Embrace Redundancy and Never Again Put All of Your Escape Keys in One Keyboard

If there is one thing we computer people can agree on, it’s that redundancy is good. Your RAID array and cloud storage are there specifically to backup redundant copies of your data. You have a half-dozen redundant computers scattered around your home just in case five of them suddenly explode. But, have you every considered the frightening fact that you only have one ESC key on your keyboard?

To address that troubling situation and provide the proper redundancy, Glen Akins of Photons, Electrons, and Dirt has a created a small USB keyboard that has just one key: the always useful ESC key. You may remember Akins’ “awesomely impractical” giant three-key keyboard that we covered back in March. But, while that was built mostly as a goof, this new ESC-only keyboard is very useful …if you really like pushing the escape key and don’t want to accidentally hit the tilde key or something.

Those of you who are concerned about the tactile feel of your escape keys can rest easy: Akins used the typist favorite Cherry MX Blue switch. There is also a 3-key version if you don’t get the joke and want something that is more useful. Both versions can be programmed for whatever functions you like. If you want to build your own, Akins has very graciously provided the PCB and 3D CAD files, as well as assembly instructions.