Before I tell you my idea, I want to clarify some things. This is IN NO WAY intending to imply: One, that I am creating this myself, and two, that I am the absolute most knowledgeable in this regard. I am simply suggesting features that I would like to see in some future products or revisions of the framework laptop (both 13 and 16). With that out of the way, here is my idea! With the ability to swap keyboard modules on the fly, it may be an interesting idea to introduce some new control options, such as gamepads! There could be multiple types of controllers. Arcade style controls with big buttons, a more standard controller design with smaller buttons that are on the side, so you could use the framework laptop sort of like a handheld console, and more! To ensure that the laptop can still close with these controls, instead of the traditional analogue stick, it could instead use a circle pad, kind of like the one on the Nintendo 3DS and perhaps it could use hall effect circle pads, to prevent drift. This would be especially useful on the Framework 16, since it having a dedicated GPU means people buying it probably want to game on it. That is my idea for a new feature that framework could implement. If you have anything to add, let me know! Just know that I will probably take a long time to respond. Thanks!
Edit: I only just now realized that the “Input Module” category is not referring to the “module for button input” A.K.A. the keyboard, but rather is referring to the “sliders” as I will call them that go beside the keyboard on the 16" specifically. Sorry about that.
Im not sure where the contacts are and if it is technically possible, but:
On the 16" there are these 2 little spacer left and right from the keyboard. It would be cool to swap them out and instead of them we could attach a controller-like bar. So it would be sth like the controllers on the Nintendo Switch. But not that thick. You would have some buttons and one joystick on each side.
More difficult would be the 2 shoulder-buttons on each side, which you have on modern controllers. Because how would you add them and where (seems a bit difficult to attach them one the “shoulder” of the laptop). But maybe there is a fancy way to do it.
I’ve searched around on here a bit, and it looks like there’s a fair amount of interest in a split ortholinear option (along the lines of the Ergodox or the Corne ). But trying to develop such a thing from scratch for a relatively small market is going to be cost prohibitive.
I propose that instead of building from scratch, it should be possible to just mount 2 macropads in the space where the keyboard would normally be. It seems like this ought to work with some firmware changes and an adapter board that just relocates the connections. Maybe also add a few buttons to the adapter to replicate the thumb clusters.
I figured I’d throw this idea out there for some initial feedback before I sink a bunch of time into trying to make it happen. Does this sound like a plausible idea?
I shared that though with a friend yesterday. I do really like typing on the framework keyboards and it will make a great reuse of any keyboard in the future as well.
We could also make differents sizes “easily”, 100%, 65% etc…
I’d like a single touchpad in place of the number pad so I can disable the pad below the keyboard.
Sometimes in a cramped space like an airplane seat, you just don’t have the space to move your arm back that far to use it comfortably. It would also solve issues someone might have if palm detection isn’t working (looking at you Xubuntu).
I use a lot of knobs while producing music, mostly on midi controllers. Just thought about how cool it would be to have those same knobs, perhaps smaller or more suited to the Framework laptop, meant to be modular like how the numpad is.
These could also be mapped to different things, like the system volume, brightness, night mode tint, individual app outputs, etc. Could be very cool if there are good haptics too, to give a more rounded and complete feel to the knobs and buttons.
It’s the encoder for the knobs that would be hard to fit. Though I recall running across some very thin encoders, I’ll try to find them again and see if they are thin enough.
But I don’t think you could easily use a hall effect encoder with QMK, the firmware other input modules are using. There is no built-in function for hall effect sensors. You’d have to add in a custom function. Whereas a mechanical encoder, you just drop it in and it works. I know Ploppy co has a custom function for optical encoders, but I don’t imagine it would be easy to create one of them which fits.
So you guys think it could be possible? If this were really possible it would be really cool to have. It would allow to have the numpad part of the keyboard with knobs and other controllers and use it for live music effects or even to facilitate music and video editing on the go, without the need of carrying an external usb device.
There isn’t? Thought there was but anyway, custom module doesn’t sound like an unassailable obstacle in case there aren’t any mechanical encoders that low profile.
Depends on what people would want, what they would pay for such a module, and how many people would buy one. Like what kind of dial resolution people want or need. Could maybe fit a 15 position-per-rotation dial. Two of them and a couple of buttons perhaps.
Max input module height was said to be 3.7mm so that makes selection of components harder. The very limited height will likely also require more expensive extra thin PCBs, also makes designing and building it harder. It wouldn’t be cheap.
That sounds cool, I know it may be a bit of a difficulty on the hardware side but we’ve seen framework do unimaginable stuff before. The compactness of it all might be a problem though yeah.
Disclaimer: I have zero technical/engineering background, so I apologize in advance if this idea is ridiculous.
I know that there’s a prototype e-ink display module that’s the same size as the numpads, but I am wondering if it’s possible to make a regular display into a keyboard-sized module.
It doesn’t need to have touch input or anything. But I think for those of use who will frequently “dock” and the laptop to a larger screen + keyboard and mouse, it’ll be great to use the space that’s taken up by the keyboard for something else. Nobody needs two sets of keyboards! (Or mouse for that matter, but I digress)
I’d find it quite useful especially since the input modules are hot swappable. Imagine putting the laptop on the stand when you get home, popping off the keyboard and popping on the display so there’s a 3rd screen that can be used for sticky notes and or to-do list windows.
Alternatively, even a keyboard sized spacer module would be nice. At the very least we could either cover the spacer with whiteboard sticker and have a dry erase board, or just place a mini external monitor on top of it.
The idea of having the keyboard just hogging real estate on a hotswappable module when docked really feels like wasted potential…
