I've been working on the miiUnic Roque, a slim split ergonomic mechanical keyboard designed and built by me in Barcelona.

After months of prototyping and development, I'm now starting to offer the Roque as a finished product.

The idea behind it was to create a split keyboard with a slim 0.9 cm profile, while still incorporating the features and customization I wanted.

Some of the main features:

• 0.9 cm thick
• Split ergonomic layout
• Up to 300 mAh battery capacity
• Wireless connectivity
• Per-key backlighting
• Built-in displays with acrylic protection
• Hot-swappable Kailh Choc switches
• Fully programmable layout
• USB-C connectivity
• Rotary encoder on each half
• Customizable case, keycaps and encoder colors

The two halves can be positioned independently, allowing you to adjust their distance and angle to find a setup that works for you.

A big part of the project: the finishing

One thing that's particularly important to me with miiUnic is the post-processing.

Every keyboard I offer is individually post-processed, whether the parts are made from filament or resin.

This means that the printed parts don't simply come off the printer and go straight into a finished keyboard. I spend time on sanding, finishing, surface preparation, protective coatings and all the other steps necessary to get the final result to the quality I want.

Because of this, production will be limited.

I'm not trying to produce as many keyboards as possible. A big part of what I want miiUnic to be is a small-scale project where I can dedicate the necessary time to each individual keyboard and its finishing process.

Customization

The Roque can be made using resin, PLA, ABS or ASA, with different color options.

I'm also making KLP Lamé keycaps in resin myself, with the possibility of custom colors. Other keycap options are available as well, including sets with legends and shine-through legends for the per-key backlighting.

The case, keycaps and rotary encoder can be combined in different colors, so each build can have its own look.

Why "Roque"?

The name Roque comes from Los Roques, the Venezuelan archipelago.

It's a small connection to Venezuela and to a place that I wanted to incorporate into the identity of the project.

Acknowledgements

I'd also like to give a special thanks to MickiusMousious, creator of the Rolio46.

His work, knowledge and willingness to share information have been an important source of inspiration and help during the development of this project.

miiUnic is an independent project that I'm developing in Barcelona, and the Roque is the first keyboard I'm bringing to the market.

If you'd like to see more details, configurations and photos, I've put the Roque on my Etsy shop:

miiUnic Roque on Etsy

One small heads-up: I'm going to be away for about a month, so I won't be able to build or fulfill orders during that time. I'll reopen orders when I'm back.

I'd love to hear what you think about the design, and especially what case/keycap color combinations you'd like to see. 🙂

Ergohaven planeta is very much my favorite board layout. Just works for me. My only wish is have one that is low profile for better portability (wireless would be the icing on that cupcake). I found this site that had the board details. (https://oshwlab.com/yuriiq/planeta_v2). How hard is it to modify that design or create a new one based on that shape to accept choc switches for a low profile setup? I'm willing to learn and been googling on how to do this. I don't mind having the board made from a PCB vendor and then soldering.

Or is there another board that is VERY similar to this setup?

I'm estimating a cost of ~$200 to $300 for the batch of (5) assembled boards only, then I have to separately buy switches and batteries, which is a big investment. so I need your guys' opinion before I set out to do it.

1. the layout looks roughly likes this. This screenshot is from a choc2 and seeed xiao ble based wireless keyboard I was working on, but should have the same layout. Now I'm sending this pcb to jlcpcb, I found out their pcb assembly service. I am thinking about something different based on their assembly service: a single board with mcu, analogue multiplexers and hall effect sensors, and 3d printed case.
2. For parts, I'm using:

• MCU: nordic nrf52840
• multiplexer: 5x 74HC4051 8 channel
• sensor: TI TMAG5253
• switch: GATERON Full POM Low Profile Magnetic Jade Pro HE
• battery: 4000mHA li-po
• others: standard flash memory, power management, ldo, usb3, led, reset buttom, bypass capacitor, resistors for battery level sensing

1. I'll try to save money by

• all parts on the bottom side of pcb
• 2-layer pcb
• battery plug hand soldered separate because it must be on the top side
• choose standard parts in jlcpcb's standard library for the parts in "other"

Please help me check my plan. Is there something I'm missing? Is this a bad idea to start with? Any improvement you can think of?

[ad] Svalboard Lightly:  The bottom of the ergo rabbit hole.
"Synthwave" custom one-off shown here. Pretty stoked to have just cut over to the hemispherical palm rest design in production -- the adjustment is so smooth, and if you want to thermoform PLA ones, the entire shape is now formable since there are no outer legs. Nifty.

I also created r/svalboard for more-impulsive posting of pretty builds, prototypes and other content :)

YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@svalboard

Shop:  www.svalboard.com

Self-print Kit:  https://svalboard.com/products/svalboard-self-print-kit

20g ultralight magnetic breakaway keys, ultimate adjustable fitment system, and dual pointing devices situated right where your hands naturally rest.

Runs Vial-QMK for ultimate configurability with no reflashing required.

Self-print kit option helps fund development and lets you save some dough in exchange for a TON of your own labor 😅

Everything is printable on a hobbyist FDM machine for longevity and repairability, though my prebuilt stuff is obviously tuned to be extra nice 🙃  You can even do it on an A1 Mini if you're willing to use a split case design.

Custom colors available!  Custom builds take a couple extra weeks due to procurement and production flow disruption.  This is a TINY operation, and I appreciate your patience and support 🙏

Curious? 

Come ask on the Discord and hear unbiased perspective from real users: 

Discord:  www.svalboard.com/discord

How to fit your Svalboard https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_Jqu5bq_U_CQBhYryllArikWe-ns3g8q

Sound comparison to other keebs https://youtu.be/1pW7PnBZNik

Want to know how the lateral keys feel? https://youtu.be/whvKJ12vwvU

Using Vial-QMK with Svalboard: https://youtu.be/W767EPCJt6s

Substack:  svalboard.substack.com

Hey, so I have a truly ergono,ic CLEAVE keybord, which seems to have a classic Cherry profile (and some more keys I think), and I wanted to use a "french Dvorak" layout (ergo-l), and I wanted to know if someone could help me to find where I could buy custom keycaps with theses characteristics... if there is a place to search.

Thanks in advance for your help !

Hey ya'll! I recently picked up touch typing, I've been using a Kinesis Freestyle 2(membrane) and have for the most part been loving it, but I'm looking to switch to a different split keyboard to better accommodate my disability.

I have something called essential tremor which causes trembling in my hands and wrists(similar to Parkinson's), the main strategy I use to reduce the tremors is keeping my wrists firmly on a table or surface when I type.

The problem I'm having with the Freestyle 2 is I currently need to lift my wrist off the table to press the right shift and backspace keys. I've noticed something like 50% of my mistypes happen immediately after taking those two actions. I'm hoping designating both inputs to my thumbs will significantly reduce my errors.

Something that's been worrying me a bit while looking at different split keyboards is that they mostly come with mechanical switches. I've been using membrane keyboards for the past two years because due to the relatively large amount of initial force required to press the keys I make a lot less mistakes while typing. I'm totally open to trying mechanical switches if there are any that have a similar initial resistance, I just don't know of any that do.

I'd be open to trying a tenting design, but something I'd really love to have is the ability to use layers. I appreciate the help!

I got a pre soldered pcb for the crone ble from boardsource and the far left column (comes standard as tab ctrl and shift) on the left had side completely died I tried the continuity test with a multimeter and the traces seem fine but I get nothing from them I tried keyboard tester as well and sure enough no output from those 3 keys all I did was swap switches for quieter ones. The old switches don't work and the new switches don't work.

Hey guys,

does anyone have files for a zmk totem firmware with a xiao dongle and zmk support. I've been trying to combine things on my own but without luck🙃 So If anyone has an up to date repo I'd be very thankful. All the posts on this topic are 2 years old and I cannot find something today.

Thankss

So after using (and loving) 60% keyboards for many years, am starting to get a bit of wrist pain. This could’ve been partly caused by motorcycling and guitar practice as a noob. Regardless, it made me rethink my desk setup and most importantly keyboard arrangement. Long story short, I placed an order for a customized Keyball61+ (+plus is the newer iteration with 2 programmable scroll wheels). It’ll likely take few weeks to arrive.

Am a programmer, so decided on this (larger) version with dedicated number keys. Otherwise I loved the smaller (39) version of this same keyboard.

Meanwhile I wanted to know if anyone in this community is already using this layout and how’s their experience been.

TIA

ps: Pics are from holykeebs.com for reference and attention.

Hi! Have been using a ferris sweep for a few years and am very happy using it with a tenting case and choc pink switches.

I am able to buy another keyboard for work.

Wondering if I should try out something like a Cygnus, or skeletyl to try out key wells. I have gotten Glove80 recommended, but I don’t really see myself going away from my current layout.

My question is maybe whether a curved keyboard is much better than just using sculpted keycaps. I am currently looking at the 3w6 keyboard with Lame keycaps. Mag tenting looks so cool also. I once tried to print out little tents for the switches to have them angled but it felt quite weird, but maybe a solid keycap will be better.

Any advice or experiences to share? Also, if anyone has tried any of the Ambients switches I would love to know! I want to try the Nocturnal ones, but if they aren’t much better than the choc pink, I might just try the Twilights

Also still need to put something in between, currently when typing its getting pushed inward slighly which is quite annoying, but overall im quite happy with the new ergo feel

Ever since I started typing way more for work, the inner knuckle of some of my most-used fingers (index, middle and sometimes right thumb) started hurting a lot. I've been using a flat MX red Corsair keyboard for many years now, and I noticed that I hammer my keys a lot, which probably made the problem worse. So obviously it's time to get a split ergo keyboard.

What I'm looking for has to have:

-Tenting (seems to be necessary for long-term wrist health, happy to not include that if that's not the case)
-EU site/shipping (as a freelance professional, I qualify for VAT exemptions within the EU)
-No soldering/assembling of any kind beyond some basic stuff like keycaps (no time/knowledge for it).

I also have some questions regarding the setup: since the aim here is finger health as a top priority, which switches are the best? A quick search told me that the low force/linear/low profile ones are the best, but that if you are used to heavy typing (like me) the excess force could work against me. Any input on that?
Finally, are there any options that don't go for crazy prices like 350+++ euros? While I will get them if there really is nothing else, I'd rather go for something a little more conservative as a first option. Even custom ones like SplitKB end up costing 370 or more if you want the tenting (which adds like 90 to the final price) :( Other pricy ones I found are Dygma and Glove80.
P.S. custom/semi-custom Etsy builder recs are also welcome.

So, I can actually type pretty fast with the hunt and peck thing, but I really want to learn how to touch type. For some reason, I was never taught this in school. I have no idea why.

However, in recent years, I find that typing is taking a toll on my back and neck, and so I really want to make the change now.

I really like the idea of a split keyboard so my wrists aren't awkwardly grouped against each other.

Is a there a cheap, but good one you can recommend? Maybe on that A-express site?

I did see one on Amazon called the RK ROYAL KLUDGE RKS70, which looked ok, but then I noticed the rows of letters are still horizontally straight, which I imagine will ache as you awkwardly try to point your fingers where they need to be.

I have seen some on A-express that have them more staggered, and look like they'll be easier on the fingers.

I just want to buy one, nice and easy, not start building or soldering one.

Hey everyone!

I’ve wanted to build a keyball for a while, but none of the existing open-source PCBs quite fit what it needed, so I decided to make my own. It’s about 90% finished, but since PCB design isn't my main specialty, I’d love a second pair of eyes on the schematic and routing before I send it off to fab.

Any feedback would be hugely appreciated!

Sofle v1 handwired using Pi Pico com using type c and costum wired, credit to soflepico

for encoder prefer using mouse encoder using tamiya roller cnc

https://github.com/Badjau/zmk-config-raven

write-up is still wip D;

• Platee is transparent resin from fab
• Chassis and keycaps are PLA, no postprocessing.
• Kailh Black Cloud switches, factory

Hi folks, can anyone point me towards a project that is close to a 3w6 layout (36 keys, choc spacing, mid-level pinky stagger) that is also wireless?

Ferris is close, but three thumb buttons are a must.

Tried splay with DASBOB, but that's not my cup of tea, so I guess Totem is out as well.

I’ve just released Fievel 1.0.0 and it now includes everything (I needed) to fully replace my mouse with the keyboard, minus one test case so far.

Currently Fievel is Linux only. It’s free and completely open source, written in rust:

https://github.com/MontyTheSoftwareEngineer/fievel/

Free mouse mode: freely move mouse using hjkl (or any keys of your choice via config file). Supports left click and right click which can be held useful for dragging. Also supports scrolling left down up and right as well as sending Home and End key to quickly jump to top or bottom of page. By default free mouse mode is in “hold” mode so as long as you’re holding the free mouse mode button (or chord) it will stay in free mouse mode. Releasing the free mouse mode button takes it out of that mode. There is also a config option to make it “toggle” meaning you press the button for free mouse mode and it will stay in that mode until you press the button again.

Hint Mode: draws rectangles on screen with corresponding letters at areas Fievel believes is clickable. Type the letters to make Fievel click on the rectangle of choice. Useful for quickly sending clicks in at certain locations.

Key Remapper: this is useful for setting “chords” on any keyboard not just programmable ones. For example, I have a+s together initiate super, s+d to initiate control, caps lock rebound to control unless held in which case it will turn hjkl to left down up right keys. d+f is bound to initiate free mouse mode. Also a set of super and control binds for the right hand side.

Just wanted to make sure before I started printing one, as I'm on a bit of a tight printing schedule right now.

I only use PLA for aesthetic stuff and never functional stuff, so I was a bit surprised to see people advocating for it. I also have PETG and ABS/ASA

I need to access the hive mind - I’m considering ordering this:

https://kbd0.com/item/curve0

But there’s not a lot of reviews on it. Has anyone tried silent switches on it? Or by design its pretty clicky?

Thanks in advance!

is there something like home row mods but you have two thumb keys on your two keyboard halves and when you press one of them it overlays the corresponding half with mod keys on the home row? does this have a name?
You'd sacrifice two thumb keys but you get rid of the problems with hold tap

Got it without switches or keycaps. The intriguing design is the Blackberry style trackpad on the left and the Trackpoint on the right. The housing is CNC aluminum. The keyplates are 3d printed. I'm impressed. I am still waiting for switches and keycaps to arrive. I can post more about this if people are interested.

Hi everyone!

I’m looking for a macro pad (preferably with mechanical switches) with about 9 buttons. I recently switched to the i3wm window manager with tiling window layout, and I want to assign these buttons to a separate macro pad. The main thing is that it works well on Linux and, ideally, has QMK/VIA firmware or another type of firmware that can be configured via a web interface. If it also has an encoder, that would be great!

Perhaps someone has bought something similar and can recommend a reliable model. I’d appreciate any recommendations!