, just been using regular boards with some remapping tho.
Trying a specialized board might be cool.

I have some videos @ youtube.com/c/switchnollie
Think that's how you do their urls anyway.

[Tom_Kazansky]

I just think hand-wiring is too much trouble so I order a few prototype PCB.
it use a ProMicro as controller.

but... I messed up the design file and I cannot solder the ProMicro onto the board => in the end, I have to hand-wire 

and I have changed the layout since my last post, here is the KLE: http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/632860517cd187ff7e641bb8dc59bba6 and "supported layout":


and, here is the board:




the board is working but I don't know if the position of the thumb cluster is right... I need some suggestions.

you might think "isn't this board just a half-left of the ErgoDox?" (more specifically, half-left of "The Orthodox" https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=89279.0)
well... true, that's why I have a feeling of "dissatisfaction" 
maybe I should attach a Joystick to it... 

[corygrapher]

I need one to play league lol.