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Ergo S-1 – An open-source ergonomic wireless keyboard

arcanemachiner 2y ago
Project description: The Ergo S-1 is a fully wireless, split ergonomic keyboard that is compatible with cherry/gateron switches and cherry/oem/dcs keycaps. It runs on the fantastic ZMK firmware. --- I made one of these a few months ago, and I'm a big fan. It's like an open-source Kinesis Advantage 360. --- Project homepage: https://wizardkeyboards.com/ergo-s-1/ https://wizardkeyboards.com/ergo-s-1/ Hackaday article: https://hackaday.com/2022/08/10/from-product-to-burnout-to-open-source-the-ergo-s-1-keyboard-story/ https://hackaday.com/2022/08/10/from-product-to-burnout-to-o...
- sesm 2y ago
  The OG open-source Kinesis Advantage (minus curved form) is Ergodox, released in 2011. Ergo S-1 re-introduces the curved form and adds wireless support (which Kinesis never had), but unfortunately has less keys then both Kinesis Advantage and Ergodox, which can be a deal-breaker for those who uses those keys on their Ergodox. Personally, I use only 2 keys on each thumb cluster, removed some keys in the bottom row, but use every extra key in left and right column on each half.
  - Findecanor 2y ago
    There has always been a wireless version of the above-mentioned Kinesis Advantage 360, also running the ZMK firmware. Before it, there were the open-source Dactyl variants that more or less copied the Kinesis. The original Dactyl [1] (2015) has a layout like the Kinesis but the more popular Dactyl Manuform variants have different thumb clusters. And people have been building them both with wired and wireless controllers. The history is not complete without mentioning that Kinesis (Model 100 in 1992) in turn had copied the Maltron [2], designed by Lilian Malt in the 1970's. 1. https://github.com/adereth/dactyl-keyboard https://github.com/adereth/dactyl-keyboard 2. https://www.maltron.com/maltron-history.html https://www.maltron.com/maltron-history.html
- CrimsonRain 2y ago
  Price?
  - arcanemachiner 2y ago
    I built my first one for ~$150 CAD, then I built a backup one for a little under $100 CAD (the first price may have included a cheap soldering iron, I don't remember). I don't live in the US, so I made a [purchase list](https://github.com/arcanemachine/Ergo-S-1-Extras/blob/main/extra-purchase-list-info.md https://github.com/arcanemachine/Ergo-S-1-Extras/blob/main/e...) with links to AliExpress. The original assembly guide assumed the user has access to McMaster-Carr, which I unfortunately do not (for a reasonable price, at least).
    - CrimsonRain 2y ago
      Great. Maybe I'll order one someday. I'm using dygma Defy right now. Banger keyboard; just really expensive
dotancohen 2y ago
Why do all these new keyboard designs lack Function keys? Layering is not a good solution when many applications already have double or even triple buckies on the F keys. What IDE doesn't?
- kvdveer 2y ago
  There's a learning curve involved with these keyboards, as they move the modifier keys around. Because of this, the target audience is people who are willing to invest time and effort (not just money) into ergonomics. Those people typically already alter the default shortcuts of the software they use to fit their workflow. Changing IDE shortcuts is really an easy win for ergonomics. Shortcuts aren't really designed: they grow organically as features are added, using whatever is free. Because of this, older features use simple shortcuts, young features require pressing more keys or even chords.
  - dotancohen 2y ago
    I've used over a dozen split- and ergonomic- keyboard over the years, so I am familiar with the time investment. And I do agree, for the most part, that the time is well invested up until a point. But I don't see how requiring additional simultaneous keypresses is "more ergonomic" than pressing a dedicated Ctrl or Alt key. Airplanes, which pilots invest much time learning to fly, have dedicated buttons for all functionality. How is "ergonomic" defined in this context? I'm not arguing, really I'm asking to hear the answer and become wiser.
    - masters3d 2y ago
      The original design for the concave ergonomic keyboard dates back to the 70s. Their original designs have many more keys. https://www.maltron.com/maltron-history.html https://www.maltron.com/maltron-history.html
    - arcanemachiner 2y ago
      I based my keymap off of that of the Kinesis Advantage, which does have function keys. I have Ctrl + Alt + Super on the thumb clusters, each as their own key. I did copy the default layout for the Ergo S-1 which uses a modifier key (also on the thumb cluster) to access the function keys, so F1 is Fn+1, F2 is Fn+2. I thought I would miss having dedicated Fn keys but they are surprisingly not missed much in my workflow. Might depend on your workflow though. The current solution is workable, at any rate.
ianhawes 2y ago
Super exciting to see an open-source ergonomic wireless keyboard company going public!
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
masters3d 2y ago
Another open source concave keyboard design is the dactyl and dactyl-manuform.

Project description: The Ergo S-1 is a fully wireless, split ergonomic keyboard that is compatible with cherry/gateron switches and cherry/oem/dcs keycaps. It runs on the fantastic ZMK firmware. --- I made one of these a few months ago, and I'm a big fan. It's like an open-source Kinesis Advantage 360. --- Project homepage: https://wizardkeyboards.com/ergo-s-1/ https://wizardkeyboards.com/ergo-s-1/ Hackaday article: https://hackaday.com/2022/08/10/from-product-to-burnout-to-open-source-the-ergo-s-1-keyboard-story/ https://hackaday.com/2022/08/10/from-product-to-burnout-to-o...

sesm 2y ago
The OG open-source Kinesis Advantage (minus curved form) is Ergodox, released in 2011. Ergo S-1 re-introduces the curved form and adds wireless support (which Kinesis never had), but unfortunately has less keys then both Kinesis Advantage and Ergodox, which can be a deal-breaker for those who uses those keys on their Ergodox. Personally, I use only 2 keys on each thumb cluster, removed some keys in the bottom row, but use every extra key in left and right column on each half.
- Findecanor 2y ago
  There has always been a wireless version of the above-mentioned Kinesis Advantage 360, also running the ZMK firmware. Before it, there were the open-source Dactyl variants that more or less copied the Kinesis. The original Dactyl [1] (2015) has a layout like the Kinesis but the more popular Dactyl Manuform variants have different thumb clusters. And people have been building them both with wired and wireless controllers. The history is not complete without mentioning that Kinesis (Model 100 in 1992) in turn had copied the Maltron [2], designed by Lilian Malt in the 1970's. 1. https://github.com/adereth/dactyl-keyboard https://github.com/adereth/dactyl-keyboard 2. https://www.maltron.com/maltron-history.html https://www.maltron.com/maltron-history.html
CrimsonRain 2y ago
Price?
- arcanemachiner 2y ago
  I built my first one for ~$150 CAD, then I built a backup one for a little under $100 CAD (the first price may have included a cheap soldering iron, I don't remember). I don't live in the US, so I made a [purchase list](https://github.com/arcanemachine/Ergo-S-1-Extras/blob/main/extra-purchase-list-info.md https://github.com/arcanemachine/Ergo-S-1-Extras/blob/main/e...) with links to AliExpress. The original assembly guide assumed the user has access to McMaster-Carr, which I unfortunately do not (for a reasonable price, at least).
  - CrimsonRain 2y ago
    Great. Maybe I'll order one someday. I'm using dygma Defy right now. Banger keyboard; just really expensive

dotancohen 2y ago

Why do all these new keyboard designs lack Function keys? Layering is not a good solution when many applications already have double or even triple buckies on the F keys. What IDE doesn't?

kvdveer 2y ago
There's a learning curve involved with these keyboards, as they move the modifier keys around. Because of this, the target audience is people who are willing to invest time and effort (not just money) into ergonomics. Those people typically already alter the default shortcuts of the software they use to fit their workflow. Changing IDE shortcuts is really an easy win for ergonomics. Shortcuts aren't really designed: they grow organically as features are added, using whatever is free. Because of this, older features use simple shortcuts, young features require pressing more keys or even chords.
- dotancohen 2y ago
  I've used over a dozen split- and ergonomic- keyboard over the years, so I am familiar with the time investment. And I do agree, for the most part, that the time is well invested up until a point. But I don't see how requiring additional simultaneous keypresses is "more ergonomic" than pressing a dedicated Ctrl or Alt key. Airplanes, which pilots invest much time learning to fly, have dedicated buttons for all functionality. How is "ergonomic" defined in this context? I'm not arguing, really I'm asking to hear the answer and become wiser.
  - masters3d 2y ago
    The original design for the concave ergonomic keyboard dates back to the 70s. Their original designs have many more keys. https://www.maltron.com/maltron-history.html https://www.maltron.com/maltron-history.html
  - arcanemachiner 2y ago
    I based my keymap off of that of the Kinesis Advantage, which does have function keys. I have Ctrl + Alt + Super on the thumb clusters, each as their own key. I did copy the default layout for the Ergo S-1 which uses a modifier key (also on the thumb cluster) to access the function keys, so F1 is Fn+1, F2 is Fn+2. I thought I would miss having dedicated Fn keys but they are surprisingly not missed much in my workflow. Might depend on your workflow though. The current solution is workable, at any rate.

ianhawes 2y ago

Super exciting to see an open-source ergonomic wireless keyboard company going public!

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

masters3d 2y ago

Another open source concave keyboard design is the dactyl and dactyl-manuform.