Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
Articulation70
The articulation70 is a successor to Myles Lee's articulation80 keyboard – with LEDs and a more personalized layout.
Published January 4, 2024
Myles Lee shared the articulation70, an open-source low-pro split with arrow and navigation cluster on one half (or both). As the successor to the author's original articulation80, this iteration features a similar snap-off 3x4 cluster (numpad or arrow+navigation).
My previous keyboard, the articulation80 has splayed columns copied from the KLOTZ and thumb keys copied from the Hillside keyboard. While designing the first PCB was a good start, I wanted a keyboard better fitted to my own hands – Myles.
Specs
- variable pinky stagger (±1 mm vertically offset configurations)
- 3 × 6 main body, 3 thumb switches, 2 corner switches and 3 × 4 numpad layout
- Kailh Choc V1 hot-swap support
- break-off number pad
- serial or I2C connection between the halves
- Pro Micro-compatible controller support
- 3 LEDs
- reversible PCB to reduce manufacturing costs
The author chose a more aggressive column stagger layout with variable pinky stagger support after noticing his pinky fingers were shorter than average and they were not exactly the same length.
In addition, the numpad is rotated clockwise instead of counter clockwise as it made more sense to the author's arms and user case.
I went through 15 iterations on paper before designing the PCB.
Plugins
In addition to the keyboard itself, Myles also shared a couple of KiCad plugins: the first one splits two selected intersecting traces into four traces. ("When joining traces from rotated switches, it can be difficult to connect traces from two angles to form a aesthetic curve.")
And there's a second plugin which calculates the total trace length.
I saw the Chrumm, which was very impressive, and the author also wrote a new plugin, which was hugely helpful to designing my PCBs.
Resources
- https://github.com/mylestunglee/articulation70
- Severin Meyer's arc teardrop plugin, made for the Chrumm
Published on Thu 4th Jan 2024. Featured in KBD #149.
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