This Headless, One-Handed Writerdeck Delivers Minimal Stimulation for ME/CFS Crashes

Pseudonymous maker "Pineapple_Empty," hereafter simply "Empty," has built possibly the most minimalist writerdeck possible — as a way of copying with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which makes many activities simply too draining.

"The idea started as a search for the 'least stimulating productive activity' I could do," Empty explains of the project. "I have a nightmarish disease called ME/CFS that causes 'post exertional malaise' after cognitive, physical, or emotional exertion. Think of these as 'crashes' like you'd have with jet lag or running a marathon. It's like a full body autoimmune attack/shutdown from your brain running out of oxygen and swelling (that's the direction the research is slowly leaning toward labeling it)."

When even talking can exhaust you, there's a need for activity that takes a minimum of both cognitive and physical load — which is where Empty's writerdeck comes in. Built, as so many are, around a Raspberry Pi single-board computer, you won't find the usual display above a compact mechanical keyboard; instead, the gadget operates entirely headlessly, and uses a grid of just eight keys as input.

The keys are designed for Greg Leo's ARTSEY one-handed keyboard system, using chording to type using only 2×4 grid of keys. Combined with the lack of screen, it allows Empty to type on the writerdeck while remaining lying down — not even having to look at the device nor move more than their fingertips. Text is saved internally, while a web interface allows notes to be downloaded for use elsewhere — and provides a safe-shutdown button, too.

"It's so I can have something to do on crash days that likely isn't going to make me worse," Empty explains. "This has been a contraption I have continued to adapt and think on, and is something I am proud of as a unique creation I've made since losing my healthy abilities 18 months ago."

More information is available in Empty's Reddit post, while details on ARTSEY are available on the project website.