An awesome custom split keyboard, at least I think so 😉. Made by Max Kivits and Timon Borg, the KiBo!
This keyboard is loosely based on the Piantor and Cantor keyboards. It's a 42-key diodeless non-flippable cherry-mx hotswapable mechanical split keyboard with aggressive column staggering. It's powered by 2 RP2040, completely overkill! I redesigned the PCB to use cherry-mx style hotswap switches and adjusted the margins so it fits my hands better. The pcb features an artsy silklayer, because why not?
The casing is designed by Timon Borg, a god amongst fusion360 users!
KiBo uses the amazing qmk firmware to become a keyboard.
- RP2040 MCU - A low-cost, easy-to-source, powerful microcontroller with dual Arm Cortex-M0+ @ 133MHz, 264kB on-chip SRAM and 2MB (up to 16MB, depending on the breakout board) off-chip external flash memory. You can enable a lot of features and layers. Never worry about the firmware size limit.
- Cantor layout - Ergonomic strong column staggering for short pinkies.
- Non-flippable PCBs - Fewer ways to make mistakes when you install the controller breakout boards. Great for first time keyboard builders.
- Diodeless - A more robust build with fewer things to solder or break.
- Hybrid hotswap and soldered-in low profile choc switches - Experiment with different key switches with the hotswap sockets, or solder the key switches for a more stable build.
- Breakable pinky column - Easily convert the PCB from a 42-key to 36-key layout. You can snap off the pinky column without specialized tools.
| Quantity | Item | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | KiBo PCB (Left) | |
| 1 | KiBo PCB (Right) | |
| 2 | RP2040 breakout boards (such as Raspberry Pi Pico or WeAct RP2040) | |
| 42 (or 36) | cherry-mx style switches of your favorite flavor | |
| 42 (or 36) | cherry-mx style keycaps of your favorite variety | |
| 2 | TRRS jack (PJ-320A) | |
| 1 | 3.5mm TRRS cable | TRS cable cannot be used |
| 42 (or 36) | cherry-mx style hotswap sockets | Optional, you can solder the switches directly if you do not use hotswap sockets |
| 4 | Pin headers (20p) or sockets | Only required for boards without castellated holes |
| 2 | 10kΩ 1206 (3216M) SMD resistor | Only required if you do not want to use SPLIT_USB DETECT, and for boards without a built in VBUS_SENSE circuit |
| 2 | 5.6kΩ 1206 (3216M) SMD resistor | Only required if you do not want to use SPLIT_USB DETECT, and for boards without a built in VBUS_SENSE circuit |
| 1 | KiBo Case (Left) | 3D print your own |
| 1 | KiBo Case (Right) | 3D print your own |
- Note: Raspberry Pi Pico comes with castellated holes and a built in VBUS_SENSE circuit