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Comment by adolph | Hacker News Reader

Also that the keys are "maglev"

Each key is magnetically suspended with rare earth magnets allowing them to be 97% transparent and ultra low friction. Each switch has 4mm of travel and will be available in linear and tactile variants. They also feature a software adjustable actuation point in 0.1mm increments and rapid trigger functionality through analog hall effect sensing.

The keys contain magnets along their perimeter which are attracted by magnets in the frame which surrounds them. This magnetic attraction suspends them in place and provides the return force which makes the key bounce back after depressing - similar to a spring.

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Their description feels wrong to me. How does an attractive force repel the key and keep it suspended?

I like magnetic force too. My guess is that they use two magnets of different polar orientation on the key and below the key, like -+ to +- or +- to -+. This keeps the key floating above the base.

If they are really with the times, then they will use printed polymagnets:

Programmed magnets, or polymagnets are magnetic structures that incorporate correlated patterns of magnets with alternating polarity, designed to achieve a desired behavior and deliver stronger local force. By varying the magnetic fields and strengths, different mechanical behaviors can be controlled.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmable_magnet

I have a magnet in the pad of my left ring finger. This keyboard would likely be uncomfortable for me

Why do you have a magnet in your finger?

One reason some people do this is so they can feel currents, and it's a cool party trick. But the real effect is spending the rest of your life explaining to people that you can't do something because you have magnets in your fingers.

I read this blog in 2009??? Found a guy to implant a magnet in 2013

https://feelingwaves.blogspot.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_hacking probably

Yep. From that link "Rich Lee is known for implanting headphones in his tragi in 2013, as well as for his work on a vibrating pelvic implant called the Lovetron9000. His biohacking activities were used as a justification to remove his parental custody rights in 2016."

I got the same implants after talking to him about it on IG. It barely worked. An array of magnets on the skull would probably work. I had to get the magnets in my ears removed when the casings failed.

Life is truely composed of tradeoffs, no?

My guess is that if this keyboard is released and if you use your fingertips rather than fingerpads to type, you might not have a problem unless you are ticklish.

uncomfortable or not I would expect the keyboard might type a lot of extra "S"s when you use it.

Is "I have a magnet in my finger!" the new "I'm vegan!"?

No, but I am vegan. Vegan since 2002. Magnet in my finger since 2013. It's fun to feel my laptop charging. But also it's kind of inconvenient in ways I never expected.

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