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Comment by thomastjeffery | Hacker News Reader

I think it's the wrong move to make this a keyboard, particularly a traditional typewriter layout.

My main question is: can the hall effect sensors be read as variable states instead of boolean keypresses? That could be really cool, especially with the display for real-time feedback. I can think of so many use cases: change the volume that hard. WASD like a joystick.

It would be even cooler if they were in an even orthogonal grid pattern like a planck keyboard. That would be a lot like the impact-pressure sensitive controllers that are popular in audio work.

I would love something like that too use as a macro pad: keys that have arbitrary meaning you can reference. Keys that behave differently depending on context, and show you the context in real-time. That would be incredibly useful.

But my keyboard itself? I don't want to look at that. That place is for muscle memory alone.

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> can the hall effect sensors be read as variable states instead of boolean keypresses

Yes, there's hall-effect keyboards out now that you can configure to have certain keys provide an analog input, for use in things like racing games. Since the actuation point is entirely software, you can keep track of actuation distance.

Neat! I wonder how difficult and expensive it would be to build one.

Definitely makes way more sense for a macro pad--you don't hit those keys very frequently so switches are less significant but the key's effect changes often so the screen is useful. Tactility is good, I never liked Apple's Touch Bar for that reason, you had to look to be sure what you were doing. Can't imagine those switches being preferable for the primary keys, but would love to see something like this in the old IBM AT F or XT layout: 10 function keys in two columns on the left side where they could easily be combined with meta keys. Back when I had those (mid to late 1980s) I relied heavily on them, but I almost never use function keys since they moved to the top of the keyboard (and are effectively out of reach).

> My main question is: can the hall effect sensors be read as variable states instead of boolean keypresses?

From the article:

> They also feature a software adjustable actuation point in 0.1mm increment

So probably yes.

> I would love something like that too use as a macro pad: keys that have arbitrary meaning you can reference. Keys that behave differently depending on context, and show you the context in real-time. That would be incredibly useful.

You might want to have a look at Elgato's Stream Decks.

You don't have to look at the keyboard. If you touch type the switch to emoji key, with a little training your muscle memory can type the right emoji for you and switch back to qwerty.

If I don't want to look at my keyboard, why have a display?

If I do want to look at my keyboard, why have it physically resemble a typewriter from 1800?

Have you ever had blank key caps on a keyboard? Do you actually never look at a keyboard? I recently got a moo lander thinking the same only to realize I do need to look at the board in the absence of muscle memory

Yes and no. I do look at some keyboards more than never. If i do, it's to get a frame of reference without feeling around for the bumps on f and j.

I'm definitely not looking to remember where a key is relative to the rest.

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