Difference between revisions of "Keyboard"

Latest revision as of 10:31, 11 February 2022

Keyboard

We have based our keyboard development following the Open Sourced Parameterized ergonomic keyboard done by Matt Adereth and modified for our development by the Balthazar team. Here you can find our detailed documentation on a current modification and here QMK firmware that we use in this development. Below you can see our modifications and although this design is currently divided into left and right we will merge this into a single keyboard controller for our laptop.

Dev PCB

New keyboard PCB has been developed and adopted to Balthazar dimensions

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Details on a new Keyboard module

Features:

   • ISO standard keyboard layout
   • an ergonomic design
   • minimally (1/10th ) reduced keyboard size
   • silicone rubber waterproof overall keys blanket
   • microcontroller shared between keyboard, charger, safety control, and a touchpad PS2 to USB

The computer keyboard system with microcontroller (for now an 8-bit Atmel built into a small Sparkfun ProMicro board) A normal ISO keyboard layout is used. An option is given to test the ability of the microcontroller to handle also the control for the PSU board and the touchpad module data transfer to USB. Keypad and touchpad user activities are usually mutually exclusive – so this seems ok. Charger control is active a couple of seconds on startup of the system, so this is also ok. In case of some charger error, there is a mechanical switch on the PSU board to stop charging. In this way, three functions would be fulfilled in a single microcontroller – connected to the system with one USB.

Keyboard PCB has some dimensions already defined by the LCD's dimensions of 13.3 inches in diagonal: 290mm x 180mm. The width is the most determining factor for the keys raster, which is about 17mm – instead of the regular 19mm. The keys have some ergonomic solution that gives some additional design touch.

The keyboard switches are important but are for now very typical low-cost membrane switches. A little better solution is the softer (silicone) – but still membrane – switches (not much love for the higher quality Cherry buttons). The idea is to have a waterproof (silicone) layer over the whole board. The board can then already act as a top cover. The feel of silicone rubber is preferred to that of natural rubber.

Keyboard Schematics in: .PDF

Bill of materials (BoM) in: .ODS

PCB is ready for prototyping as KiCad files are available at our Github pages.

Those will be regularly updated as schematics and PCBs are continuously improved and optimized.

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Prototype PCB

In early November 2020, we have received prototypes of keyboard PCBs, ready for implementing and connecting it to the other modules and for the correct dimensioning of a case and adjoining the screen. Here are the photos of a prototype, also with a 13.3" screen.

with the schematic
with the screen
close-up with logo

Here it is with the key modules soldered on a keyboard prototype PCB, also with the controller chip and a micro USB.

with the keys soldered on
back side with a controller
controller close-up
key modules close-up

Go to: 
I/O hub  or Power Supply

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 We have based our keyboard development following the Open Sourced [https://github.com/adereth/dactyl-keyboard Parameterized ergonomic keyboard] done by Matt Adereth
-and modified for our developement by Balthazar team. [https://github.com/g1smo/balthazar_dactyl Here] you can find our detailed documentation on a current modification and [https://github.com/g1smo/balthazar_qmk_firmware here] QMK firmware that we use in this development.
+and modified for our development by the Balthazar team. [https://github.com/g1smo/balthazar_dactyl Here] you can find our detailed documentation on a current modification and [https://github.com/g1smo/balthazar_qmk_firmware here] QMK firmware that we use in this development.
-Below you can see our modifications and although this design is currently divided in left and right we will merge this into a single keyboard controller for our laptop.
+Below you can see our modifications and although this design is currently divided into left and right we will merge this into a single keyboard controller for our laptop.
 === Dev PCB ===
@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 </gallery>
-=== New keyboard PCB has been developed and adopted to a Balthazar dimensions ===
+=== New keyboard PCB has been developed and adopted to Balthazar dimensions ===
 <gallery>
@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
      • minimally (1/10th ) reduced keyboard size
      • silicone rubber waterproof overall keys blanket
-     • microcontroller shared between keyboard, charger, safety control and a touchpad PS2 to USB
+     • microcontroller shared between keyboard, charger, safety control, and a touchpad PS2 to USB
 The computer keyboard system with microcontroller (for now an 8-bit Atmel built into a small Sparkfun ProMicro board)
-A normal ISO keyboard layout is used. An option is given to test the ability of the microcontroller to handle also the control for PSU board and the touchpad module data transfer to USB. Keypad and touchpad user activities are usually mutually exclusive – so this seems ok. Charger control is active a couple of seconds on startup of the system, so this is also ok. In case of some charger error there is a mechanical switch on PSU board to stop charging. In this way three functions would be fulfilled in a single microcontroller – connected to the system with one USB.
+A normal ISO keyboard layout is used. An option is given to test the ability of the microcontroller to handle also the control for the PSU board and the touchpad module data transfer to USB. Keypad and touchpad user activities are usually mutually exclusive – so this seems ok. Charger control is active a couple of seconds on startup of the system, so this is also ok. In case of some charger error, there is a mechanical switch on the PSU board to stop charging. In this way, three functions would be fulfilled in a single microcontroller – connected to the system with one USB.
-Keyboard pcb has some dimensions already defined by the LCD's dimensions of 13.3 inch in diagonal: 290mm x 180mm. The width is the most determining factor for the keys raster which is about 17mm – instead of the regular 19mm. The keys have some ergonomic solution that gives some additional design touch.
+Keyboard PCB has some dimensions already defined by the LCD's dimensions of 13.3 inches in diagonal: 290mm x 180mm. The width is the most determining factor for the keys raster, which is about 17mm – instead of the regular 19mm. The keys have some ergonomic solution that gives some additional design touch.
-The keyboard switches are important but are for now very typical low cost membrane switches. A little better solution are the softer (silicone) – but still membrane – switches (not much love for the  higher quality Cherry buttons). The idea is to have a waterproof (silicone) layer over the whole board. The board can then already act as a top cover. The feel of silicone rubber is preferred to that of natural rubber.
+The keyboard switches are important but are for now very typical low-cost membrane switches. A little better solution is the softer (silicone) – but still membrane – switches (not much love for the higher quality Cherry buttons). The idea is to have a waterproof (silicone) layer over the whole board. The board can then already act as a top cover. The feel of silicone rubber is preferred to that of natural rubber.
 Keyboard Schematics in:
@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 PCB is ready for prototyping as KiCad files are available at our [https://github.com/balthazar-space Github] pages.
-Those will be regularly updated as schematics and PCBs are continuously improved and optimised.
+Those will be regularly updated as schematics and PCBs are continuously improved and optimized.
 <gallery>
@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 === Prototype PCB ===
-In early November 2020 we have received first prototypes of a keyboard PCBs, ready for implementing and connecting it to the other modules and for the correct dimensioning of a case and adjoining the screen. Here are the photos of a prototype, also with a 13.3" screen.
+In early November 2020, we have received prototypes of keyboard PCBs, ready for implementing and connecting it to the other modules and for the correct dimensioning of a case and adjoining the screen. Here are the photos of a prototype, also with a 13.3" screen.
 <gallery>