README.md 3.6 KB
Selenium33
A basic Miryoku-like approach to minimize finger movements on any keyboard:
- 3 home-row mods per hand for Ctrl, Alt, Super
- 3 layer-tap keys under the thumbs: Shift/Backspace, Navigation/Space, Prog/Return
A long press on the Return key brings up the Prog layer, where all programming symbols are arranged for comfort.
A long press on the Space bar brings up the Navigation layer, with easy one-hand shortcuts (Ctrl-WASZXCV), Vim-like navigation (HJKL) and more…
The idea behind these layers is to bring the characters to the fingers, rather than moving the fingers to the keys. This approach is what makes those 34-key keyboards so comfortable, and the goal here is to get a comparable experience with any other keyboard — including your laptop’s.
Main Benefits
- Shift, Backspace, Return under the thumbs!
- all programming symbols are moved to the comfortable 3×10 zone
- symmetrical modifiers on the home row
- Vim-like navigation in all apps
- easier left-hand shortcuts
- works with any keyboard
Suitable for all keyboards
… well, all keyboards that have at least 3×10 finger keys and 3 thumb keys. So yes, pretty much every computer keyboard out there.
Miryoku requires 6 thumb keys, which tends to limit its use to ergonomic keyboards. Selenium works with 3, which means it’s usable with any standard ANSI or ISO keyboard (spacebar + Alt/Cmd keys), even non-programmable ones thanks to kanata; and it also works with minimalist keyboards like the Ferris (only 4 thumb keys).
Of course, Selenium can be implemented in programmable keyboards with QMK, ZMK, Kaleidoscope, etc.
No numbers? No problem.
If your keyboard has no number row, we got you covered! From Prog mode, pressing the Num key brings up the NumRow layer:
- all digits are on the home row, in the order you already know
- the upper row helps with Shift-digit shortcuts
- the lower row has dash, comma, dot and slash signs to help with number / date inputs
TODO
The main idea is settled (3 home-row mods + 3 layer-taps), but Selenium is still a work in progress in an early stage. Expect refinements.
- NumPad layer
- macOS support (KMonad / Karabiner)
- sample QMK / ZMK implementations for common keyboards
- variants for specific keyboard layouts
Why the name?
I believe 34-key keyboards like the Ferris are the end game of ergonomic keyboards, and 34 is selenium’s atomic number. All other keyboards I’ve tried feel like unstable isotopes of the Ferris experience.
Other cultural biases might have been involved as well, though this remains to be proven. :-)