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

Molekula: keyboard & framework

Evgenii Vilkov shared his monoblock split Molekula, a modular keyboard and framework.

KBD.news
Published January 7, 2025
Enjoying the content? 54 supporters keep this blog running — Donate like Micah Alpern, splitkb.com, and Shnobble.

The Molekula is not simply a gorgeous unibody split keyboard but also a modular framework. Designer Evgenii Vilkov aka zzeneg was inspired by Sadek Baroudi's VIK standard:

I really like modular approach in keyboards, where you can change and replace different parts, and I'm happy the community is moving into that direction. It's one of reasons why I love VIK standard so much, I made multiple VIK (display/touchpad) modules for my stront keyboard, and I'm using it for every wired keyboard since – zzeneg.

Pic:

Framework

This project aims to provide components for building modular ergo keyboards by separating one main PCB into central and side parts.

  • Side is a dumb PCB, with key matrix only (up to 25 keys), and accepts all switch types (MX/ChocV1/ChocV2/GLP).
  • Central is a keyboard brain, which contains any MCU (wired/wireless/integrated) and additional hardware – encoders/touchpads/trackballs/displays/etc, while keeping its size under 100x100mm.
  • PCBs are interconnected with 12-pin FFC cables, and can be replaced/updated independently.

According to the author, such modular approach allows for quick, cheap and easy experimenting with different hardware, prototyping, and reusing of side PCBs.

Pic:

Molekula2 features

  • 36 keys
  • combined switch footprint (MX/ChocV1/ChocV2/GLP)
  • minY (19x16mm) spacing
  • unibody that can be disassembled into two parts for traveling
  • Pro Micro footprint (nice!nano)
  • wireless
  • nice!view support
  • rotary encoder

Pic:

Resources

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

Published on Tue 7th Jan 2025. Featured in KBD #183.

Related

36ribs keyboard

36ribs is a nice unibody offset ortho keyboard with exposed diodes. Designed by CREATINE0.

Rattlemebonez32

Chris Lo's rattlemebonez32 is a 32-key unibody pocket keyboard with minimal Choc spacing, CH552 MCU and FAK firmware.

Ostrich

Ostrich – a diodeless monoblock keyboard with splayed pinky columns by keyboarddweebs.

Zerosprey42

Leo Lou's Zerosprey42 is an open-source 40% travel keyboard – remix of the Ospray.

Buran-Ortho

A monoblock split keyboard with orthoish halves: Buran by ScatteredDrifter.
×
top