I really like a mechanical keyboard with an OLED on it—keep in mind the SteelSeries Apex Professional? It was neat due to the customizable window within the nook of the keyboard. Now, think about getting those self same OLEDs for every key in your board. This could allow you to change your format and label macros on the fly. And it’s precisely the premise behind the PolyKybd, a mechanical keyboard with OLED shows inside every key.
The PolyKybd is a cut up mechanical keyboard with an ortho-linear format, which means the keys are specified by a grid system slightly than vertically aligned. The declare is that the nearer collectively the keys are, the simpler the journey is in your fingers, nevertheless it is dependent upon the particular person. A tiny Raspberry Pi RP2040 processor is inside every half of the cut up keyboard and controls the person OLED keys. The precise mini shows are related through flex cables. And you need to use standard software program like QMK to customise it.
The OLED keys already work with varied Western characters. However the mission’s creator, who goes by the deal with “thpoll,” is engaged on adapting glyphs for extra languages, together with Japanese, Korean, and Arabic. The PolyKybd can be already appropriate with at the very least 20 of the most well-liked mechanical switches out there. You’ll should do some razor blade shaving to get the specialised switches to suit. Nonetheless, normal choices just like the Gateron Professionals—the inexpensive equal of cherry switches—are appropriate with all the things from Pink Linears to Brown Tactiles.
Earlier than you get excited a couple of group purchase, the PolyKybd is at the moment only a mod. Nonetheless, the PolyKybd may very well be out there for tinkerers sooner or later. PC Gamer reported that the keyboard’s mission web page was just lately up to date with notes of upcoming firmware work, which may imply {hardware} kits are within the making. Nonetheless, they’d value over $200 and gained’t promote at scale.
A future model of this mission may embody a TenKeyless (TKL) model and a macro pad, which sounds extra inexpensive than a full-size keyboard. OLEDs for every key aren’t a brand new idea to the keyboard modding neighborhood, nevertheless it’s been over a decade since Artwork Lebedev confirmed off the Optimus Maximus.
