Keys

Polymath Studio Keyboard/Trackball Combo

NOTE: Project still in development!!!!

Description

A keyboard and trackball in one, for efficient computer usage.

Like the PS-OHK, the PS-KTC attempts to provide an efficiently laid out keyboard which doesn't require moving your hands back and forth from the mouse.

Unlike the PS-OHK, it accomplishes this while allowing for typing quickly via using both hands. This is done by placing a trackball in the middle of the keyboard!

Layout

Like the PS-OHK, the PS-KTC uses a custom keyboard layout designed around placing commonly used characters right on the home row followed by similar sounds being near each other. It also aims to be roughly a 100% keyboard, although a few shortcuts are taken.

Layout:

F1  F2  F3  F4  F5  F6                      F7  F8  F9  F10 F11 F12

                Hm  End                     PgU PgD

            3#                                      8*
        2@                                              9(
            F   4%                              7&  L
        D                                               U
Esc 1!      I   K   5%                      6^  P   R       0)
        T                                               O
Tab C       V   A   Y   LClk           RClk H   E   J       M
        X                                               W
Sft S       [{  G   ,<  Scrl                .>  B   ]}      N   `~
        ;:                Whl                          '"
CLk Z       \|  Ins BSp Del               -----     /?      Q
                                         /Track\
    =+  Up      Ctl Sp  Win             | Ball  |           -_   
                                         \     /    
    Lft Dwn Rt  Alt Ret Cmp               -----     

Where the home row is S, T, I, A, Space, Trackball, E, R, O, N

There are 82 keys here. Why not 100? Well, there are few reasons:

1. Due to the every key being available and close to a finger in this arrangement, there is no need for the 10 num-pad digits nor the Num Lock nor the num-pad duplicates of /, *, -, +, Return, and ./Delete. That's 100 - 10 - 7 = 83
2. No Print Screen, Scroll Lock, or Pause because, let's be real, the vast majority of people, myself included, do not need these keys. Maybe Print Screen, but Super + Shift + S is a great key combo for screenshot, so Print Screen is not needed. That's 83 - 3 = 80 keys
3. Mouse clicks as keys. 82 (middle click = left + right)

Cost

If you go with the recommended JLCPCB, Tindie, and Amazon links, the cost is roughly broken down like so