A 3-dimensional keyboard design

[wolfv]

Here is an interesting paper from the Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, 2016:

A method for using one finger to press three separate keys on a three-dimensional keyboard
https://robomechjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40648-015-0039-6

[iso]

Looks like you'd be limited to 3 "rows", also, other hardware limitations, switches soft enough to not mess up your joints on the long run and small enough to be implemented to work with such design

[Mandan]

The upper row would have to be adjustable somehow, so people with smaller hands could press a switche on the bottom row without pressing the top one too.

[jacobolus]

The high key looks pretty ick, but the other two are good. For a third key, the best is to locate the top roughly where the fingertip is in the first image.

For a practical implementation of this idea (that never quite made it as as commercial product), see the DataStealth, https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=55099.0

[TheSoulhunter]

Looks similar to how my mouse works...



You have 3 buttons per main (index/middle) finger.
The upper one even works two-way (forward/backward).
On a keyboard, you could probably do two rows for the far-key.

[TheSoulhunter]

...and a clay model of the board shape.

Done that as well...
Works like a charm to work out the right position!

[Adrian Hale]

That’s a really interesting concept. A 3D keyboard where a single finger can activate three different keys could open up a lot of possibilities for compact input devices, VR/AR typing, or accessibility tools.

I do wonder how practical it is in real use — the learning curve, whether accidental inputs become a problem, and how fast someone could type once they get used to the depth-based key layout.

If you have the full paper or diagrams, it would be great to see how they solved the sensing and separation of the three input levels.

[AllenPage11]

This is a fascinating direction for ergonomic design. A true 3 dimensional key layout could address some of the limitations of standard flat or even tented keyboards. I’m especially interested in how the curvature and height variations are determined are they based on natural finger arcs or purely experimental? If you have renders, measurements, or an early prototype, I’d love to see more. This concept definitely has potential.