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geekhack Community => Ergonomics => Topic started by: caffo on Thu, 29 January 2015, 11:41:06

Title: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
Post by: caffo on Thu, 29 January 2015, 11:41:06

I've been using my HHKB for almost six years, and I love it. I also got an Atreus that I'm planning to use for traveling as soon I can tame the fn layers.

My plan is to put the keyboard on top of my macbook trackpad, but with that I can't reach the trackpad. I can use an external mouse, but I spend a lot of time in planes or small desks where operating a mouse is impractical.  Any ideas?

Title: Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Thu, 29 January 2015, 11:42:47

Perhaps you can mod your Atreus to have the little trackpoint nub? Or use the Apple touchpad?

Title: Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
Post by: caffo on Thu, 29 January 2015, 11:55:11

Yes, the trackpad nub was the only think I was able to think about. Was hoping someone would come up with a clever organization idea here :)

Title: Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
Post by: jdcarpe on Thu, 29 January 2015, 11:58:00

Alumaplop.

Title: Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
Post by: Oobly on Thu, 29 January 2015, 13:25:35

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/tex-yoda?mode=guest_open

It's not an HHKB, but it solves your problems.

It's also not quite as cool as lowpoly's original version: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=4917.msg71011#msg71011

That's one of the most awesome DIY boards I've ever seen. Made from a Cherry G80. The aluminium sheet case is a work of art.

As is the entirety of kurplop's alumaplop :)

Or you could add a trackpoint module to the Atreus...

OR get a separate small trackball or trackpad module that you can put over the laptop keyboard area <-- This may be the simplest solution.

Title: Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
Post by: caffo on Thu, 29 January 2015, 13:57:02

Thanks for all the suggestions. The yoda is very tempting, but I ordered a jd40 this week so  not planning to buy anything else for now. Meanwhile, I found something very simple that may work for me. There's the app I use to customize keybindings  - it's called Karabiner (https://pqrs.org/osx/karabiner/) - and I just found this flag on it:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/spa/6f6p31rqk1cfe43/61lz-kb5.png)

With it, I was able to do this:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8178/hhkbmbp.jpg)

Now all I need is a 6" cable. Ordering one from pexon now.

 :thumb:

Title: Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
Post by: Oobly on Fri, 30 January 2015, 01:00:27

Quote from: caffo on Thu, 29 January 2015, 13:57:02

Thanks for all the suggestions. The yoda is very tempting, but I ordered a jd40 this week so  not planning to buy anything else for now. Meanwhile, I found something very simple that may work for me. There's the app I use to customize keybindings  - it's called Karabiner (https://pqrs.org/osx/karabiner/) - and I just found this flag on it:

Show Image

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/spa/6f6p31rqk1cfe43/61lz-kb5.png)

With it, I was able to do this:

Show Image

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8178/hhkbmbp.jpg)

Now all I need is a 6" cable. Ordering one from pexon now.

 :thumb:

Nice :) I think he also has some of those little 90 degree MiniUSB adapters, so the cable doesn't have to scrunch up against the screen, but I can't recall which way they bend according to the HHKB plug orientation. I have a few of his cables and love them. Very nicely made with attention to detail.