Building the Perfect Custom Keyboard

KeebKaigi 2023

Transcript

1. KeebKaigi 2023
   Building the Perfect Custom Keyboard
   Naoto Takai, Recompile Keys
   

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2. About me
   • I have been a Rubyist since 1999
   and presented at RubyKaigi in
   2008 and 2009.
   • In 2018, I built my
   fi
   rst split
   keyboard, and since 2019, I've
   been an enthusiast and
   designer of custom keyboards.
   

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3. View Slide

4. Recompile Keys Nomu30 / GMK White on Black
   

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5. Recompile Keys Choco60 / GMK White on Black
   

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6. Recompile Keys MIO esdf / GMK White on Black
   

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7. What's a custom keyboard?
   • A custom keyboard is a customized mechanical keyboard that
   is built or modi
   fi
   ed according to an individual's preferences
   and requirements.
   • You have the
   fl
   exibility to choose various aspects of the
   keyboard such as the key layout, case color, key switches,
   keycaps, and more.
   

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8. Thesiscamper Kira80 / GMK 9009
   

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9. Zekk Works Ogre / GMK 8008
   

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10. Di
    ff
    erences from DIY Keyboard
    • The DIY keyboard can be seen as part of the Maker Movement.
    • They share the same technology, but in di
    ff
    erent contexts.
    • The Ruby community organized a DIY keyboard assembly
    event in Matsue in 2017.
    

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11. De
    fi
    ne your perfect custom keyboard
    • The perfect keyboard can be de
    fi
    ned as a keyboard that can
    be assembled exactly as you would like it to be.
    • What's your preference?
    • You may never know your preferences from the beginning.
    • Attend community events and try out di
    ff
    erent keyboards.
    

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12. Zen words
    ྫྷஆࣗ஌ SFJEBOKJDIJ
    
    • Buddhist enlightenment is experiential and cannot be taught;
    it is like discerning water temperature through drinking, where
    it's a direct and personal experience that cannot be shared
    with others.
    

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13. Problem
    

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14. Auxiliary line
    

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15. Solution
    Area of sector =
    10 × 10 × 3.14 ÷ 4 = 78.5
    Area of a right triangle =
    10 × 10 ÷ 2 = 50
    Area of the gray region =
    (78.5 - 50) × 2 = 57
    

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16. Today’s goal
    • Today's goal is to draw an auxiliary line to build the perfect
    keyboard.
    

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17. Evaluation criteria
    • Wine
    • Appearance / Aromas / Flavors / Mouthfeel / Finish
    • Whisky
    • Nose / Taste / Finish
    • Custom Keyboard
    • Appearance / Typing feel / Typing sounds
    • Functionality is seldom considered as an evaluation criterion.
    

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18. Appearance
    • Include both visual and industrial design in the evaluation of
    appearance.
    • The quality of visual design is determined by the materials,
    shapes, and build quality.
    • In industrial design, the arrangement of functional elements
    determines the overall design.
    

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19. Typing feel
    • Typing feel is emphasized through the balance of
    fl
    ex and
    consistency.
    • Flex has recently become popular in the keyboard
    community.
    • The
    fi
    ngertips of both hands have the highest concentration of
    sensory receptors, making them the most sensitive part of the
    body.
    

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20. Typing sound
    • The quality of the typing sound largely depends on how well
    excess echo and friction noise is minimized, thus achieving a
    pure sound.
    • The words "thock" and "clack" are onomatopoeic terms used
    to describe the sound of a keystroke.
    • "Thock" refers to a deep and muted sound, while "clack"
    describes a sharper and louder sound.
    

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21. Custom keyboard structure
    • In order to satisfy appearance, typing feel, and typing sounds,
    it has become common for modern custom keyboards to
    consist of the following components:
    • Key caps, top case, switches, stabilizers, plate, PCB, form,
    bottom case, and weight.
    

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22. https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q1
    

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23. “Typical” custom keyboard
    • PBT keycaps, aluminum case, Durock/JWK linear switches,
    Durock stabilizers, PC plate, gasket mount, PORON form, brass
    weight, etc.
    • This is a good con
    fi
    guration for a
    fl
    ex keyboard that produces
    THOCK sound, but…
    

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24. The impact of COVID-19
    • During the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that there has been a
    decrease in the diversity of keyboard con
    fi
    gurations.
    • In-person keyboard events have decreased.
    • Working remotely led to an increase in demand for keyboard.
    • The German lockdown disrupted GMK's schedule.
    • Semiconductor shortages impacting the supply chain.
    

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25. After COVID-19
    • I anticipate another period of evolution for custom keyboards.
    • Pursuit of a more e
    ffi
    cient and unique keyboard structure.
    • More budget custom keyboards through mass production.
    • Factory-lube switches go mainstream.
    • The decline of GMK and the popularity of PBT keycaps
    produced by vendors.
    • Switching from ATmega32U4 to RP2040.
    

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26. Now is the perfect time to start exploring
    the world of custom keyboards.
    

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