iQmYbP

Dactyl-HelloWord Ergonomic Keyboard ESP32

 
Overview
I. Introduction
 My old keyboard was worn smooth from use, and I was planning to buy a new one. Then a colleague suggested I look into custom keyboards.
I was shocked by the price – four figures! Forget it!
Since I don't have the money, I'll have to make one myself.
II. Acknowledgements & References
https://oshwhub.com/pengzhihui/b11afae464c54a3e8d0f77e1f92dc7b7
【Hanwen】HelloWord-Keyboard
 
https://oshwhub.com/dimsmary/dactyl-helloworld
Dactyl-HelloWord Ergonomic Keyboard
 
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3403277
dactyl Case
III. Design Summary
  I stumbled upon Zhihui's HelloWord-Keyboard and was immediately impressed. I wanted one, but the sheer amount of components and the price were a huge barrier. I was outside that barrier, while A-Key was inside.
Then I looked for a low-end option, and luckily, the name "Dactyl-HelloWord Ergonomic Keyboard" was a popular choice. While any keyword like that would be a drain on your wallet, this project offered good value. After trying it out online, I found that typing without a numeric keypad was too cumbersome and didn't suit my needs, so I decided to DIY (copy and paste).
  In the design, I used an ESP32 as the main controller, since I only knew how to use it. I eliminated the FPC cable and used flying wires to reduce costs and soldering requirements. The PCB design for the switches was the same.
Both left and right sides used the same PCB, with software controlling which controller was the main controller. Communication between the left and right sides used ESP-NOW. Later, I discovered that the ESP's power consumption was too high in the Bluetooth wireless version, so I didn't add a built-in battery; battery life depends on the size of your power bank.
  Printing cost 120 yuan, the two main controllers cost about 50 yuan, the switches were cheap (0.6 yuan each), and the keycaps cost 21 yuan, for a total cost of 300 yuan. Actually, the left and right connections could have been designed according to the "Dactyl-HelloWord Ergonomic Keyboard" design, which would have saved even more money.
 
Gitee: https://gitee.com/lyj0329l/keyboard-dactyl
 
 
IV. Key mapping is defined
 
  in two layers: a basic layer and a function key and navigation key layer. 
 
V. Physical demonstration
 
参考设计图片
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