Conchi build log: 8g microswitch ergo keyboard and trackball

[intrio]

experimenting with a wearable and getting the curves of the fingers right.

[intrio]

triple row thumb cluster and top of finger range added,... this is getting weirder and more wicked looking every day.  A vector field of finger movement and comfort caught in 3d space then annotated with finger switches.
 


i changed my mind and decided to do max range reachable in the plastic this pass, figuring one way or another, a wireless version with all the keys, plus some should be possible, and desireable this might be a kick ass VR or augmented Vr input, aside from the normal health benefits being able to type standing up arms down at sides, or lying down on floor arms out, to add variety for those on a computer all day.

as well in future, they make conductive 3d printable plastic, that could be used for internal wiring, and possibly even mechanical switches, this might making mirror copies for right and left much easier.  Far future, couple this with a hand scanner ( leap, kinect) with a Cad routing and layout algorithm could bend, warp this skeleton to a scan of any persons hand then output a custom keyboard personalized to you.

up next working on an arm brace, to help offload pressure from hand top.

[intrio]

view from back, added a flat part on bottom, to help it stand straight up on a table for easy putting on and off, and one on left to better fit next to thigh as well as double as a clip for wearable use

[intrio]

belt clip like holster for holding while typing standing up, or arms resting at sides, or not in use.

the keyboard is glove like in that it can be put on and off easily, and taken on or off the hook easily

[intrio]

playing with the thumb cluster, one for mouse left single double and middle click, and spacebar , other probably for joystick, or arrow key cluster

[tufty]

That last photo is a bit "keyboards as imagined by H.R. Giger".

Very interesting build, keep it up.

[intrio]

for left hand playing with layering up, and cutting like leather.

I found a good laser printer like glowforge can cut polycaprolactone which means other might be able to create their own via paper and a sharpie then have it cut and held together with a couple bolts.

[intrio]

how they are being constructed, being rolled out like dough, then cut with scissors a lot like working with leather.

i am using the same thermoplastic wrapped in aluminum, which the plastic doesn't stick too,as scaffolding support.

[intrio]

thanks ..yeah, even more Geiger so when dark, when light it looks like a collection of bones.

That last photo is a bit "keyboards as imagined by H.R. Giger".

Very interesting build, keep it up.

[intrio]

out of plastic again 😄😕...so first version exploring finger range is going into the pot on hotplate to be melted down for further fingers,

this is one of my favorite things about working with this plastic in that its fast to iterate, no modelling required, easy to scuplt and join, quick to set in seconds with cold water, and better faster and simple to recycle vs 3d printing and constructing filament.

every project of mine seems to go through at least 5 complete redesigns, and I have multiple projects, and if they all exist at once then there's no room for me or further work on any of them

[intrio]

marking center lines

[intrio]

left side key map added, interesting how left side has several less keys than right, i guess most ar rght dominate.

[intrio]

prototyping related recliner, using vacuum bags, and polystyrene pellets, which can be between self forming like a pillow, hand pushable clay or nonsculptable rigid depending on level of vacuum

[sinusoid]

Just dropping by to bathe in the absolute brilliance of your prototyping methods.

Lots of respect, I'm learning a lot from what you're doing. Simple, fast, effective, reusable. I don't know why, but it feels like either you've done a lot of research on these methods, or were doing this for a half of your life.

[intrio]

Just dropping by to bathe in the absolute brilliance of your prototyping methods.

Lots of respect, I'm learning a lot from what you're doing. Simple, fast, effective, reusable. I don't know why, but it feels like either you've done a lot of research on these methods, or were doing this for a half of your life.

 thanks sinusoid, glad you are learning and finding it interesting as i do!

lol, i'm not exactly a pro, this is my first android project and keyboard,

i am an engineer by trade,  always passionate and clever about making things, and have been for all my life ( thus part of my problem with rsi, art music, inventing computing all go through hands), that said much of the skills used here are relatively new to me ..3-5 years working with this plastic, soldering at basic level, but overlap with quality time as a kid with legos, clay, erector sets, paper airplanes and RC toys, trying to make things work with whatever parts i had at hand.

it's fun and challenging, unpredictable and still too early to see how well things will pay off, but i am motivated to try and get a version done this week and take it to vrcon to see how people react to it.

[intrio]

FYI I'm moving updates to where my friends can follow along on twitter, which covers the whole bigger project. https://twitter.com/IntrioTroy