Key cluster and trackball module progress

Hi there, and welcome to the monthly UHK status update!

TL;DR: The key cluster module is now fully functional, and the trackball module is partially functional. Some awesome UHK reviews have been released.

Key cluster and trackball module progress

In our previous update, we shared a video about the latest key cluster module prototype. It worked reasonably well, but the responsiveness of its mini trackball left a lot to be desired. I’m happy to report that we’ve fixed this issue as you can see in the following video.

(UHKs are not backlit yet. We'll release a backlight upgrade kit at some point, and future UHK hardware versions will be backlit.)

As it turned out, the mini trackball only works well with bipolar hall-effect sensors, and now that we’re using the right kind of sensor, it picks up every tiny movement just as expected. I’m very pleased with the usability and responsivity of the mini trackball, and it feels like a great tool for scrolling in all directions.

As for the trackball module, I assembled the new PCB and gave it a try. As seen in the above video, the buttons work as expected. I haven’t yet implemented the most important part, which is the communication with the optical sensor IC - this will be my next task.

I’d like to make every module prototype work by the end of the year. The key cluster module already works well. The electronics of the trackball and trackpoint modules seem fine so far, and I have yet to write firmware for them, so they should be in close reach. The touchpad PCB is expected to be redesigned soon according to Azoteq’s instructions, so it may take a bit more time.

Following the prototyping phase of the modules, mass production will take additional time. We don’t have a solid ETA on the modules yet, and we’ll be keeping you updated.

UHK reviews

Minimalistik is a powerhouse when it comes to keyboard reviews, and he’s just made a UHK review. I believe he’s captured the essence of the UHK very well.

The Techne has also reviewed the UHK in his contagiously enthusiastic style which I particularly enjoy.

As an internationally known strength coach/personal trainer, Bernd Stößlein is not our typical customer, which is exactly what makes his UHK review so interesting.

Your tweets

You guys keep sending your awesome tweets, and we’re always eager to read and feature them! If you got your UHK, please share your love!

We’ll be keeping you updated on all things UHK, and are looking forward to talking to you on 2019-12-10.

The comments are closed, but our forum is available for public discussion.

6 Comments

  1. Marco 2019-11-18 at 13:18

    Will you ever try to reiterate the trackpoint module design in order to make it usable using the right/left pointer and thumb as any thinkpad user would expect?

    As this is an huge blocker for me (and I expect basically most trackpoint users) to get this keyboard.

    Cheers

    • László Monda 2019-11-18 at 13:24

      We're sorry, but what you're asking is not possible due to mechanical contraints.

      • Marco Trevisan 2019-11-28 at 00:35

        And, that won't be available neither in next hardware iterations?

        • László Monda 2019-11-28 at 10:24

          Unless we find an ultra-compact trackpoint electronics component (nearly zero chance), this is not expected to change in future hardware revisions.

  2. Magnus 2019-11-27 at 09:08

    Exciting news! Any update on the backlit version of UHK? I'm holding my purchase until this version appear.

    • László Monda 2019-11-27 at 10:32

      No updates yet. We'll announce it on our blog and newsletter.

Comments are closed.

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