Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
Analog macropad and encoder
News from riskable: a handwired analog macropad and analog encoder.
Published July 12, 2021
The macropad uses the author's Analog Keyboard Unit PCBs which are similar to the Amoeba PCBs.
Being analog means it has a configurable actuation point! Set it to whatever you want or set up multiple points of actuation per switch!
The macro pad also features an Analog Rotary Encoder PCB that lets you do the same thing with a rotary encoder: you can set the number of "steps" per rotation to whatever you want.
I haven't done a full test of the sensitivity yet but with a 5V source (sharing the same power as the RGB LED) I can reliably get about ~80 steps per rotation. 120 if you don't mind the occasional mistake :D – riskable.
There are six magnets arranged in a (3D printed) ring. That ring goes below a (3D printed) platform and as you rotate the knob there are two analog hall effect sensors that will generate sine waves that are slightly offset from each other, allowing you to detect the direction of rotation as well as allow for configurable resolution.
Published on Mon 12th Jul 2021. Featured in KBD #34 (source).
Related
Hall effect sound test
A sound test of riskable's Hall effect keyboard introduced in KBD Issue 5.
Omron B2H Hall effect switch
Omron B2H triple-magnet clicky Hall effect switch teardown by Chyrosran22 (discussion).
Magnetic levitation Void switches
Chyrosran22 reviewing Riskable's Hall-effect switches.
1970s Cortron keyboard
A gorgeous Cortron keyboard with ITW magnetic valve switches made for Sperry Univac systems. Posted by u/catsontuesday.