Keyboard Builders' Digest
Save 5% at Divinikey! Code: KBDNEWS
Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects

Manibus: a split aluminum keyboard

The Manibus is a split ergo aluminum keyboard by DrFish96 featuring magnetic wrist rests.

KBD.news
Published September 13, 2021
Creators! Feel free to tip me off about your keyboard related projects to bring them to 150K readers.

Although this project is not open-source, the plate files are available for testing:

https://github.com/SamuraiKek/manibus-switch-plates

I've always wanted a high end aluminum ergo keyboard so 3 years ago I set out to build my own. […] After a lot of redesigns, prototyping and testing, I have finally reached an end game that I would like to share with you all – DrFish96.

Here are a few details about Manibus:

  • Split ergonomic aluminum keyboard with polycarbonate wrist rests that attach magnetically.
  • It has 62 keys and is designed to be usable with TKL layouts so you won't have to spend extra $$ on a special ergo keycap kit.
  • It has USB-C connections and hot-swap sockets.
  • The thumb cluster, while odd looking at first glance, has gone through many iterations, starting from ergodox like layouts until it's reached this final form which "feels super comfortable".

More pics: https://imgur.com/a/O2mF1rh

And a nice site for the keyboard: https://blank.computer/

Blank Tehnologii is a hardware design studio in Timișoara, western Romania run by two friends with no formal training in product design. We like to surround ourselves with beautifully functional products, so why not make our own? This is our first public experiment—who knows what we’ll do next.

In addition, they promise an injection-molded version of Manibus by the end of 2021.

Do you like this post? Share, donate, subscribe, tip me off!

Published on Mon 13th Sep 2021. Featured in KBD #43 (source).


Related

Unnamed 65

The semi-handwired Unnamed 65 by icelongclaw features Amoeba PCBs and has a public KLE layout.

Concertina MX first draft print

Concertina MX first draft print by BHRobots. Based on VIktor Eikman's Concertina, adapted to fit MX switches.

Flynn

A handwired low-pro unibody keyboard by Joshua Chung: Flynn.

Zireael

Zireael is a low-pro wireless split, shared by Mposible – based on the Dao.

Le Chiffre

A retrospective post about Le Chiffre, a minimalist monoblock split designed and open sourced by tominabox1 – 3 years ago.

Pinkytyl with improved thumb positioning

A custom pinkytyl by ripxorip with improved thumb positioning.

×
top