I get that, this design has been brewing for years with no visible progress until recently.
You're right, it wouldn't necessarily work as well with high profile MX switches, unless someone has bigger hands. Having only 2 keys on the inner index column helps to mitigate some of the extra reaching - but, that's not for everyone. Ideally there would be no inner index column. One day...
Good to hear. Yes I will make this open source, hopefully within a couple weeks.
Thanks! With that much stagger on the pinky column, and the pinky being significantly shorter, it just made sense to me.
Interesting, thanks for playing along. I guess fingers vary here. If you don't get the smiley face for typing, I guess you prefer a flat board as opposed to a sculpted board? Do you see a similar amount of inwards angle on your fingers?
It's actually concave, in that the pinky and index are higher off the table, like in the Dactyl. It looks convex in the photo because the columns are angled outwards. The other photos might show this better. EDIT: I picked a better photo for the post to make the shape clearer.
Some more details:
- Choc switches (crystal reds)
- PBT keycaps from aliexpress
- Handwired (PCB possible, maybe...)
- Seeeduino XIAO SAMD21
- Built-in 15-degree tent angle
- Steel plate at bottom for weight and sound dampening, hopefully
- 4-pin microphone connectors to connect the halves
- 30-key layout inspired by Hummingbird
New 30-key sculpted design, WIP
Long time lurker, first post. More pics here.
My design has elements we are familiar with: columnar stagger, the Dactyl "scoop" (concave shape), and some splay (columns angled outward). But I've added an element I haven't seen in any keyboard before (though I did get some hints from this community).
Try this: look at your nails with your palm facing toward you (so your fingers will be pointing down toward your wrist). Notice that the tips of your fingers form a curve like a smiley-face. 🙂 That's the "scoop".
Now notice the angle of your fingers - they point inward. This is what your fingers do when they are curled over the keyboard (photo). Sculpted boards I've seen either have none of this angle, or they follow the concave scooped shape and set it in the opposite direction.
Keen to hear your thoughts, and I'm open to name suggestions!
EDIT: Changed photo
EDIT: Don't like how loud the hollow body sounds, going to explore a quieter body design.