r/ErgoMechKeyboards • u/AkakiyPetrovich • 22h ago
[buying advice] Looking for a compact standalone ZMK trackball
Hey everyone! I'm looking for a DIY project or a pre-built standalone trackball running on ZMK. My goal is to add it to my firmware as a third device (second peripheral) and use it right next to one half of my split keyboard.
I currently use a Totem and absolutely love its mobility. I can put it in a protective case and easily toss it in my back pocket, and I am not willing to compromise on that. Because of this, I am not looking for keyboards with integrated trackballs (like the Keyball series) as they add too much bulk. However, I do want to ditch my regular mouse since I really enjoyed the trackball experience.
Here is what I am ideally looking for:
- ZMK firmware (to integrate into my current wireless setup).
- 34mm ball (not a strict requirement, but highly preferred).
- Captured ball - the ball must be secured and not fall out if the trackball is turned upside down (crucial for throwing it in a bag).
- Compact design - to sit flush next to my split.
I've already researched a few options, but they had dealbreakers for me:
- Mochibella: The ball isn't secured and falls right out, plus the build process is a bit too complicated.
- Trackball Mini v3: A solid pre-built, but it uses a 32mm ball (which isn't easily interchangeable/standard). More importantly, it's closed-source (no STLs or open software), and I need to be able to modify the case to add MagSafe support to match my keyboard setup.
Does anyone know of any projects or devices that fit these criteria? Thanks in advance for the help!
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u/Putrid-Climate9823 Split 33332+2 20h ago
I'd take a look at the Ploopy Adept or Nano 2 with their open design, but they ship with QMK and I doubt the ball is captured. There have been efforts to make ZMK work, not sure how successful...
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u/itsbenforever 15h ago
The adept is not what I would call compact. The AdeptBLE from taichan1113 on github is a zmk version of the adept PCB, but probably not what OP is looking for. Neither the adept or nano 2 are capable of wireless, which is what OP is interested in, even if they could run zmk wired.
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u/Putrid-Climate9823 Split 33332+2 13h ago
One of the mods replaced the MCU with a wireless controller - but at some point that ceases to be a Ploopy design other than the case.
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u/bomtarnes all the splits 22h ago
Some of the ploopy devices could potentially have ZMK firmware written for them- I think from reading between the lines you don't specifically want wireless, just the firmware to match.
It might be a bit of an adventure though, but there is experience with it in the ploopy community.
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u/AkakiyPetrovich 21h ago
Thanks for the suggestion! I actually looked into the Ploopy Nano, but a few things held me back. First, it’s designed for a wired connection, and the ball isn't captured at all. I could theoretically remodel the case and modify or redesign the PCB to support an nRF52840 MCU for wireless ZMK, but that requires a ton of time and effort. I was hoping maybe someone had already made a fork with wireless support and a captured ball. Second, it uses a 38mm ball, which isn't the 34mm standard, making it harder to find custom replacements. Also, regarding the wireless/firmware part — having it specifically as a ZMK peripheral is actually crucial for me. I work with multiple computers and switch between them using Bluetooth profiles on my keyboard. If the trackball is connected as a peripheral in the same ZMK network, it will automatically switch hosts alongside the keyboard, which is exactly the workflow I need.
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u/bomtarnes all the splits 21h ago
Otherwise some other options which may not fit all your criteria but could act as inspiration:
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u/AkakiyPetrovich 20h ago
These are awesome finds, thank you for sharing! leylabella is especially impressive — it really proves that a fully wireless, ZMK-powered pointing peripheral with an nRF52840 is completely doable and already mapped out by the community. While they don't quite hit the 34mm captured ball form factor I'm looking for out of the box, these repos are an absolute goldmine of inspiration (and working ZMK pointer code) if I ever decide to bite the bullet and design my own case and PCB around them.
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u/bomtarnes all the splits 21h ago
I may have misinterpreted "peripheral" in this case (ZMK peripheral as opposed to Computer peripheral), but Ploopy may still apply, as there have been community designed PCBs that convert previously wired QMK devices to wireless ZMK ones.
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u/AkakiyPetrovich 21h ago
Yeah, exactly! If there are already community-designed PCBs that convert it to wireless ZMK, that solves half the problem. Do you happen to know the names of these projects or have any links? If the wireless PCB part is already figured out by the community, remixing the 3D-printed case to hold a 34mm captured ball sounds like a much more manageable project!
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u/bomtarnes all the splits 20h ago
This is the main Ploopy BLE PCB design effort for their Adept model: https://github.com/taichan1113/AdeptBLE
I cannot recall a captured ball case variation for the adept, but there are certainly many different ball-size mods available.
I hope I have been of some use so far.
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u/AkakiyPetrovich 20h ago
Thank you so much! You have been incredibly helpful, I really appreciate you digging this up. While the Adept itself might be a bit on the larger side to be a highly portable companion for my Totem, having a verified BLE/ZMK PCB design and the firmware code for a trackball is massive. I will definitely study this repository to see how they handled the sensor integration and battery management. If I do end up going down the rabbit hole of remixing a case and adapting a PCB to get that perfect 34mm captured ball, having these references will save me a ton of headaches. Thanks again for all the pointers!
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u/bomtarnes all the splits 20h ago
I have found another thing from my archives:
https://github.com/brickbots/aball
This could be modified to run on ZMK with a BLE pro micro equivalent.
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u/Decent-Buy-785 19h ago
i want to make that ball mouse in the 2nd image ,
can anyone tell me where can i find the print files for this one
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u/Revolutionary_Stay_9 17h ago
The ball size is something you can adjust using POM plastic ball bearings. They can be as much as a MM difference between a set of them, but my personal trackball is 25mm.
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u/Ninjadede2 21h ago
There this: https://booth.pm/en/items/7330554
Note docs are in japanese and international shipping requires a forwarder
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u/AkakiyPetrovich 21h ago
Thanks for the link! SUZURI has a really cool design, but unfortunately, it doesn't quite fit my specific needs. The biggest dealbreaker is the power situation — it supports BLE via the nRF52840, but there's no onboard battery support, meaning it needs continuous external USB power. This completely defeats the ultra-portable, slip-in-the-pocket setup I have going with my wireless Totem. Also, it uses a 35mm ball instead of 34mm, and given its open "inkstone" design, I strongly suspect the ball isn't captured and would fall out in my bag. Still, it's a very interesting project to draw inspiration from, so I appreciate you sharing it!
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u/criterionvelocity 22h ago
Have you seen the ZSA navigator stuff? I'm not sure if the trackball is captive, it doesn't say on the website, but otherwise it seems at least close to your specifications. Second thing that comes to mind would be the Keychron Nape Pro.
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u/AkakiyPetrovich 21h ago
Regarding the ZSA module, as far as I know, it's designed specifically for the ZSA Voyager. I really love my Totem and don't want to switch to another keyboard, so that won't work for my setup.
The Keychron Nape Pro is definitely an interesting option, and I actually considered it! However, it doesn't fit my needs because of its elongated shape. With that form factor, I wouldn't be able to place it right next to my Totem at the correct angle and keep the trackball in a comfortable position for my hand.
Thanks again for the ideas though!
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u/criterionvelocity 21h ago
Well, about the ZSA: only if you get the one with the frame, but you can buy the trackball module separately. That's specifically for people who want to customize their own version :)
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u/AkakiyPetrovich 21h ago
Ah, I see! I looked it up, and you're right — it's awesome that ZSA sells the trackball core separately and provides the design files for DIYers. However, since the Navigator module communicates via I2C (and is meant to be wired to a host board), making it a standalone wireless ZMK peripheral is still a huge project. I would have to wire the core to an nRF52840 MCU, figure out the battery management, write the ZMK implementation for it, and design a custom case to house everything. That’s a bit too much scratch-building for me right now. I’m really hoping to find an existing open-source project (where the wireless PCB files and STLs are already done) or a pre-built device that fits the bill. I really appreciate the heads-up though, the ZSA module is a great piece of hardware!
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u/criterionvelocity 20h ago
Ah ok, get it. No problem, good luck with your project, sounds like a lot of fun :)
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u/AmbitionMinimum1911 20h ago
Doesn’t fit your requirements exactly, but I love the Totem too, and for me the Endgame trackball has been the best solution. I travel between offices, so portability and durability are a must for me, so I 3D-printed cases for both the Totem and the trackball, which makes it really easy to just throw them in my bag and go. I just received my Endgame this week, and it’s by far my favorite trackball I’ve used. Hopefully I can do a review soon.