Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
Dabao
Justin Lam's Dabao is an open-source, low-profile keyboard, usable both as a unibody or split device.
Published February 10, 2026
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Justin Lam (aka justinmklam/thehaikuza) released his Dabao, an open-source wireless keyboard designed for maximum flexibility and convenience, featuring a thumb trackpoint. The device connects wirelessly to the host computer, and can be used both as a split connected by a cable or with the halves snapped together as a unibody keyboard.
I like having a full split at my desk, but found it to be troublesome when trying to use it on the couch or if I’m moving around at a cafe or coworking space. […] So I designed (my first!) keyboard that can be the best of both worlds! It does this through a magnetic 4-pin connector, which is used in a unibody configuration. When separated, you can use a usb-c cable to connect the two halves. One side has the microcontroller, and the other uses a MCP23017 GPIO expander to allow the two halves to connect and communicate over i2c – justinmklam.
By the way, 打包 (dǎ bāo) means to take out (food) in Chinese, that's why the silkscreen art.
Features
- 36 keys (5x3+3), unibody or split
- low-profile Choc V1/V2 switches (hotswap or soldered)
- reversible PCB
- single microcontroller (Pro Micro footprint) + GPI expander
- integrated trackpoint
The reversible PCB enables the trackpoint to be installed on the left or right side, and keeps ordering PCBs affordable.
Resources
Published on Tue 10th Feb 2026. Featured in KBD #206 (source).
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