Innovative keyboard idea - Need you !

[dianoutch]

Hi folks!
I am looking for some feedback about some ideas I have had about innovative keyboards!

What would you think of a keyboard with tranparent keycaps and ability to switch the keyboard display (qwerty to azerty to gaming mode..) using the backlighting that could be fiber-optics?

Thanks for your answer!

[chzel]

Something like this, but worse? If cheap enough, and if it looks good enough, eehhhh....might sell a few.

[Muirium]

Nice link. Did the Optimus ever actually ship? And if so at what price?

I remember reading all about it on Slashdot, donkeys years ago when I still went there and long before I got into keyboards. Pretty much says it all for what ancient vaporware it was back then.

[chzel]

It is listed on Amazon.com, so it was available, but I have no idea how many sold, or at what price.
The similar and newer Ortimus Popularis sells for 1500$.

[shreebles]

dianoutch I think this might not be the right community to ask this question...

You see, in here are people who type a lot and care about how a keyboard feels.

You are asking about a keyboard for people who care how it looks.

Most people here look at the screen and type on the keyboard without looking.
You want to make a keyboard for people who look at the keyboard while typing....

[dianoutch]

Hi,

No actually, I am also looking for improvements for people who don't look at their keyboards!

Every suggestion is welcome

[Muirium]

A board like that wouldn't necessarily feel bad. Depends on the switch.

I think the real problem isn't the concept but all the work, all the details, and all the little vital design decisions that go into a project like this. Ideas are cheap. Implementation is what counts.

[Findecanor]

Razer has had gaming keyboards with a few task-specific image keys especially for a couple of PC games. Microsoft has also had a prototype keyboard very much like the Optimus Popularis and a competition for creating apps for it.
Those all have the same basic type of mechanism: Transparent keys with very wide shallow scissor-switches on top of a single screen. In other words, the mechanisms have been at the outskirts of the keys. Very small rubber domes.
I have never tried any, so I can't tell about key feel.

[andrewjoy]

Don't forget , keyboards are a very harsh environment for sensitive electronics like screens and fibre optics, from spilt coffee to human slime and stuff i don't want to even think about they get dirty and dusty and damp, everything would have to be fully sealed if you where to put an LCD/OLED or fibre optics in a keycap.

[dianoutch]

Yes, you're right!

Thanks for all your feedbacks. Moreover, what major innovation would you expect in the next few years concerning mechanical keyboards?

Thanks for your answer!

[chzel]

If you expect it it's not really innovation, is it?
I'd like to see a few new sensible and well built keyboards, with less bells and whistles...
A newer, sturdier Filco-like board with quality caps (DS ABS or PBT), something worth it's money. Like CM did with the NT (minus the caps ofc).

[dianoutch]

You're right!
That's true that a lot of keyboards have a huge amount of design and useless stuff.

I just discovered this keyboard I didn't know, looks like the DK4 Pro or Ultimate(blank keycaps).