4 ms·

As I've aged, I've developed kinetic tremor. In typing, this shows up as missing my intended target key. The error most commonly presents as hitting two keys at

As I've aged, I've developed kinetic tremor. In typing, this shows up as missing my intended target key. The error most commonly presents as hitting two keys at once because my ability to hit only within a defined x,y envelope at the keyboard plane has declined. Analyzing my typos, my intended key gets most of my finger, with adjacent keys getting tripped by ~10% - 20%, i.e., by the edge of my finger. I would love to find a keyboard that has keys at the usual pitch (I'm usually on Apple products), but that are smaller targets. I think this would result in fewer "out-of-bounds" adjacent key strikes. I've searched for such, no results so far. Any recommendations gladly received, thanks.

lawn 2y ago
You might have success with choc switches as they can be placed closer together than MX style switches.
- Findecanor 2y ago
  I think you've missed the point. The poster wants the pitch to stay the same, but have more gaps between key surfaces.
  - lawn 2y ago
    Ah, my bad. I guess the best way would be to design your own keyboard and add extra spacing. It may sound daunting but it's not too difficult honestly.
  - breckenedge 2y ago
    Choc switches (18mm x 17mm) will give you 2mm-4mm more gap if used in a standard MX layout (19mm x 19mm). Some custom keyboards (ex: Lily58 Pro) accommodate both switches.
n0n0n4t0r 2y ago
For some time I could only type correctly with the Logitech k740, but it's discontinued now. I don't know why, but I can type on another (french) mechanical keyboard. Maybe the successors line the MX master have what made magic for me: an important bevel. I invite you to try it out
hackshack 2y ago
The vintage Apple A9M0330 (“the IIgs keyboard”) came to mind. The keycaps have a smaller, raised central part. This gives smaller tap targets with a generous space between each cap. Feel is linear. This keycap design helps prevent your fingers from slipping between keys.
wrp 2y ago
Olivetti typewriters used to have keys like that. (https://www.massmadesoul.com/olivetti-praxis-48 https://www.massmadesoul.com/olivetti-praxis-48) Maybe using those as a point of reference would help in your search.
seltzered_ 2y ago
Perhaps designing some smaller keycaps could help?
jsheard 2y ago
Maybe you'd benefit from a different keycap profile? There's a bunch of options for the standard MX-type mechanical switches, some of which are "spherical" where the contact area is concave and relatively small. https://i.imgur.com/f8EJnC7.png https://i.imgur.com/f8EJnC7.png Cherry and OEM are the default keycap style, while SA, XDA and DSA are examples of spherical. There aren't many keyboards which come with spherical keycaps out of the box, but you can easily buy a keycap set separately and install it on any MX keyboard.
- thereisnospork 2y ago
  Could also go full psycho and go keycap-less for the truly minimal target. Costs nothing but time to try anyway.
- ridgeguy 2y ago
  Thanks for this. You and speerer have given me the idea to get clear plastic near-hemispheres to glue onto my keycaps. KB illumination will still show, and the key target area will be less than half its current value. Much obliged!
  - MetaWhirledPeas 2y ago
    Some tiny rubber dome feet from your local hardware store would do this but would probably slip off. Might be worth a try. Anecdote: I have MT3 key caps and they have a more distinct concavity than my SA key caps.
    - cenamus 2y ago
      Would be great as a first try, and you can always superglue them on securely
speerer 2y ago
Just a thought - Circular keycaps exist, and by definiton have more space between them. They presumably have the same _minimum_ gap at the left and right, though, so might not work. https://keycapsnation.com/products/round-keycaps https://keycapsnation.com/products/round-keycaps
bb88 2y ago
There's a recent trend of people designing custom keyboards for their own accessibility needs. So this is a random thought, no idea if it would work. A couple of popular keyboard firmwares are open source. I'm thinking it could be possible to reject two neighbor keys which are struck within the same 10 millisecond window. IOW, if you're on a qwerty keyboard, if R and T are both hit at the same time, don't send the keystrokes to the computer. QMK and KMK are popular keyboard firmwares. QMK is C based, and KMK is CircuitPython based.
0xDEADFED5 2y ago
A few fancy keyboards with magnetic switches (I'm using a SteelSeries one) let you set the activation distance. Maybe trying one and maxing out the activation distance would work for you?
nikau 2y ago
Likely best to get old 80s style narrow top key caps and high force switches. Ibm Model m or a keyboard with mx green switches.

lawn 2y ago

You might have success with choc switches as they can be placed closer together than MX style switches.

Findecanor 2y ago
I think you've missed the point. The poster wants the pitch to stay the same, but have more gaps between key surfaces.
- lawn 2y ago
  Ah, my bad. I guess the best way would be to design your own keyboard and add extra spacing. It may sound daunting but it's not too difficult honestly.
- breckenedge 2y ago
  Choc switches (18mm x 17mm) will give you 2mm-4mm more gap if used in a standard MX layout (19mm x 19mm). Some custom keyboards (ex: Lily58 Pro) accommodate both switches.

n0n0n4t0r 2y ago

For some time I could only type correctly with the Logitech k740, but it's discontinued now. I don't know why, but I can type on another (french) mechanical keyboard. Maybe the successors line the MX master have what made magic for me: an important bevel. I invite you to try it out

hackshack 2y ago

The vintage Apple A9M0330 (“the IIgs keyboard”) came to mind. The keycaps have a smaller, raised central part. This gives smaller tap targets with a generous space between each cap. Feel is linear. This keycap design helps prevent your fingers from slipping between keys.

wrp 2y ago

Olivetti typewriters used to have keys like that. (https://www.massmadesoul.com/olivetti-praxis-48 https://www.massmadesoul.com/olivetti-praxis-48) Maybe using those as a point of reference would help in your search.

seltzered_ 2y ago

Perhaps designing some smaller keycaps could help?

jsheard 2y ago

Maybe you'd benefit from a different keycap profile? There's a bunch of options for the standard MX-type mechanical switches, some of which are "spherical" where the contact area is concave and relatively small. https://i.imgur.com/f8EJnC7.png https://i.imgur.com/f8EJnC7.png Cherry and OEM are the default keycap style, while SA, XDA and DSA are examples of spherical. There aren't many keyboards which come with spherical keycaps out of the box, but you can easily buy a keycap set separately and install it on any MX keyboard.

thereisnospork 2y ago
Could also go full psycho and go keycap-less for the truly minimal target. Costs nothing but time to try anyway.
ridgeguy 2y ago
Thanks for this. You and speerer have given me the idea to get clear plastic near-hemispheres to glue onto my keycaps. KB illumination will still show, and the key target area will be less than half its current value. Much obliged!
- MetaWhirledPeas 2y ago
  Some tiny rubber dome feet from your local hardware store would do this but would probably slip off. Might be worth a try. Anecdote: I have MT3 key caps and they have a more distinct concavity than my SA key caps.
  - cenamus 2y ago
    Would be great as a first try, and you can always superglue them on securely

speerer 2y ago

Just a thought - Circular keycaps exist, and by definiton have more space between them. They presumably have the same _minimum_ gap at the left and right, though, so might not work. https://keycapsnation.com/products/round-keycaps https://keycapsnation.com/products/round-keycaps

bb88 2y ago

There's a recent trend of people designing custom keyboards for their own accessibility needs. So this is a random thought, no idea if it would work. A couple of popular keyboard firmwares are open source. I'm thinking it could be possible to reject two neighbor keys which are struck within the same 10 millisecond window. IOW, if you're on a qwerty keyboard, if R and T are both hit at the same time, don't send the keystrokes to the computer. QMK and KMK are popular keyboard firmwares. QMK is C based, and KMK is CircuitPython based.

0xDEADFED5 2y ago

A few fancy keyboards with magnetic switches (I'm using a SteelSeries one) let you set the activation distance. Maybe trying one and maxing out the activation distance would work for you?

nikau 2y ago

Likely best to get old 80s style narrow top key caps and high force switches. Ibm Model m or a keyboard with mx green switches.