Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
102 lines (71 loc) · 3.45 KB

README.md

File metadata and controls

102 lines (71 loc) · 3.45 KB
Raw

splitRest Keyboard Layout Mod Method

What is splitRest?

  • splitRest is a method for modifying a keyboard layout to achieve
    • split hand positioning
      • increased distance between hands of two key-widths
    • increased "at-rest" hand positioning
      • remove vast majority of contexts when hands need to move away from "home" position
    • improved locations of modifier keys
      • through key overloading

Why splitRest?

  • improved typing ergonomics
    • more nature hand positioning
    • fewer and shorter hand movements
    • less straining key-chords
  • bring wider range of symbols within muscle memory
  • faster typing
  • can be based on an existing layout (qwerty, colemak)
    • reduced need to retrain muscle memory
  • implemented at the software level with no specific hardware requirements

Current Limitations and Issues

  • assumes certain modifiers are currently unused (hyper), may be an issue for some programs/contexts (emacs?)
  • some software interferes with non-standard modifier key implementation (e.g. firefox, keepass)
  • currently implemented for colemak-base only
  • limited testing
  • works on x windowing system only
  • extremely limited testing
    • 6 months' single system usage (arch linux, i3wm, urxvt, vim)

splitRest(colemak) Example

  • currently splitRest has only been implemented for Colemak
  • below are examples of how the different layers work for Colemak

Base Layer

Key press-and-release effects when no modifiers are held

  1. return and tab centrally located for thumbs
    • especially makes tab-completion much faster and more comfortable
  2. increased spacing of two keys between home position of left and right hand
    • improved ergonomics through more straight wrists
    • makes modifier keys close to space bar easier to reach and better candidates for frequent use
  3. alphabetic symbols match those of Colemak, as do comma and period
    • limits need to retrain from Colemak
  4. apostrophe and colon avaiable without modifier
    • for VIM: colon to enter command-line mode, and apostrophe can be set to enter insert mode
    • escape avaiable on either hand without moving hands out of home-position
  5. function keys brought one row down

Numeric Layer

Numerical digits and symbols often used in numerical contexts

  • location of numerical digit optimised based on frequency of usage (typically 0 > 1 > ... > 9)

  • numerical digits are located in a left-hand cluster

  • middle row contains most frequenty used numbers

  • bottom row has only odd digits, top only even ones

  • modifier key for numerical layer is dedicated

  • some non-numerical symbols also included to avoid unnecessary modifier-key switching

Brackets Layer

brackets of various types extensively used in programming and science

  • left- and right brackets paired for each type
  • frequency of use determine location
    1. parentheses ()
    2. curly {}
    3. angle <>
    4. square []

Modifiers Layer

modifiers controlled by thumbs to maximum extent (strong fingers)

  • spacebar acts as shift if held down

    • frees up left and right shift keys to be used as control keys

  • Hyper_R is used for a dedicated numeric layer

  • Meta_L is used as a dedicated brackets layer

  • both ISO_Level_3_Shift and ISO_Level_5_Shift are used fort he primary mod layer

  • both Super_L and Super_R are used fort the secondary mod layer