[HN Gopher] Lalboard - A 3D-printed keyboard inspired by the Dat...
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Lalboard - A 3D-printed keyboard inspired by the DataHand
Author : bo0tzz
Score : 91 points
Date : 2021-02-11 09:45 UTC (13 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (github.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (github.com)
| enragedcacti wrote:
| Seeing the name JesusFreke is such a throwback for me. He was
| really instrumental to the early Android hacking scene on the
| T-Mobile G1. I remember as a teen not-so-patiently awaiting JF
| firmware versions to drop so I could try out features like bad
| multitouch and storing apps on the SD card since the internal
| memory was so small.
| Zhenya wrote:
| I thought the same thing - xda + jesusfreke+usb mini is massive
| nastalgia.
|
| Found an old thread to take you back: https://forum.xda-
| developers.com/t/modified-rc30-full-versio...
|
| If folks remember one of the first hacks on the g1 was the
| physical keyboard actually sending keystrokes to the terminal
| (which allowed to enable SU)
|
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooting_(Android)#Rooting_thro...
| bsdubernerd wrote:
| Kudos to the maker here. This looks gorgeous, and very close to
| the datahand ads I remember.
|
| The datahand was a keyboard fetish of mine, although I always
| wondered of actually usable it would be, especially considering
| the learning experience. Keep in mind this keyboard requires
| chording to obtain all normally usable symbols readily available
| on a traditional keyboard.
|
| Making a clone of my advantage pro (my current and favorite
| keyboard) is somewhere in my todo list.
|
| I'm still trying all sorts of weird keyboard/mice configurations.
| I have probably at least 10 really exotic keyboards in my
| collection.
|
| Years ago I strapped the two sections of the split ergomagic
| keyboard section to the armrests of my chair, for a startrek-like
| experience. At least for me, it didn't turn out to be a great
| ergonomic experience.
|
| At home I'm using a foot mouse.
| adolph wrote:
| Have you tried eye control of the cursor?
|
| The below link is software that came up in internet search to
| check if eye tracking was in fact a thing:
|
| https://precisiongazemouse.org/
| bsdubernerd wrote:
| Not yet, gaze tracking HW was always beyond my economical
| reach in the past. But this project is super-interesting!
| Thanks for point this out
| greggturkington wrote:
| MacOS has a "head pointer" built in to their a11y
| preferences
| jedimastert wrote:
| For those wondering about the name, the Star Trek Next Generation
| character "Data" had/made a daughter he named "Lal"
| lucioperca wrote:
| Related Keyboard https://kinesis-
| ergo.com/keyboards/advantage2-keyboard/
| Aeolun wrote:
| Doesn't look very related? Aside from being ergonomic I mean.
| lucioperca wrote:
| Cut it in half?
| tweetle_beetle wrote:
| There are many keyboards like that, they are called split
| keyboards [1]. They use the same underlying principle as a
| standard keyboard, but just distance and angle the keys
| differently. The DataHand is a completely different
| paradigm, using different switches, keys and layout -
| closer to a chorded keyboard [2], but ergonomic and split.
|
| [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergonomic_keyboard#Split_
| keybo...
|
| [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorded_keyboard
| rickyc091 wrote:
| A large list of splits for comparison.
| https://jhelvy.shinyapps.io/splitkbcompare/
|
| Kinesis and Ergodox are generally the two most popular.
| Aeolun wrote:
| As much as I enjoyed the idea of these kinds of keyboards,
| experience has taught me that I get too annoyed with learning a
| whole new layout, so I quickly switch back to a 'normal'
| keyboard.
|
| I really need to get that moonlander out of it's box again, but
| the hassle is just too much.
| rickyc091 wrote:
| I found that once you get use to the other keyboard your muscle
| memory will automatically kick in and readjust depending if
| you're on a standard keyboard or a split.
| michaelbuckbee wrote:
| I've had similar issues switching until I landed on trying a
| Kinesis Freestyle. It's a qwerty layout but separates the two
| halves of the keyboard and lets you "tent" them for a more
| ergonomic angle.
|
| Extremely minimal switching time between it and a standard
| fixed keyboard.
| beeforpork wrote:
| Of all the colours available for 3D printing, dark brown was
| chosen? It is not pretty(tm).
|
| But the shape is gorgeous!
| bsdubernerd wrote:
| As someone that owns a 3d printer, I'd guess that was a
| filament that went either old or unused for too long. Ideal for
| personal projects where you don't care, or that you might want
| to post-process anyway (sand/paint).
|
| Happens frequently when you buy a roll of a hard-to-use color,
| such as this.
|
| By experience I can say that _most_ bright colors would look
| bad on a project such as this. Bright colors are fine only in
| very specific circumstances, or for highlights.
|
| In almost every other case, a desaturated color looks better.
| Off-white and dark-grey are my most-used colors.
| mbreese wrote:
| From: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=41422.msg2706316#m
| sg270...
|
| _> Most of the parts are printed from a PLA with a low
| amount of metal-fill, which I found to have exceptional
| opacity_
|
| So, I'm guessing that they wanted the keys to have a bit more
| weight that the metal-filled PLA would provide? I'm not sure
| why the opacity of the material matters so much, but the
| author mentions that a few times.
|
| Edit: nope, not weight... actual light blocking was needed.
|
| From: https://github.com/JesusFreke/lalboard/wiki/Printing-
| tips-&-...
|
| _> Filament choice_
|
| _> For the clusters and keys, you want as opaque of a
| material as you can get. Try printing a small 2mm thick solid
| sheet, and hold a flashlight up to the back. Ideally, you won
| 't see any light leakage through the print at all. I tried a
| few different filaments that I had on hand, and by far the
| most opaque was some 5% copper filled PLA by Gizmo Dorks._
|
| After reading this, I think the issue is the optical switches
| that are used for the keys. Because they are using an IR
| LED/phototransistor switch mechanism, the material needs to
| be as opaque as possible to prevent light from coming through
| and activating the switches accidentally.
| bsdubernerd wrote:
| Mmh, I wouldn't have used copper-fill on something that
| goes directly in contact with skin.
|
| I had issues with light leakage with thin layers of poor-
| quality PETG (with light shining through as a dark-green
| halo), but I've printed microscope light-shields with plain
| black PLA and PETG with only 1.5mm thickness.
|
| I'd surprise me if the leakage from the material would be
| greater than the light that comes in from the hinge itself,
| but I guess the author has done some tests.
| cies wrote:
| If the maker read this...
|
| How long did it take you to complete this very cool/useful
| project?
|
| What approaches did you try that did not work out?
|
| How long would you say it would take you to make an extra pair?
| (trying to find out how many weekends I should block)
| blackrock wrote:
| I wonder if anyone can invent a 1-handed keyboard?
| lionkor wrote:
| It would be pretty easy with a keyboard like this - just add a
| key that, while held, activates a seperate layout.
| aysterberi wrote:
| Kind of like this: http://matias.ca/halfkeyboard/
| DanBC wrote:
| You used to be able to get software versions but Matthias was
| enforcing its patent.
|
| http://blog.monstuff.com/archives/000021.html
|
| https://ask.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=3067497
| lucioperca wrote:
| https://www.maltron.com/store/p19/Maltron_Single_Hand_Keyboa...
| blackrock wrote:
| Hmm. Not exactly what I had in mind. What a monstrosity this
| thing is.
|
| They claim you can type up to 85 wpm. I might be able to type
| faster.
|
| I assume that if you're right-handed, then you'll use your
| mouse on your right hand. So you would need the left-handed
| version of this keyboard.
|
| Anyone here ever use it before? Any feedback?
| dahx4Eev wrote:
| Not exactly the same but this might solve your problem. I
| am adding a trackball to my dactyl manuform mini so I don't
| need to switch between the keyboard and the mouse on my
| right hand.
| dsr_ wrote:
| It might be faster to train your off hand to mouse than to
| train it to do all the typing.
| Symbiote wrote:
| It's intended for people who only have one working hand /
| arm.
|
| The company also make keyboards for people with no working
| hands.
|
| https://www.maltron.com/store/p24/Maltron_Head%2FMouth_Stic
| k...
| regularfry wrote:
| I'm right-handed and use my left hand for mousing. I
| originally swapped so I wasn't having to move my hand over
| the number pad to get to and from the keyboard. I don't use
| a keyboard with a number pad any more, but I've stuck with
| it. It's quick to learn.
| alanbernstein wrote:
| https://twiddler.tekgear.com/
| DanBC wrote:
| There used to be a thing called a FrogPad.
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FrogPad
| PAPPPmAc wrote:
| There are always chorders for that. I use a DIY'd chorder
| similar to an Infogrip BAT sometimes - I'm much slower and have
| a higher error rate on it than on my split QWERTY setups (which
| typically have a trackball sitting between the halves), which
| see more use, but it's damn alluring.
| kasbah wrote:
| Seems like they could easily turn the PCB into something you can
| just order online instead of this labor some vinyl cutter
| technique.
|
| https://github.com/JesusFreke/lalboard/wiki/Vinyl-Cut-PCBs
| gpm wrote:
| The posts by jesusfreke on this thread are probably required
| reading for anyone trying to build one of these:
| https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=41422.650
| marcodiego wrote:
| There this project of a guy who built his own Silicon Graphics
| laptop:
| https://web.archive.org/web/20080530004443/http://www.jumbop...
|
| It is something that has been on my plans for a time to
| refurbished an old laptop, buy an HDMI to LVDS controller board
| and replace its guts with a well supported ARM SBC.
|
| Wouldn't be the first time someone does that, neither I would go
| as far as building my own keyboard but it is something I'd like
| to do.
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(page generated 2021-02-11 23:02 UTC)