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Flux Keyboard

fluxkeyboard.com

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Re: Flux Keyboard

#151

Post by femto113 »

thomastjeffery wrote: post #127

I think it's the wrong move to make this a keyboard, particularly a traditional typewriter layout. My main question is: can the hall effect sensors be read as variable states instead of boolean keypresses? That could be really cool, especially with the display for real-time feedback. I can think of so many use cases: change the volume that hard . WASD like a joystick. It would be even cooler if they were in an even o…

Definitely makes way more sense for a macro pad--you don't hit those keys very frequently so switches are less significant but the key's effect changes often so the screen is useful. Tactility is good, I never liked Apple's Touch Bar for that reason, you had to look to be sure what you were doing. Can't imagine those switches being preferable for the primary keys, but would love to see something like this in the old IBM AT F or XT layout: 10 function keys in two columns on the left side where they could easily be combined with meta keys. Back when I had those (mid to late 1980s) I relied heavily on them, but I almost never use function keys since they moved to the top of the keyboard (and are effectively out of reach).

Re: Flux Keyboard

#152

Post by pdntspa »

tomtheelder wrote: post #137
pdntspa wrote: post #74

I would really like it if these fancypants keyboards came in a layout other than the crunch-all-your-fingers-together-in-the-middle-for-extra-RSI design that the keyboard nerds seem to adore

I mean the layout is more or less a standard qwerty one. It's not any more condensed than any other keyboard, as far as I can tell. You can imagine why an ergonomic layout would make this particular product more difficult, as you'd either need multiple displays for a split board, or a much larger display to accommodate the larger keyboard surface of a more traditional ergonomic layout. Also fwiw I don't think there's…

It puts less tension on my hands, I can feel that. 12+ hours a day in front of a keyboard, for weeks at a time sometimes for me. I don't have to bunch my elbows into my stomach to use the standard home row posture. I think those are all ergonomic wins.

Re: Flux Keyboard

#153

Post by Fetiorin »

nixpulvis wrote: post #124
jvanderbot wrote: post #95

> Each key is magnetically suspended with rare earth magnets allowing them to be 97% transparent and ultra low friction. Each switch has 4mm of travel and will be available in linear and tactile variants. They also feature a software adjustable actuation point in 0.1mm increments and rapid trigger functionality through analog hall effect sensing. Ok sign me up.

I don't like low travel distances personally :(

4mm is not a low travel distance. Most cherry-like switches have around 4mm travel.

Re: Flux Keyboard

#154

Post by pdntspa »

pnathan wrote: post #126
pdntspa wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

keyboard.io keyboards look really uncomfortable for long-term use, what with that hard wood looking enclosure. Ergodox and kinesis both do that weird split keyboard thing. All put other buttons below the thumb which I am not sure about. Can someone just please make a high-quality MS Natural Ergonomic 4000? Mine is getting worn out. edit- holy shit it looks like MS reintroduced it! https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/d/mi…

re the edit: > Nevertheless, if there were a world where amazing products suddenly snapped out of existence and were replaced with husks of their former selves, it would be this keyboard. Oh, right. That is this world. Amazon review of the latest gen ergo keyboard. If ms does a MS Natural 4001 or whatever, a genuine successor, I'll probably buy 3. It was _really_ nice.

It's cheap enough that I'm willing to give it a shot. The MS Sculpt wireless keyboard was pretty and unexpectedly comfortable for me once I got used to the chiclet keys

Re: Flux Keyboard

#155

Post by shaunsingh0207 »

sho_hn wrote: post #50
shaunsingh0207 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

E-ink is extremely expensive, especially at the size of a keyboard like that. Memory LCD would be more practical, but at that point the lcd costs the same and offers more power for those who want it. There isn't anything stopping you from making the entire screen black except for the legends, probably

True dat. I recently made this for my home, as a once-a-day automatic newspaper deco thingie (ticking all the latest hype boxes: wrote a custom Rust driver for the EPD controller, and it's now also using the ChatGPT API to trim and style-transfer articles and headlines -- this and also various layout/typography improvements not yet in that album): https://imgur.com/a/PqkhdGd $400+shipping for the display panel (a com…

Saw your project a few days back, absolutely loved it! Same-ish setup here, a massive e-ink screen hooked up to a controller and pine64 board. I hung it up next to my bed, displays my most important emails/weather/health-notifs etc., everything I need in the morning to get up and running

The cost of the panel makes me cry but there's nothing like e-ink :)

Re: Flux Keyboard

#156

Post by sodiumjoe »

nerdponx wrote: post #133
Groxx wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For a simpler but different-feeling option, you can also use rubber domes and glue, e.g. https://github.com/geoffder/dometyl-keyboard/#another-dactyl...

It's a shame that attempts to build open hardware and firmware for Topre/Niz-style capacitative rubber domes haven't gone anywhere over the years. Unless I'm out of the loop, people are still stuck yanking PCBs and controllers out of their Realforces and HHKBs to use domes in custom builds.

This is the closest I've seen: https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?t=11734

Re: Flux Keyboard

#157

Post by nerpderp82 »

nerdponx wrote: post #133
Groxx wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For a simpler but different-feeling option, you can also use rubber domes and glue, e.g. https://github.com/geoffder/dometyl-keyboard/#another-dactyl...

It's a shame that attempts to build open hardware and firmware for Topre/Niz-style capacitative rubber domes haven't gone anywhere over the years. Unless I'm out of the loop, people are still stuck yanking PCBs and controllers out of their Realforces and HHKBs to use domes in custom builds.

One could use those silicon popper OCD toys as a keyboard construction method. Still might need some sort of compliant spring mechanism with hysteresis.

Re: Flux Keyboard

#160

Post by Majromax »

hendersoon wrote: post #82

I don't find the displays particularly interesting or useful on an entire keyboard. What is interesting is they're using hall effect (magnetic) sensors, which have a vastly longer life than normal mechanical switches. That isn't new either, the Dreamcast had them way back in the day, and today Wooting sells keyboard with the same tech. This enables some very useful gaming features. First, you can adjust the initial a…

> These magnetic switches need to get down to a more reasonable pricepoint.

I think that's close to an inherent problem with the bill of materials. Taking a look at DigiKey, the cheapest in-stock linear hall effect sensor that I see still runs about $0.40 apiece in large quantity. Turning that into a usable keyswitch requires at least two more magnets, and I'm sure the assembly isn't particularly easy.

Without some great cost reduction in hall effect sensors, I think a magnetic-switch keyboard will always be more expensive than a mechanical-switch keyboard, which will be more expensive than a rubber dome keyboard.

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