Ergonomic keyboard "Keyboardio The Model 01" that you can pursue usability and fully customize

As a "keyboard for uncomprominating typists"Even GIGAZINE made an articleMy personal ergonomic keyboard was completed and the campaign started with Kickstarter. "The Model 01The model named the left and right wooden body has become a keyboard characteristic of the arrangement of keys along the shape of the finger.

The Model 01: an heirloom-grade keyboard for serious typists by Keyboardio - Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/keyboardio/the-model-01-an-heirloom-grade-keyboard-for-seriou

You can see what kind of product the Model 01 is seeing by looking at the movie below.


Although there are many people who sit a lot of the day in front of the PC, the shape of the keyboard used for inputting letters is almost the one in which the keys are arranged orderly in the main body of the square.


This layout is basically the same as when the typewriter was invented. It is no exaggeration to say that shapes that can not be said to be usability of the people who use it or considering the structure of the wrists and fingers have been used for many years.


In order to improve such difficulty, keyboard of "Keyboardio" has been developed based on a lot of commitment.


Keyboardio's first model "The Model 01" is a keyboard designed after a development period of two and a half years. It was arranged to fit the shape of human fingers while also looking at the shape like a butterfly on the left and right separating typeErgonomic designThe arrangement of the keys with the features is distinctive.


It is like this when uploading on the right side. The main body is what grinding innocent wood, processing of the edge finished smoothly is brilliant. When looking carefully, the arrangement of keys is designed to have a concave center so that fingers can be easily moved.


Nonetheless, Keyboardio's "The Model 01" is not the world's first left and right split ergonomic keyboard. In the past IBM made "M15There is a model called "Personal Media Inc."ΜTRON (microtron) keyboard"Is also available as of 2015.


Actually, the keyboardio's staff also said that he liked μTRON and loved it. However, due to various circumstances, it was difficult to get μTRON in the United States, so there is a background that Keyboardio was to proceed with the development of the original model.

Initially it is making a keyboard that started at a light hobby level, but contents gradually become full-scale while facing various tasks. It seems that manufacturing of its own base and development using 3D printer were promoted.


In the process of development, a model using a transparent acrylic board and various key arrangements were devised, and dozens of prototypes were created.


That is why "The Model 01" was created. As you can see also in this picture, the color LED is embedded in the inside so that you can freely change the color.


In addition, the right-and-left divided type body can be used in various ways. It is possible to put it on the desk as it is, attach it to a tripod, float it, connect it with an angle and completely divide the left and right. It is designed to have high degree of freedom according to user's usage environment.


Two types of metal plates that connect left and right are also included.


By clicking on the image below you can see the actual input in The Model 01 with GIF animation.


The key arrangement of The Model 01 is as follows. Although it may be slightly confusing just by looking at the glance, you can see that numeric keys are aligned at the top at the top and that they are keyboards of a general qwerty array underneath. Generally, the largest space key is assigned to the key written as "spc" around the stretched thumb of the right hand. Also, the Shift key is different from the normal keyboard position, so it can be operated with your thumb.


If you press a function key written "fn" at the position closest to your hand, the key arrangement temporarily switches. In this state, it becomes possible to use the function key of "F1" to "F12", and it becomes possible to use various additional functions such as screen jump.


One thing to worry about is that the appearance of the "Enter" key, which is usually around the right hand little finger extended, is not found. Kickstarter's page points out this point, so some improvements may be made before it is actually shipped.

The Model 01 has its own microcomputer board's "Arduino"From adopting it, it is said that it is a big feature that traditional commercial keyboards do not have free customization by users.


In Keyboardio, we decided to provide source code to all users who contributed to The Model 01. Anyone with knowledge can make improvements to their liking, improve the code and publish it to the whole world It will be able to be distributed to users as well.


The Model 01 is a cloud funding siteKickstarterWe are looking for investment in. For the target amount of 120 thousand dollars (about 15 million yen), about 298 thousand dollars (about 36.5 million yen) contributions are gathered from investors around the world at the time of article creation.

It is possible to get the Model 01 as a capital contribution of 299 dollars (about 370 million yen), which is 549 dollars (about 67,000 yen) for two cars. In addition,mahoganyLimited edition with $ 999 (about 120,000 yen) is prepared, as well as a set of 10 units "$ 2900 (about 354,000 yen)" Startup Pack "and in cooperation with Keyboardio to create a full original model A "bispoke / keyboard" plan that can be developed is available for $ 9,999 (about 1.2 million yen).


For shipping to Japan, a shipping fee of 34 dollars to 140 dollars (about 4,200 yen to 17,000 yen) is required according to the plan. The deadline of investment is Japan time on July 16 th (Thursday) 20 th July, 11 o'clock in the morning, the shipping time is scheduled around April 2016.

The Model 01: an heirloom-grade keyboard for serious typists by Keyboardio - Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/keyboardio/the-model-01-an-heirloom-grade-keyboard-for-seriou?ref=popular