Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
Beyblock20
Beyblock20 – a modular magnetic macropad system by u/sporewoh.
Published August 23, 2022
His Keezyboost40 was featured just a few days ago (#91), but Christian Lo aka sporewoh is already back with another project: beyblock20 – a 20-key macropad system with magnetic connectors for a modular, customizable macropad/ortholinear experience.
I got a new project this week: the beyblock20! It’s a modular macropad powered by the Seeeduino XIAO RP2040. What’s exciting about this macropad is that you can chain together several modules using magnetic pogo pins! – sporewoh.
You can check a video demo of it in action here:
Features:
- Magnetic connectors, e.g. from Adafruit
- Optional OLED screen
- Hotswap sockets
- TRRS jacks, so this can be a split keyboard if you want
The project is open source, so anyone is free to make their own modules as part of a larger framework:
https://github.com/ChrisChrisLoLo/beyblock20
According to Chris, the beyblock20 was inspired by Zack Freedman’s MiRage keyboard in that all the modules communicate on an unbounded I2C bus, but the focus here is on modularity and customizability.
Because of the I2C bus, more kinds of modules can be made for an even more fine tuned and customized macropad/keyboard, as well as up to 128 devices to be connected together at once.
Some potential ideas for future modules include a display module, an RGB LED module, sensor modules, and more.
This is a design I think is really cool, but not one I personally need, so let me know how much further you’d like to see this project progress – Chris.
Btw, beyblock20 was an entry for the Seeed Xiao MK contest.
Published on Tue 23rd Aug 2022. Featured in KBD #92 (source).
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