Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
The Chaotist
Tschibo's idea manifested as an astonishing open-source PCB: Chaotist is an ergoish 40% keyboard.
Published February 11, 2024
Would you like to contribute to this year's MK Advent Calendar? Here are the guidelines for authors, along with last year's edition for reference.
Mentioned last week in its concept stage, the Chaotist is here with creator Christoph Ballhause aka Tschibo00 sharing the KiCad files.
The PCBs have arrived, so I can finally bring my cursed layout - The Chaotist - to live :) […] Born from a stupid idea this thing actually proves to be surprisingly usable. At least after reducing the column stagger on the pinky from over-enthusiastic 1.75u to 0.75u :) – tschibo00.
Inspired by the Bruce keyboard (however, 2 columns wider), this unusual layout is the result of projecting an ergoish columnar layout on a rectangular keyboard shape, implemented by using 1u caps for the home row and various sizes for the top and bottom rows.
You can be sure that the madness isn't over if you see a mold for the cement weight:
The keyboard is case-less and is done as a sandwich with two PCBs, cement weight and foam – Tschibo.
Specs
- unique layout
- 37-43 keys
- MX, soldered
- multiple bottom row and outer column layouts
- RP2040 Pico
- cement weight, PCB sandwich
Typing test
Resources
- Chaotist on Github.
- More photos
- Even more photos
Published on Sun 11th Feb 2024. Featured in KBD #154 (source).
Related
MonoSeb40
A wireless monoblock split by seblov: the 40-key MonoSeb40.
Mantis v0.2
Felix Kuehling's Mantis v0.2, sporting HEX keycaps, has now PCBs on two levels to imitate tenting.
Bad Wings: Slim
An ultrathin, wireless monoblock split keyboard with Kailh X switches – Bad Wings: Slim by Jason Hazel.
Cornelius
Foam and plate files for Foostan's unibody Cornelius released.
Trio
A modular keyboard prototype for full VIK experience: Trio by zzeneg.