I'm Henri

[HenriH]

Hi!

I'm Henri.

11 years ago I got an idea of a new kind of computer keyboard. Too bad, I still haven't found a team to build it with me.

My keyboard needs transparent keycaps. There needs to be small display screens between the transparent keycaps and the key switches.

My keyboard needs an operating system, too. Maybe Android?

So, any ideas? How can I build my dream keyboard? Who is going to design and manufacture the circuit boards? Where to get all the plastic? I am not an engineer; only a physicist.

Am I asking for impossible things?

Thanks!

[cactux]

Welcome!, I guess you start drawing some of your ideas in a piece of paper, that will help you to get a better idea of your potential designs, at that stage you do not need to worrier about the physical components too much.
You have to do some investigation, because maybe someone out there already tried something similar and you can probably reuse (remember, do not try to reinvent the wheel)

P.S the sky is your limit

[HenriH]

Welcome!, I guess you start drawing some of your ideas in a piece of paper, that will help you to get a better idea of your potential designs, at that stage you do not need to worrier about the physical components too much.
You have to do some investigation, because maybe someone out there already tried something similar and you can probably reuse (remember, do not try to reinvent the wheel)

P.S the sky is your limit

Thanks!

I want the display screens to be stationary. Somehow the keycaps need to connect to the key switches by going around the stationary display screen.

[WRXChris]

Welcome to GH!  A keyboard just like what you are describing came out about 2 years ago.  Here's the website.

It is EXTEREMELY expensive.  The original full-sized model is no longer in production, and a new compact layout is available for pre-order for €800.  Maybe you can design one that is more affordable!

[HenriH]

Welcome to GH!  A keyboard just like what you are describing came out about 2 years ago.  Here's the website.

It is EXTEREMELY expensive.  The original full-sized model is no longer in production, and a new compact layout is available for pre-order for €800.  Maybe you can design one that is more affordable!

Thanks!

Yes, something like that, but I want my keyboard to have buckling spring keys. The only difference to the regular keyboard is that there is this void, between the transparent keycaps and keyswitches, for the display.

Any ideas how to design and manufacture these kind of "weird" keycaps and keyswitches I'm proposing? I have no idea...

The keyboard layout will be something like this (never mind the colours):

I got inspiration from Gateway AnyKey keyboard and ANSI, ISO, and JIS layouts!

Also, I think there will be one display per key row. So, maybe there will be six displays per keyboard. Any ideas, how to control these six (short and very wide) displays?

[hazeluff]

Welcome to GH!  A keyboard just like what you are describing came out about 2 years ago.  Here's the website.

It is EXTEREMELY expensive.  The original full-sized model is no longer in production, and a new compact layout is available for pre-order for €800.  Maybe you can design one that is more affordable!

Thanks!

Yes, something like that, but I want my keyboard to have buckling spring keys. The only difference to the regular keyboard is that there is this void, between the transparent keycaps and keyswitches, for the display.

Any ideas how to design and manufacture these kind of "weird" keycaps and keyswitches I'm proposing? I have no idea...

The keyboard layout will be something like this (never mind the colours):
(Attachment Link)
I got inspiration from Gateway AnyKey (Attachment Link) keyboard and ANSI, ISO, and JIS layouts!

Also, I think there will be one display per key row. So, maybe there will be six displays per keyboard. Any ideas, how to control these six (short and very wide) displays?

So like make the whole sections of the keyboard, where the keys are, into a screen?



Its quite hard, given the switches will interfere. Maybe an array of LEDs could work.

[HenriH]

So like make the whole sections of the keyboard, where the keys are, into a screen?



Its quite hard, given the switches will interfere. Maybe an array of LEDs could work.

Yes. One could see the screen through the keycaps.

I had plans for a keyboard with 100+ small displays, but then I thought it would need too much power and wiring. It's probably very complicated to control 100+ displays, too. Not to mention, it's probably more expensive to have 100+ small displays than 6 small&wide displays...

[hazeluff]

So like make the whole sections of the keyboard, where the keys are, into a screen?



Its quite hard, given the switches will interfere. Maybe an array of LEDs could work.

Yes. One could see the screen through the keycaps.

I had plans for a keyboard with 100+ small displays, but then I thought it would need too much power and wiring. It's probably very complicated to control 100+ displays, too. Not to mention, it's probably more expensive to have 100+ small displays than 6 small&wide displays...

The only problem with the design in general would be the fact that switches of any kind, will obstruct the view and that the area of this obstruction is probably as much as any "visible" area.

Would be cool. Tho if you just want to play with cool effects, you should start small with maybe RGB LEDs as they'll fit in the cracks.

Have you heard of the Optimus keyboard? That's kinda what you're describing.

[HenriH]

The only problem with the design in general would be the fact that switches of any kind, will obstruct the view and that the area of this obstruction is probably as much as any "visible" area.

Would be cool. Tho if you just want to play with cool effects, you should start small with maybe RGB LEDs as they'll fit in the cracks.

Have you heard of the Optimus keyboard? That's kinda what you're describing.

Yes, Optimus is familiar even though I have never seen one in real life. My work is a bit like that, yes.

[dorkvader]

I just got done putting a bunch of cherry green keyswitches into my 7bit layout plate (Which is almost identical to your anykey mod idea, but without a tenkey.
---
I would say one part of designing something is all about tradeoffs. For example, you can probably have a printed OLED circuit made up that would go between the barrels of a buckling spring keyboard (though it'd be expensive). You'd have a rather large total resolution of pixels to drive, so maybe running linux or the like on a decent ARM core or FPGA (also expensive) would be what you need.

I must admit, my weak point is that sort of hardware <-> software low-level connection/drivers stuff, so I can't really help you with that.

Still, I've studied on display technologies, and there's a lot you can do with them. One reason to use OLED's is so that you can bend it to sit flat on the curved barrel plate.

Another option is to find round displays the right diameter. That might also work.

Either way, it'd be VERY expensive to test, try, and make. I would estimate easily 2X or 3X the final cost to get parts in prototypes/building/testing/breaking, before you have a "complete" project. Even still, it'd be expensive.

But that's what GH and DIY are all about! Draining your money away until there's none left.