NOTE: Moved to seperate repo https://github.com/Wesztman/brain since it was not supposed to be merged back to the urchin repo.
Brain (based on Urchin by Duckyb)
My first ever keyboard build was the Ferris Sweep, it's a wonderful keyboard! But I missed a few keys, the ctrl and shift keys on the left side and since I'm Swedish, I also wanted keys for åäö. Apart from this I was also only interested in wireless designs and was not interested in the TRRS jacks etc. The Urchin was the perfect solution for me, but I were still missing those oh so sought after keys. So I decided to make my own version of the Urchin, with a few extra keys and a little tweek to the edge cut to fit them nicely.
The result of this is the Brain, a wireless split keyboard based on the Urchin with 3 extra keys on each side. One extra pinky column with two keys and one extra thumb key. All 5 pinky keys are placed 2mm lower than the original Urchin keys, to make it easier to reach them.
This is a strictly wireless-only design, and is only compatible with ZMK / nice!nano. Only Choc v1 switches + Hotswap are supported!
Features compared to Urchin
- Original pinky column lowered 2mm.
- A new pinky column added with two buttons, also 2mm offset down from its neighbour.
- One new thumb button added.
- Add 3D printed case.
- Add travel case.
- 1× PCB Kit (files for it are in releases)
- 40× Kailh CHOC Hotswap Sockets
- 40× Kailh Choc v1 Switches
- 40× Keycaps
- 40× SMD diodes (SOD-123)
- 2× nice!nano
- 2× Lipo battery (301230)
- 48× mill-max machined pins
- 2× Pair of female mill-max headers (raised ones to fit battery, https://www.digikey.se/sv/products/detail/mill-max-manufacturing-corp/310-43-112-41-001000/1212186)
- 2× nice!view (needs higher sockets to get level above raised mill-max sockets, TODO add exact ones)
- 2× Reset switch (B3U-1000P(M))
- 2× Power switch (MSK 12C02)
- 16× adhesive silicone feet
Follow the the excellent build guide in the link below. The only difference is the 3 extra keys on each side.
Brain supports ZMK only.
I have not managed to get a dedicated ZMK firmware for this keyboard set up yet.
Until I do, you can probably get something going based on the zmk-urchin repository. But since this keyboard has 3 extra keys added to the original Urchin, you will need to add those keys to the firmware.
- Urchin by duckyb
- Logo by Ariyanto Deni
- 3D case by iamDrakkir