Full-size keyboards are great for actually typing on and using for day-to-day interfacing duties. They’re less good for impressing the Internet. If you really want to show off, you gotta go really big — or really small. [juskim] went the latter route, and added RGB to boot!
This was [juskim]’s attempt to produce the world’s smallest keyboard. We can’t guarantee that, but it’s certainly very small. You could readily clasp it within a closed fist. It uses a cut down 60% key layout, but it’s still well-featured, including numbers, letters, function keys, and even +,-, and =. The build uses tiny tactile switches that are SMD mounted on a custom PCB. An ATmega32U4 is used as the microcontroller running the show, which speaks USB to act as a standard human interface device (HID). The keycaps and case are tiny 3D printed items, with six RGB LEDs installed inside for the proper gamer aesthetic. The total keyboard measures 66 mm x 21 mm.
Don’t expect to type fast on this thing. [juskim] only managed 14 words per minute. If you want to be productive, consider a more traditional design.
It’s very cute and a nice learning project, but would be nice to see something a bit more useful and less gimmicky… a portable keyboard could be a very useful thing and
Cute, but I would need a microscope and toothpick to use it.
B^)
Off Topic:
Last night I dreamed that Prince had faked his death and was working as the Music Director at a private school.
Yes, that was off topic.
LOL.
No, he works in a second hand store selling….. Raspberry Berets…..
Is that what we’re calling Pi Hats now?
Great! Now I have no excuse to not finish my American Girl Doll Power Macintosh 5500…
It’s not much smaller than smartphone keyboards, or blackberry keyboard. It seems that it should be quite possible to type on, provided the switch force is not too high.
PCB makers offer their best deals for boards less than 100 x 100 mm.
At 66 x 21 mm, you could actually scale this UP – to about 99 x 30 mm.
Since it needs 3D printed keycaps, it might sell as a kit.