Google shows off a whole new type of keyboard — and it says having keys rolling on a conveyor belt will make typing easier for all
Most keyboards expect your fingers to travel to the keys. Google's newest one sends the keys to you instead.
Google Japan's Gboard team has introduced a novel DIY conveyor belt keyboard that could potentially revolutionize one-handed or one-finger typing. The keyboard features 116 keys organized on four looping belts, allowing characters to scroll past a user's finger as they type. Google bills this contraption as the 15th entry in a series of increasingly absurd keyboard proposals that began as April Fools' jokes in 2010.
While the design files are open source on GitHub, only the motorized "Moving Keys" version is currently documented. Google has no intention of marketing or selling this unique creation, but it has shared the design files under an Apache 2.0 license for enthusiasts with 3D printers and ample patience. The concept aims to flip the script on traditional keyboards by moving the keyboard itself, rather than requiring users to move their arms and hands.
Each of the four belts houses 29 keys, totaling 116, with uppercase and lowercase letters assigned to individual keys, eliminating the need for a Shift key. Google suggests using the keyboard while performing tasks like sipping tea or using a mouse with the other hand. The conveyor belt keyboard is the 15th entry in Google's series of innovative keyboard ideas, which started as April Fools' gags in 2010 and returned in October 2021.
The project, while complex and requiring significant effort, adds an element of delight to the tech world.
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