KeyboardScienceFair_V2\ : C# Desktop Application for creating layouts, uploading to keyboard, and controlling layout changes
PCB\ : Various PCB files for keyboard hardware, including built-in custom arduino using ATMega chip.
--> KeyboardFullBoard.pdf : Full Schematic for hardware
--> PCB Gerber Files (zip) : gerber files for manufacturing pcb's (ex: jlcpcb.com)
For the desktop application to compile and upload layouts to the keyboard, it requires two 3rd party dependancies
- AvrDude (To Upload to Arduino)
- Arduino Builder (To compile generated layouts using gcc)
* Installing the Arduino IDE is the easiest way to get both of these dependancies.
Initially built for a science fair project, you can view the full abstract below:
Our project's goal was to create a sort of multilingual keyboard to aid those who type in multiple languages, or wish to learn a new one. Our objective was to make this keyboard so that the user would not have to own multiple keyboard, memorize the locations of letters, or place stickers on a keyboard in order to type in multiple languages. Instead, a single keyboard would be used to type in any language.
To create the working prototype, there are two components: hardware and software. Our hardware consisted of an arduino and two (2) LCD-Desplay Switches by NKK, along with other general parts. We put everything together from soldering to placing resistors. Two pieces of software were written: we wrote a desktop program in C# that will run on the user's pc, and a second program, written in Arduino's language (based off C) that runs on the arduino. The two programs communicate with each other using serial communication via a USB cable. All software was written by ourselves, except for the arduino timer interrupt code, to which credit was given.
Our result was a working prototype. The hardware included only two (2) keys ('e' and 'n'), that when pressed, typed the letters on the computer. When the computer's typing language was changed (Pressing 'Shift + Alt' or 'Windows + Space'), the LCD displays on the keys would change their displays to show the corresponding letters in the computer's new language.
Since our project was only a prototype, we hope to continue development to be able to provide a full keyboard of LCD-keys. We also only have two built-in languages supported. However, our code is available online, open-source, so any developer can add on to our code.