Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
Menura
A modular 30-36 key split to mimic various physical layouts: Menura by Ryan Muraglia.
Published January 19, 2025
Ryan Muraglia (aka heyisjambo/rmuraglia) shared his Menura, a versatile keyboard framework capable of mimicking many physical layouts. The board is a 30-36 key wireless split powered by ZMK and compatible with the VIK standard for peripherals.
The menura exists because while I am content at 36-keys, I am interested in exploring further reduced key counts. In some cases the change is simple, like reducing 3 thumb keys to 2 per half, and in other cases it is more drastic, like reducing 3 inner index column keys to 2 – Ryan.
The Menura is designed such that multiple physical layouts can be accurately emulated by providing alternate key positions for different layouts.
On the same PCB, you can experience the feel of a 36-, 34-, or 30-key layout (or anything in between). By carefully arranging the switch footprints, all hotswap sockets can be soldered without interfering with one another. However, this works only with MX footprints.
In addition, the author wanted to enable experimentation on split vs unibody shapes and the different unibody shapes that can come about from tweaking the inter-half angle and distance too. For this, the MCUs needed to be relocated out of their conventional spot next to the inner index column. (Otherwise you cannot get the halves close enough together to accurately mimic unibody layouts.)
The Menura is named for the lyrebird (scientific name, menura), due to its skill in mimicry.
Specs
- 30-36 keys
- MX, hotswap
- nice!nano
- ZMK
Resources
Published on Sun 19th Jan 2025. Featured in KBD #184 (source).
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