This Pineapple Keyboard Is The Bomb

Now why didn’t we think of this? While building a dactyl manuform — a semi-ergonomic split keyboard — [dapperrogue] had the life-changing epiphany that keyboards can be any shape or size, as long as there is room for wiring and a microcontroller inside. [dapperrogue]’s first foray into the world of fictional ordnance came in the form of an F-bomb — a round macro keeb made in the classic round explosive shape and covered with function keys. Building on the explosive feedback from that, [dapperrogue] built this bomb of a pineapple keeb, the only anti-personnel factor being the clickiness of the key switches.

This groovy grenade has 25 keys total, 24 of which are in a 4×6 grid around the body. The 25th key, the best one, is hiding under the lever and you bet it can only be actuated by pulling the pin first. We love the use of the lever because it makes us think of Morse code keyers, which might be what we would use that switch for.

Inside is an Arduino Pro Micro running QMK and some skillful wiring. The entirely 3D-printed enclosure is in two main pieces that are connected with M3 screws, plus the top. If you want to pack one of your own, the STLs and firmware are out on GitHub. Just don’t take it to the airport.

Be sure to check out the demos after the break — in the stock firmware, every key types out a different onomatopoeic boom-type sound. Are you more of a pacifist when it comes to macro pad design? That’s understandable. We have plenty of different builds to admire.

Via r/mk

29 thoughts on “This Pineapple Keyboard Is The Bomb

    1. I was travelling from the UK to California just after 911 with my now wife and her daughter with learning disabilities. Unbeknown to either of us the daughter had a lighter shaped like a hand grenade that she had hidden from both of us. The TSA agents obviously had far far less than zero sense of humour about this. Needless to say, both of us adults underwent indepth scrutiny (albeit just short of the rubber glove treatment). Luckily we had arrived nearly three hours before our flight, however we did just make it being the very last passangers to board at the very last minuite.

      Having said that, on a seperate occaision with just my wife, the metal detector and the x-ray machine had broke down and because of that there was a very long queue. True to my nature there was me laughing and joking about that and their sense of humour with them. All the time being kicked and punched descretely along with very dirty looks from my wife the whole time. I have to admit that I only laughed and joked with them as they reciprocated the homour that I showed them and they seemed to appreciate it too (Not so much my wife and the other people in the queue).

  1. I care about image so its a “no” for me. My image should be about intelligence.

    If you get rid of the pin and make it look less like a grenade, you might have a commercial product here. Until then, its a “no” for me. And don’t paint it with a black ops color.

    1. You may want to reconsider posts like this, lest it tarnish that image of yours.

      There are plenty of commercial products that use this form and asthetic. Lighters, ‘herb’ grinders, mugs, USB drives, etc. Getting rid of the pin and making it look less like a grenade defeats the purpose of the entire design.

      1. Yup, sounds like the opinion of someone on the younger side.

        Once you’re old and jaded (not calling all old people jaded nor all jaded people old, the Venn diagram has the occasional outlier), if you still lurk here, it’s probably not about image. There are cool things and different ways of doing and looking at stuff, and the background is black which feels retro too.

        Keyboard looks fun to have a go with. Had hoped for more pineapple and less kaboom. Though everyone I know in person would probably suggest the opposite.

  2. Second the tsa comment. Although I’ve flown with a onewheel controller and battery assembly that looked, for all intents and purposes, like a bomb. Had all the paperwork ready to hand – fully expecting a grilling. Nada. Apparently they miss up to 70% of weapons when spot audited. Will absolutely be recycling some of this design for macro keyboard. Stand face to face with a colleague – shared zoom mute ‘whack a mole’ type button to mute each other is def on the cards. Nice work.

  3. For those of us who am kybd illiterate, no. However, I know of one retired 7th Cav, Ft. Dix instructor, General Dynamics programmer & AIX sysadmin who would probably think it was the bestest Christmas present ever.

  4. When did HaD become American Idol? “That’s a no from me”?? The only question asked in the article is “Are you more of a pacifist […]?”

    Are people really upset that something looks like a fake grenade? I know more people who have died in car accidents than to grenades. Why no outrage towards cars? Cops kill more people every day than grenades do in an average year in “peaceful” countries. We still have cops and allow them to be idolized. You guys have wacky morals.

    1. So is the keyboard a grenade, or is there some good reason for the shape?

      The focus seems to be on the former, and hence looking like a grenade is the key thing.

      If there’s a good reason for the shape, like it’s easy to hit all the keys, then why make it a grenade?

      1. Clearly the shape is an artistic choice. So you guys want to start declaring what is and is not allowed to be used in art? Out of curiosity, what do you hope to achieve by poo-pooing on everything that looks like something that you don’t like?

      2. I suspect the vast majority of people attracted to such violent imagery imagine themselves as the heroes and only treat the whole thing as metaphor. If playing CSGo and listening to metal doesn’t make me want to hurt anyone, using a grenade won’t either.

        Nobody actually goes around attacking with katanas. Millions of people learn martial arts with no violent fantasies, other than things like beating up actual muggers and rapists.

        It just doesn’t seem like a real problem except for PR and possible danger if a cop sees you.

    2. You can’t be that naïve. Websites live and die by the approval and disapproval of the readers. Thankfully HAD generally has a great number of interesting articles appropriate to the “hobby“ but this simply isn’t one of them.

      But remember the old saying, it only takes one aw shit to wipe out a plethora of attaboys.

      1. Websites most certainly don’t live and die by the approval and disapproval of the readers. I can’t think of a single case where that has ever been true. You’re going to have to give some examples.

        I agree that HaD has lots of interesting articles, that’s why I’m here. How this ISN’T one of them, I cannot understand. Something having the cartoony appearance of a weapon does not in any way bother me. I’m not afraid of cartoons. A keyboard cannot hurt me beyond a bump or carpal-tunnel syndrome. Again, what is the goal of such criticism? What are you guys hoping to accomplish? You want to get rid of all weapons? Cool, I’m down for that. Let’s not forget about governments. They hurt more people with weapons than anyone.

        I’m not familiar with that “old saying.” It doesn’t sound as old as you think it does.

        Consider starting your comments with less insulting and less subjective phrases. You sound equally naive to me.

        1. Apologies regarding the use of the word naïve, I don’t generally consider that a derogatory word.

          But au contraire, websites do die by lack of readership. Ever heard of MySpace?

          Regarding hypocrisy mentioned earlier. While I do own fire arms, I don’t openly carry, and I would not consider carrying an A.R. 15 into a McDonald’s. Perhaps that’s the gist of my objection to the image. In my mind it’s the equivalent of open carrying. Yeah, I know, after I wrote that I may have to rethink my opinion.

  5. It’s not a keyboard it’s a replica grenade with some key switches on it.

    I’m old enough to remember when you could easily buy look alike 45 caliber handguns nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. It didn’t take long for protesters to make plastic guns bright yellow or have yellow/red barrel tips. So I’m not against Nerf and similar appearing toy guns so long as they are readily distinguishable from the real ones to aid in preventing children from being shot.

    And I’m not a pacifist as my home defense and target range fire arms will attest. But commonsense has to prevail some places… so the keyboard intended to look like a grenade is just wrong for HAD.

    Just like we wouldn’t appreciate the only photos of us on the Internet being those moments when we’re totally shitfaced and doing something stupid, HAD shouldn’t pick up pictures that will forever be associated with the website.

  6. Can‘t think of using such a grenade keyboard. Would make me paranoid and waiting for a bullet to enter my body, just because the police saw me pulling the ring, which did not happen…. „I‘m only typing, sir“ Then people go on the streets and fight for the right to use grenade keyboards with getting shot.
    Funny world we live in.

  7. It also takes about 5 seconds to tell that it is in fact a keyboard. Sure, you could hide explosives in there, but not any more than you could hide them in a sock, or an actual pineapple. If I was concerned about secretly hidden bombs I wouldn’t care what they looked like. If I was concerned with getting shot by cops, even a smartphone might be threatening enough to get them to shoot you.

    1. In 1997 or 1998 someone in my country (Slovenia) actually got shot and killed by cops because they thought he was holding a weapon. To be fair, he was a wanted career criminal and not just a random dude they stopped during a routine traffic stop. But still.

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