Split keyboard with joysticks

#1

hiya o/,

i am looking to build a new handwired keyboard (will be my first handwired) using joysticks on the thumbs to take advantage of the human hand’s greatest feature: opposable thumbs!. i’ve got cursory electronics knowledge to make this happen, but i know nothing about 3d-modeling or printing.

while i’m waiting on the 3d-printer induction, i would like make some headway on the electronics: setting up the MCU with firmware, testing and calibrating the joysticks etc. happy to buddy up & knowledge share, i’ve got a few spare bits and bobs to give away too!

cheers
-a

2 Likes
#2

Come to the electronics night on Thursdays! I’m sure there will be a talented person there who can help you with it all.

#3

Hey, I recently built a Void 9:

IMG_20231230_182708
IMG_20231230_182708.jpg4000×3000 5.45 MB

Come to the electronics night and we can chat about it!

2 Likes
#4

@GrahamClemo thanks, will do!

@emuboy very pretty! i’d be very interested to know how you design the case for something like this. see you at the next electronics night!

1 Like
#5

I didn’t designed it but I have some info I can help you with !

1 Like
#6

I’ve done a split keyboard with a joystick before, so can help. Have you chosen the firmware and mcu yet?

1 Like
#7

i have got an RP2040 based-board on hand, its got a footprint similar to the nice!nano/pro-micro except a few more gpio pins (dunno know how many off the top of my head) it is a knockoff board though, so i’ll have to verify that everything is operational. as for firmware, i intend to use QMK, seems to have good joystick support.

i am looking to try re-creating the japanese duplex matrix used in this project, i want to use just a single MCU.

#8

Nice, If it’s the board i’m thinking of from Aliexpress you shouldn’t have Any problems, the extra pins make it a elite-c compatible pinout aswell a good choice.

Are you handwiring or using a pcb?

#9

Nice, If it’s the board i’m thinking of from Aliexpress you shouldn’t have Any problems, the extra pins make it a elite-c compatible pinout aswell a good choice

ah you’re right! took a look at the elite-c, it does have identical pinout.

Are you handwiring or using a pcb?

i intend to handwire this, using a 3d-printed case to hold the switches in place.