Russ Nelson's blog

[ Home | RSS 2.0 | ATOM 1.0 ]

Fri, 30 Mar 2007

Mark XI keyboard

Been sitting on this version of the keyboard, but I want to get it out there. This one is much smaller and stealthier. It also puts the keys on a flexible PC board. That's much more manufacturable than the previous versions which used the key's mounting straps. The keys flex a little along with the PC board, but that's not a big problem. Because the keyboard is cupped, that gives it much more strength than if it were flat. And the pressure from the fingers is always directed against the direction of the cupping, so physics is my friend here.

This version is just the flexible PC board, mounted in a chunk of shapelock. It doesn't pocket as well as the Mark X keyboard, whose thumb rest folded. But, it's sturdier, lighter and fits well in my hand. The back view shows how the big ugly electronics (hopefully the Mark XII electronics will be smaller), the palm support, and the way the thumb rests on the battery box. You can see the PC board just a bit here. In the back of the hand view, not much shows beyond the fingers.

back view (Thumbnail) back of the hand view. (Thumbnail) side of the hand view (Thumbnail) top of the keyboard (Thumbnail)

posted at: 21:34 | path: /chordite | permanent link to this entry

Made with Pyblosxom