This Is the Most Unique Mechanical Keyboard You’ll See Today

If you spend a lot of time at your computer — particularly if you do a lot of writing or coding — then you should consider purchasing a mechanical keyboard. They are far more satisfying to type on than the cheap membrane keyboards come with most computers. They can also potentially improve your typing speed and accuracy, while reducing the likelihood of repetitive stress injury (RSI). But ergonomic keyboards help even more, because they let you place your hands and fingers in a more natural manner. Peter Lyons's Squeezebox Keyboard takes those ideas to the extreme and is one of the most unique keyboards that we've ever seen.

Frankly, this keyboard looks bizarre. It is a split keyboard, which means that it is divided into two parts: one half for the left hand and one half for the right hand. That lets the user place the two halves far apart, at shoulder width or wider, which puts less stress on the shoulders. Split keyboards are common, but this design goes even further with a very unusual layout. The key switches are arranged in a very distinct three-dimensional pattern that reduces finger movement, while also letting the user's fingers curl naturally in a relaxed position.

The frame of the Squeezebox Keyboard is completely custom by necessity. Five groups of three keys each (on each side of the keyboard) attach to special mounts with adjustable heights. Three additional groups of two keys each attach to other mounts arranged radially around the thumb position. The frame and key mounts are 3D-printed. Lyons used Kailh Cho key switches, which are low-profile. Those were wired by hand, since a flat PCB wouldn't have fit the oddly-shaped frame. He omitted the key caps, because they would have obstructed the layout. An Elite-C microcontroller running QMK (Quantum Mechanical Keyboard) firmware monitors the key matrix.

This keyboard definitely isn't for everyone. Typing effectively on the Squeezebox Keyboard would take a lot of practice. But the unique design reduces hand and finger movement as much as possible, which ultimately increases comfort and prevents RSI.