currently mostly CAD files for prototyping custom keyboards.
CAD Files for prototype magnetic levitation keyboard keys that use hall effect sensors. The files are kind of non-standard, they are generated with a Ruby library called oozby which generates OpenSCAD files.
The files are designed to fit Lee Valley rare earth magnets and work with ratiometric analogue hall effect sensors.
Some observations from my prototypes:
- With magnetic levitation the feel is very smooth and you can have super long travel as well as very low force activation.
- The shafts that the keys levitate in have to be very smooth or else it feels scratchy.
- The tolerances must be very tight so that the key doesn't wiggle and scrape on the shaft.
- Ratiometric analogue hall effect sensors are really nice, I ordered a bunch of types that I can test under different circumstances if people want.
Project failed because rare earth magnets mess with adjacent keys too much. This causes weird non-smooth force curves and behaviours. For example: it is twice as hard to press a key when the one next to it is down. Also the 3D printer I used couldn't get tight enough tolerances for smooth sliding.
A layout for a chorded keyboard based on the VeloType design. Files done in AutoCAD.