Google Japan's conveyor belt Gboard moves keys toward the typist

Keys move toward the typist

Google Japan showed off the Gboard Conveyor Belt Version, a keyboard designed to make typing easier by moving its keys toward the user's hand. This approach requires less movement from the fingers and arms, particularly when typing with one hand.

The keyboard has four conveyor belts, each containing 29 keys. The Google Japan team is considering additional color variations, high-speed models and a shorter version intended for mobile devices.

Part of an annual keyboard tradition

The conveyor belt model continues Google Japan's tradition of releasing an unusual keyboard design every year. The local subsidiary previously presented these concepts as April Fool's Day jokes beginning in 2012. In 2021, it changed the release date to the first day of October, written as 10.1, in reference to the 101-key layout popularized by the IBM Model M.

Earlier designs include the Gboard Dial Edition, which resembles rotary phones from the 1960s; the Double-Sided Gboard, designed to remain right-side up regardless of its orientation; and the Gboard bar version, which places every key in a single row to make characters easier to find. Google Japan's Physical Flick keyboard was also presented as a promising concept despite the series' generally impractical nature.

Build plans are available on GitHub

Google Japan has published the plans for the Gboard Conveyor Belt Version on GitHub. The materials include 3D-printable STL files, KiCad schematics, PCB layouts, firmware source code and the project files required to build a working copy.

Schematics for previous Google Japan keyboard concepts are also available in the repository's main directory. The open files make it possible for enthusiasts to build the series' eccentric designs for personal use or display.