« previous next »
Pages:  [1]     Go Down

Author Topic: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality  (Read 3485 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline HenriH

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 7
  • Location: Jyväskylä, Finland
Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 12:44:44 »
Hi!

I added my idea to Quirky: http://www.quirky.com/ideations/339699

If you like the idea, you can vote it. You can also add comments and suggestions to further improve the Universal Keyboard! Thanks!
Logged

Offline esoomenona

  • Gnillort?
  • Posts: 5323
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 13:19:28 »
How much do you think it would cost for all of those little e-ink displays?
Logged

Offline HenriH

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 7
  • Location: Jyväskylä, Finland
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 13:20:59 »
Actually, more like six wide E Ink displays. Controlling over 100 small E Ink displays would be too difficult and expensive.

I guess it's affordable. Probably lots of cheaper than having 100 OLED displays...
Logged

Offline esoomenona

  • Gnillort?
  • Posts: 5323
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 13:27:36 »
I don't think you would be able to see them properly, what with the switch right there. Have you ever pulled caps off of a keyboard and looked at it? I don't mean to degrade your idea, but I'm just not seeing it...
Logged

Offline HenriH

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 7
  • Location: Jyväskylä, Finland
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 14:36:57 »
Quote from: esoomenona on Mon, 19 November 2012, 13:27:36
I don't think you would be able to see them properly, what with the switch right there. Have you ever pulled caps off of a keyboard and looked at it? I don't mean to degrade your idea, but I'm just not seeing it...

I have seen pictures of keyswitches. I haven't dismantled my keyboards...

PS. I updated the images...
Logged

Offline esoomenona

  • Gnillort?
  • Posts: 5323
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 16:27:36 »
So you want the e-ink displays to be 6 strips across the board? Can they handle the flexing over and over like that?
Logged

Offline HenriH

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 7
  • Location: Jyväskylä, Finland
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 16:39:29 »
Quote from: esoomenona on Mon, 19 November 2012, 16:27:36
So you want the e-ink displays to be 6 strips across the board? Can they handle the flexing over and over like that?

Yes, 6 strips.

I have seen flexible E Ink, yes, but my keyboard doesn't need flexible E Ink displays. They can be rigid.
Logged

Offline esoomenona

  • Gnillort?
  • Posts: 5323
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 16:42:37 »
Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions, I just want to understand.

How would they be rigid? From what I see, you want them stripped under the caps. The caps themselves move up and down with the actuation of the switch itself, right?
Logged

Offline HenriH

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 7
  • Location: Jyväskylä, Finland
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 16:51:21 »
Quote from: esoomenona on Mon, 19 November 2012, 16:42:37
Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions, I just want to understand.

No problem! It's good that somebody is asking questions. :)

Quote from: esoomenona on Mon, 19 November 2012, 16:42:37
How would they be rigid? From what I see, you want them stripped under the caps. The caps themselves move up and down with the actuation of the switch itself, right?

This image should clear things up.


When you press the upper keycap down (see the third key from the left which is pressed down), it goes closer to the E Ink display, but it barely touches it. When you release the key, the lower keycap goes up and closer to the E Ink display, but it barely touches it (see the first, second, and fourth keys which aren't pressed down).
Logged

Offline fohat.digs

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 6466
  • Location: 35°55'N, 83°53'W
  • weird funny old guy
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #9 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 16:51:44 »
I too have a hard time understanding how any continuous piece bridging from switch to switch would not have a deleterious effect on the action of any type of mechanical switch.

Maybe if it was scissor switches with extremely short throws, and a very flexible substrate ....
Logged
"The Trump campaign announced in a letter that Republican candidates and committees are now expected to pay “a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC” for using his “name, image, and likeness in fundraising solicitations.”
“Any split that is higher than 5%,” the letter states, “will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trump's campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.”"

Offline FoxWolf1

  • Posts: 850
  • 154
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #10 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 18:14:45 »
Won't this system mean that you have to increase the height of each keycap by the travel of the switch, in comparison to a regular keyboard (which just has what you label "lower keycap")? If so, you may run into issues with key wobble, as well as the sheer height of the keyboard making it hard to type on.
Logged
Oberhofer Model 1101 | PadTech Hall Effect (Prototype) | RK RC930-104 v2 | IBM Model M | Noppoo TANK | Keycool Hero 104

Offline esoomenona

  • Gnillort?
  • Posts: 5323
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #11 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 18:21:49 »
Quote from: HenriH on Mon, 19 November 2012, 16:51:21
When you press the upper keycap down (see the third key from the left which is pressed down), it goes closer to the E Ink display, but it barely touches it. When you release the key, the lower keycap goes up and closer to the E Ink display, but it barely touches it (see the first, second, and fourth keys which aren't pressed down).
Ah, I see that now. That image was a little hard to understand. Maybe if the e-ink display part of it was a bolder/brighter color so it was more visible. Then, that does lead me to FoxWolf1's concern: the height would have to be increased. And as it is, people seem to have trouble with mechanical keyboards being the height they are now...
Logged

Offline fohat.digs

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 6466
  • Location: 35°55'N, 83°53'W
  • weird funny old guy
Re: Let's make Universal Keyboard a reality
« Reply #12 on: Mon, 19 November 2012, 20:51:45 »
And then, there is that whole "bottoming out" thing that bothers a lot of people.

I just can't see this happening with buckling springs, because the overall height of the assembly would be so great, and all the travel would all have to take place above the display strip.

IBM figured this all out 3 decades ago when they allowed their keycaps (and even barrel springs) to be rearranged. But it has to be done by hand each time.
Logged
"The Trump campaign announced in a letter that Republican candidates and committees are now expected to pay “a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC” for using his “name, image, and likeness in fundraising solicitations.”
“Any split that is higher than 5%,” the letter states, “will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trump's campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.”"
Pages:  [1]     Go Up
« previous next »