[IC] Slightly pushy Boob or nipple keycap

[Mandolin]

Rigid keycaps are tactile enough?

Materialwise I found out there are some semi rigid polyurethane foams that are actually dense enough to support some wear (I haven't looked coloring). As polyurethanes got a "green stage" where it hasn't polymerized fully, they could chemically bond to a different density version, such as a totally rigid resin, a flexible one or a combination of both. Inlays or macro retentions based on friction are always a alternative too, but this is the real deal of adhesions, no tricks necessary.

One could do the stem in a rigid poly, and a slightly foamy upper part, that gives a little push. I wondered, if there is actual interest to experiment creatively in those regards and offer a foamy keycap on top with a rigid stem.

A high shore hardness silicone could be used also, but I don't know if it's rigid enough to fit the stem and be usable.

Creatively: A boob or nipple on a keycap is what I believe the best subject for the job, but maybe there are another, better ideas that use this capacity fully.

If there is enough interest, I'll test something and post in in the future.

UPDATE
Wanna try? boobiecaps.com
Dedicated thread:https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=66214.0

[HPE1000]

[exitfire401]

This is without a doubt the weirdest IC I've ever seen

[anne]

[Mandolin]

Another example could be a jelly plate or a protruding belly with it's belly button, a tongue clear coated to look slimy, a snail with a rigid shell but a soft body. Anything wobbly.

I'm dead serious about it and I'm gonna do it anyway. I was curious about the public interest in something like it and still need some feedback. Maybe when I have a prototype and some testers if everything goes according to plan. It means a whole lot of different possibilities for keycaps.

I don't want to vary only the colors of the caps, that's boring, there are a bunch of materials to experiment with, (nitinol wires for some heat activated thing, maybe a folded origami inside the body of a keycap made in acrylic, that deploys with heat changes: if the metal is thin enough, the heat of the fingertips is enough to make changes, etc...)

I'm discussing it strictly using descriptive terms, personal appreciations aside, but feel free to express yourselves.

Why not do it now? there isn't a single reason not to. The medium is mature enough.

[geogga]

[Parak]

Show Image

[Mandolin]

Ding ding ding 

[Techpriest]

I'll be the odd man out here, I think this sounds cool.  Any chance of multiple colors?  Would be cool to do a rainbow set on the function keys.  Would also be interested in the belly with belly button, eyeball, brain, perhaps a nose.  It would make sort of a hilarious keyset.  Even if you only do the run of the boob and nipple, I'll buy a set of each.

Another idea, any thoughts on making an additional jelly ball keycap set?  I've kind of wanted something like it ever since seeing the keyboards in Prometheus.

Thanks,
Techpriest

[Mandolin]

I'll be the odd man out here, I think this sounds cool.  Any chance of multiple colors?  Would be cool to do a rainbow set on the function keys.  Would also be interested in the belly with belly button, eyeball, brain, perhaps a nose.  It would make sort of a hilarious keyset.  Even if you only do the run of the boob and nipple, I'll buy a set of each.

Another idea, any thoughts on making an additional jelly ball keycap set?  I've kind of wanted something like it ever since seeing the keyboards in Prometheus.

Thanks,
Techpriest

Yes, yes, yes: brain with real veins and arteries locations! nose cap with embedded or individually punched real hairs, eyeballs with variable pupil dilatation made from old lenses diaphragms, belly cap with skin folds and stretch marks, maybe a cushing syndrome belly...

It's about what can you do with it what's most exciting. No transparent version. The foam should be tinted or painted over. The flex won't allow clear coating the foam ibecause it'll crack, but with solid colors you'd have many options, combining it with flexible or rigid polyurethane resins that could be treated differently. It's those three elements that'll be theoretically mixable, foams, flexible and rigid PU resins.

I could also make a skull or face with a jaw hanging from the lowest border of the superior surface (so it won't interfere as much with typing), and use a foam or flexible PU on the jaw articulation, and it should wobble when pressed. If you got different flexure speeds, there is the possibility to coordinate them to achieve effects as muscles contracting for instance. One could do a keycap with hidden hands that stretch out when pressed! It's so cool.

I'm not familiar with prometheus keyboard

[Techpriest]

Have you thought of using silicone resin?

[Mandolin]

Have you thought of using silicone resin?

I'm not familiar with all of its presentations, manipulation and availability. I only know the emulsion used as a lubrication agent, silly putty and two part adhesive agent like sugru.

Do you have streamlined info? or could you make a brief list of what is good for? It's mixable with another resins as a filler? reactivity? toxicity? It's safe to work with with non sofisticated lab equipment?

[Evo_Spec]

Mark me as interested! i'd love a boobiecap!

[Coreda]

Sooner or later this was going to happen.

[ConscienceDrop]

god speed sir.

it was a long dark night, but i see the sun starting to rise for keyboard lovers.

i dream of a day when all my fingers can type on boobs

[tribade]

I...actually really like this idea. Count me interested.  )

[Mandolin]

 . There are a lot of options to explore, one could include little soft clip on (or attached via magnet) bras between keys, one boob, two boobs, tri boobs per key, different anatomic characteristics, historical/famous figure profile, etc, etc.

That was the kind of glorious response I was looking for.

I'll send a PM to the ones that manifested their interest when the time comes. I'll need some testers once they are ready. I prefer people that could speak freely publicly, but I'm open to communicate privately (and for the future sales too).

[Evo_Spec]

. There are a lot of options to explore, one could include little soft clip on (or attached via magnet) bras between keys, one boob, two boobs, tri boobs per key, different anatomic characteristics, etc, etc.

That was the kind of glorious response I was looking for.

I'll send a PM to the ones that manifested their interest when the time comes. I'll need some testers once they are ready. I prefer people that could speak freely publicly, but I'm open to communicate privately (and for the future sales too).

Count me in! Although i'm in Japan so that might change things but if you're still willing to count me in i'll buy a boob mousepad to match.

[ConscienceDrop]

. There are a lot of options to explore, one could include little soft clip on (or attached via magnet) bras between keys, one boob, two boobs, tri boobs per key, different anatomic characteristics, etc, etc.

That was the kind of glorious response I was looking for.

I'll send a PM to the ones that manifested their interest when the time comes. I'll need some testers once they are ready. I prefer people that could speak freely publicly, but I'm open to communicate privately (and for the future sales too).

Count me in! Although i'm in Japan so that might change things but if you're still willing to count me in i'll buy a boob mousepad to match.

These probably exist there already. . .

[Heliosphere]

Isn't this basically an idea for (literal) rubber dome keycaps? I'm intrigued.

[Mandolin]

Isn't this basically an idea for (literal) rubber dome keycaps? I'm intrigued.

Not really. The rubber dome keycaps are rigid PBT, ABS or POM plastic caps, not PU or epoxy resin, nor foam. The plastic dome is flexible, but acts as a switch itself with two positions. There's not enough "push" with cheap plastic used in the rubber membrane. 

I'm talking about varying the degree of flexibility inside each cap. A rigid base for the stem and lowest cross section in the body of the keycap and a foamy cushion and/or a flexible PU resin on the rest of the body, all chemically bonded, no gaps in between: just one solid piece cap

Furthermore keycaps made of hard silicone can be made using the same method, with a rigid silicone for the stem/base of the body and a more elastic mix in the upper part. Chemically bonds are supposedly covalent.

[Evo_Spec]

. There are a lot of options to explore, one could include little soft clip on (or attached via magnet) bras between keys, one boob, two boobs, tri boobs per key, different anatomic characteristics, etc, etc.

That was the kind of glorious response I was looking for.

I'll send a PM to the ones that manifested their interest when the time comes. I'll need some testers once they are ready. I prefer people that could speak freely publicly, but I'm open to communicate privately (and for the future sales too).

Count me in! Although i'm in Japan so that might change things but if you're still willing to count me in i'll buy a boob mousepad to match.

These probably exist there already. . .

I'm not in Tokyo so i can't go to "weird central" Akihabara to check =/

[Razor Lotus]

. There are a lot of options to explore, one could include little soft clip on (or attached via magnet) bras between keys, one boob, two boobs, tri boobs per key, different anatomic characteristics, etc, etc.

That was the kind of glorious response I was looking for.

I'll send a PM to the ones that manifested their interest when the time comes. I'll need some testers once they are ready. I prefer people that could speak freely publicly, but I'm open to communicate privately (and for the future sales too).

Count me in! Although i'm in Japan so that might change things but if you're still willing to count me in i'll buy a boob mousepad to match.

Would love to see a full boob setup

[Evo_Spec]

. There are a lot of options to explore, one could include little soft clip on (or attached via magnet) bras between keys, one boob, two boobs, tri boobs per key, different anatomic characteristics, etc, etc.

That was the kind of glorious response I was looking for.

I'll send a PM to the ones that manifested their interest when the time comes. I'll need some testers once they are ready. I prefer people that could speak freely publicly, but I'm open to communicate privately (and for the future sales too).

Count me in! Although i'm in Japan so that might change things but if you're still willing to count me in i'll buy a boob mousepad to match.

Would love to see a full boob setup

I could definately try, i'm not too sure how far i could bring this, i could get my GF to crochet some boob plushies and maybe make some kind a wrist rest thing and if it's not too expensive i think i saw some place with boob cups too lol

[GL1TCH3D]

Going to read up more on these! Sounds unique and would make great gag gifts for those keyboarders!

[HydraDyne]

Could we have a full DVORAK key set? I think that would be fantastic.......

[Evo_Spec]

Could we have a full DVORAK key set? I think that would be fantastic.......

It'll be a full BoobOrRack key set  )

[PunksDead]

Can i get a set of hairy boys to hang off my keyboard?

[Evo_Spec]

Can i get a set of hairy boys to hang off my keyboard?

Close enough?

[Mandolin]

Preorders open: http://boobiecaps.com

[Evo_Spec]

Boobiecap preorders, it ends on december 7th http://goo.gl/forms/llTBIx7PTm

Great idea on doing it in pairs! i have to apologize cause it caught me at a bad time since i just blew all my money on hot keys....

[Mandolin]

Boobiecap preorders, it ends on december 7th http://goo.gl/forms/llTBIx7PTm

Great idea on doing it in pairs! i have to apologize cause it caught me at a bad time since i just blew all my money on hot keys....

One for you and another to gift!.

Don't worry, I'll make them anyway, only this preorder would allow me to do it faster. If there isn't public interest, I'll have them ready in mid 2015.

There's much to do and it'll be a process of improvements. You could hop in at any time.


Interest has been cleared as positive, so I created a dedicated thread to discuss it further.

[#Boobiecap project]: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=66214.0