Luminplex

[AmEv]

Not very often you see a (near) keyboard scratch-build.

What's with the name? aLUMINum PLEXi. And LUMINous.
I've actually had the idea for a while now. Just never thought to merge the two.

This should, actually, be a low-cost project.

So, first things first: Find an old keyboard.
Done.

Then, rip it apart, sketch it out, put it into software.
And that's where I'm at right now.

One last thing.

[TLHarrell]

LOL! Congrats on being on top of Google!

[AmEv]

I even have a victim keyboard found!

[AmEv]

OK, I dismantled my vic keyboard.

Found something VERY interesting:

It's not the usual, triple-layer membrane keyboard. It's a single-layer.

Pix to come. Once I fix my card reader....

[SXRguyinMA]

[billygoat333]

[AmEv]

OK, got the pix of the keyboard layer stuff....

[TLHarrell]

So, are you going to rearrange the location of any of the keys? Or are you just making a pretty overlay?

Nice ninja turtles pajamas BTW. :-)

[AmEv]

*blush*

......


*blush* *blushier*
*facepalm*
*rub**rub**rub*

What I am thinking is having a combination of EL panel behind the circuit, and LEDs around the edges.

I really can't do a complete re-wire of the keyboard, short of a mile of wire and 100 new buttons.


You'll get some .skp goodness soon!





The main purpose of the last post was to show a change of plans that needed to occur. Namely, add some sort of conductor to the bottom of the keys.

Just be glad I had something on....

[TLHarrell]

How about an intermediate panel that holds the old keyboard membranes, then your top layer that pushes them down? As far as moving buttons around, maybe something like respacing between the normal keys and function keys by cutting the board and moving sections of it around... and then reattaching the traces with a few bits of wire.

I know my keyboard aggravates me when I go to hit ESC and I nail F1 instead. Need a bit more room there. Of course, I'm not yet chopping up my G11, but definitely thinking of changing out the blue LEDs under the keys with white ones so I can actually see it.