HardLabs

Custom keyboard

aidancahill·custom-keyboard·pcb/ergo_unibody.kicad_pcb

Custom keyboard PCB layout, top view — open source Nordic nRF board by aidancahill

About the Custom keyboard PCB

Custom keyboard is an open source Nordic nRF PCB design by aidancahill, published on GitHub under the MIT license. It is a 2-layer board measuring 299 × 151.4 mm, with 123 components from 8 distinct parts.

Its main chip is the SeeeduinoXIAO_BLE, from the Nordic nRF family. Other key parts include the 74HC595, COM-09032 and 74HC165. By type, the board carries 55 switches, 54 diodes, 7 ICs and 7 resistors.

It belongs with the keyboards and iot & wireless designs in this gallery.

From the project

A 54-key split ergonomic keyboard with analog joysticks, shift register matrix scanning, and a Seeeduino XIAO nRF52840 BLE microcontroller. Designed from scratch using Ergogen, KiCad, and ZMK firmware.

A 54-key split ergonomic keyboard with analog joysticks, shift register matrix scanning, and a Seeeduino XIAO nRF52840 BLE microcontroller. Designed from scratch using Ergogen, KiCad, and ZMK firmware.

- 54 Kailh Choc V1 low-profile keys with hotswap sockets - Split ergonomic layout with column stagger and splay - 2× analog joysticks (mouse movement + scroll) - 74HC595 shift registers for column scanning (3× SIPO) - 74HC165 shift register for row reading (1× PISO) - Seeeduino XIAO nRF52840 BLE MCU - 3D printed case with integrated bottom plate and heat-set inserts - Custom Grogu silkscreen…

Custom keyboard, from the project README
From the project README

Main components on the Custom keyboard

74HC595SeeeduinoXIAO_BLECOM-0903274HC165

Custom keyboard bill of materials (BOM)

123 components, 8 distinct parts.

QtyPartRefs
3
74HC595
U1, U2, U4
1
SeeeduinoXIAO_BLE
U3
2
COM-09032
U5, U6
1
74HC165
U7
54
SW_Push
SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4, SW5, SW6, SW7, SW8 +46
1
SW_Push
SW17
54
D_Small
D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8 +46
7
4.7k
R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7

Custom keyboard design files

The KiCad project lives in the aidancahill/custom-keyboard repository on GitHub; these links point at the commit this page was built from.

Custom keyboard: common questions

What microcontroller does the Custom keyboard use?

The Custom keyboard is built around the SeeeduinoXIAO_BLE, from the Nordic nRF family.

How big is the Custom keyboard PCB?

The Custom keyboard measures 299 × 151.4 mm, has 2 copper layers and is 1.6 mm thick.

How many components are on the Custom keyboard?

123 components, from 8 distinct parts. The full bill of materials is listed on this page.

Where can I download the Custom keyboard design files?

From the aidancahill/custom-keyboard repository on GitHub, which has the KiCad layout and the schematic; the links under Design files point to each one.

Can I use the Custom keyboard design in my own project?

Yes, under the terms of its MIT license, which aidancahill chose for the repository.

Can I test firmware for the Custom keyboard without the hardware?

Yes. HardLabs builds a simulation of the board from its netlist and BOM, so you can run and debug Nordic nRF firmware against it before you order a PCB.

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