Chorded Keyboard For Pandora

[jdh2550]

FYI - I'm currently investigating chorded keyboards to use with the Pandora. The front runner is currently to adapt the GKOS six button design. The adaption is to make a USB designed device - probably based around one of the ATMega chips (because there's an opensource software USB/HID library for these chips).

The physical design will be six buttons on the bottom of the case (three for each hand) - it should allow good typing while holding the device - and the thumbs should be able to use one of the nubs as a mouse. I might also incorporate a USB hub into the design. I'm thinking it will just velcro to the case.

I was also considering a one handed "keyer" such as the chordite and creating a Bluetooth version. But then I realized it was actually better to have a 2 handed keyboard to use while holding the pandora (rather than having to set the device down and then typing with the keyer).

 

[Klepto]

This sounds very interesting, keep us posted please

 

[vputz]

Hm, hadn't heard of the GKOS idea but it doesn't look too bad. I'm curious to see how this goes for you (not sure how to build one myself, at least not one which would be small enough... I could mash together a couple of microcontrollers, but my soldering skills would result in something like a softball taped to the back of my Pandora).

 

[jdh2550]

but my soldering skills would result in something like a softball taped to the back of my Pandora).

LOL - yeah, I know exactly what you mean! But lest you think I'm some sort of l33t soldering guru - bear in mind that I'm mostly just using stuff already built by folks much smarter than me! This little guy is the heart of it all and it only costs $19! Then I'll add six of these (and six pull-up resistors). Then I'll hack a USB cable and wire it to the appropriate through hole connectors.

All in all I think there's only about a couple of dozen solder joints and they're all "bog standard" - no tricky SMD or nuffink!

Well, that's the idea anyway...

 

[jdh2550]

I have a prototype working on my breadboard. It only has one button, but it successfully connects as a low speed USB HID device and when I press the button it sends "hello world" to the host PC. OK, so it won't win any usability awards like this - but it's an important milestone because "the rest is just software"... (and a few more buttons).

woo hoo!

 

[bugQ]

double yes!! encouragement++

eventually I'll want this too...
thumb keyboards are unkind.

how well does the arduino mini?

 

[Trip]

Sounds like a great project; reminds me of when I made my own controller back in the C64 days.
Have fun and please keep us updated

 

[dentrado]

Cool idea, I have seen some talk about this earlier I think, fun to see someone actually trying.

BTW, The arduino has internal pull-up resistors, so you should be able to reduce your partcount even more. (some links)

 

[trooper]

You lot do realise this thread is well over six months old.

Posting in such a thread is frowned upon here in these forum, And deemed as grave digging.

Because there has been no updates to this thread from the original topic starter for
more than six months, I declare the project dead and thread duly closed.

***LOCKED***

If anyone feels that the decision to close this thread was inappropriate, And can give a VERY
good reason against that decision (via PM), Then i will be more than welcome to reopen this thread.

Trooper