PCB-Design

Prototype Keyboard design project "Orions Hands V0.1"

Contains a custom mechanical keyboard PCB design keyboard-pcb and firmware keyboard-code.

Key Features:

• NKRO support over USB using a RP Pico and Rust
• Custom layout with pushable rotary encoder consumer controls over USB (vol +/-, pause, next/prev track)
• I2C display (SSD1309) with embedded-graphics
• Multicore for efficiency/speed (core0: keyboard/usb hid, core1: display/other)

Tests:

Check keyboard-code. There seems to be a hardware issue with this design causing ghosting after extensive use...

To Improve:

• Use pull up resistors rather than relying on pi pico internal pull ups
• Grounding fill (and thicker traces?)

IMPORTANT!

1. The space on the front side of the pcb on the right is reserved for a small I2C display.

2. The rp pico usb micro-b connector is only slightly accessible after soldering - this is because the intention is to extend the connector, using usb-c or an alternative 4 wire connector, away from the controller. The connector can then be case mounted for more freedom of positioning. This extension of the connector can be done in 2 ways:

   • slightly more fiddly way (my solution), plugging in a stripped usb micro-b cable into the controller -> the other end can then be connected to a usb-c breakout board or alternative 4 pin connector (the rotary encoders clips may have to be clipped to give some more room). The wires end up on the bottom of keyboard.
   • solder a connection for usb-c on the back of the rp pico (care not to break solder pads) -> demonstrated here: usb-c mod for rp pico. The wires will end up on the top of the keyboard. The PCB has a cutout to make these pads easily accessible. If you would like to put the connector on the back of the keyboard using this method it may be convenient to have a hole in the pcb for connector wires to go to the back rather than over the side of the pcb.