I was about to buy some tactile switches (since membrane switches were not available) for my diy MIDI instrument. I came across your videos and man! who need tactile switches! I got introduced to 2 new types of switches, the capacitive switch and this one. Now I too can make many midi instruments THANKYOU SO MUCH.
You may still want to design the instrument with potential repair needs in mind, just because your singular controlled stress test showed good results doesn’t exclude the potential issues that could crop up over time. Between the possibility of flawed materials or temperature variations it may be helpful to be able to change out the silicon if things go wrong
My experience from restoring old organs is that silicone keypads are very durable when played normally, but they deform if something is placed on top of the keys. I sometimes find keyboards that has been stored for a long time with something pressing on some of the keys. The keypads on those keys might be permanently deformed.
Thanks George! I certainly see a lot of potential in silicone springs. Feel kind of silly for not having realized this earlier. Next up: (1) Analog keyboard (2) Moving key version of the OHMs (3) Silicone spring driven spaceship to alpha centauri!
@@KontinuumLAB Yes! Some things may seem silly until it is discovered! The same may have happened when the wheels were discovered too! Use of springs was something even I had thought about. But till now I didn't get the idea of silicone tubes cut into pieces to be used as springs! That means you have a more innovative mind than me! Now you have cleared the path for other to follow! Great! Thanks!
have you ever heard of topre keyboards? They use a conical electrocapacitive spring with a rubber cup over them to dampen the keystroke feeling a bit. it registers keystrokes via the change in capacitance across the spring when the spring gets compressed by the user. WI think theres pretty solid potential at least for something not mass produced by someone with tinkering time. Also, magnets with a hall effect sensor could work pretty well as well, this is also used in some keyboards to extremely great effect. I guess I prolly shouldn't assume you haven't heard of these though, just figured i'd toss them out there just in case
The silicone spring is what is used in my laptop's keyboard (I know this for a fact because I had accidentally broke off a key awhile back, and was trying to figure out getting a new key/putting the original one back on) So, even industry giants like HP use a method like this! Hope it keeps working out for you
If you're just going for on and off then possibly linear mechanical keyboard switches would be a good choice. Built in sensor and spring combo and available in a wide array of different spring weights.
I like making my own push buttons with pen springs. In the saxophone I don’t want a click like with classic push buttons, so I just order like 200 pen springs online and that works great.
Don't remember exactly. I just left it running in a cupboard and checked in every couple of days, but it wasn't more than a week and a half at most. The frequency is more like 3hz... The biggest surprise for me was that the cheap servo lasted through the whole test 🦾
Hi Brian. Sorry, no forum. But I do get into the details of how to use the CNY70 sensor in a few videos. Like this oldish one: ua-cam.com/video/6GP9X0xT6cg/v-deo.html - or this other (even older) one: ua-cam.com/video/OInd2ybB2uA/v-deo.html Feel free to ask your questions here in the comments (which is kind of like a forum...). I generally respond to comments, if the question makes sense and I can think of a brief answer.
@@KontinuumLAB yes, I soldered together a sensor based on that, though I haven't hooked it up yet. So far I've been using microcontrollers on breadboards, though the idea of a general-purpose breakout board is starting to seem appealing. Regarding discussion forums, perhaps adding Github Discussions to one of your repos would be a nice way to do it?
Your creativity with such simple materials and sensors is awesome. Are you familiar with electro-capacitive keyboards? It's a rubber dome over a conical spring. When the key is pressed the dome flattens and pushes down on the spring which is detectable through a capacitive sensor. The spring is only to provide the conductive element; the dome itself it what will push the key back to resting position. You can see a video of what I mean here: ua-cam.com/video/PqQHZtG4e5M/v-deo.html Most of the commercial keyboards have a "trigger point" setting which allows you to adjust when the keystroke actually fires. That suggests to me the keys may be producing a range of values under the hood. Obviously too specialist to be used directly but maybe there are some useful ideas there. Keep up the great work.
Thanks! Didn't know these keyboards. The one I disassembled has two activating circuits on each key designed to activate one after the other on the downstroke, which can then be turned into a velocity reading. The same thing can be achieved by taking two samples from a continuous analog reading.
Wow! That's a great idea! The cheapest and reliable spring! Thanks! Would help many other hobbyists!
"Thats a WONDERFUL idea!", you mean.
@@Ykwia156 You want me to use the word 'WONDERFUL' instead of 'great' ?
@@pmnirmal6052 no its a reference to undertale lol
I was about to buy some tactile switches (since membrane switches were not available) for my diy MIDI instrument. I came across your videos and man! who need tactile switches! I got introduced to 2 new types of switches, the capacitive switch and this one. Now I too can make many midi instruments THANKYOU SO MUCH.
These are used in controllers to register inputs. Very reliable!
You may still want to design the instrument with potential repair needs in mind, just because your singular controlled stress test showed good results doesn’t exclude the potential issues that could crop up over time. Between the possibility of flawed materials or temperature variations it may be helpful to be able to change out the silicon if things go wrong
Very good points!
My experience from restoring old organs is that silicone keypads are very durable when played normally, but they deform if something is placed on top of the keys. I sometimes find keyboards that has been stored for a long time with something pressing on some of the keys. The keypads on those keys might be permanently deformed.
Oh, very interesting 🤔 That's something I didn't test for...
A good rule of thumb is never place anything on any keyboard at all. Mechanical or Instrumental keyboards.
Elimination of bad habits anyways.
@@CorruptinatorTrue, that's why I think they have wooden covers on pianos when they aren't in use. Prevention is key!
This is brilliant! I've been using a silicone o-ring on the other side of the key's pivot, but this way looks much easier to hide!
Thanks George! I certainly see a lot of potential in silicone springs. Feel kind of silly for not having realized this earlier. Next up:
(1) Analog keyboard
(2) Moving key version of the OHMs
(3) Silicone spring driven spaceship to alpha centauri!
@@KontinuumLAB Yes! Some things may seem silly until it is discovered! The same may have happened when the wheels were discovered too! Use of springs was something even I had thought about. But till now I didn't get the idea of silicone tubes cut into pieces to be used as springs! That means you have a more innovative mind than me! Now you have cleared the path for other to follow! Great! Thanks!
Membrane keyboards works in that way too!
have you ever heard of topre keyboards? They use a conical electrocapacitive spring with a rubber cup over them to dampen the keystroke feeling a bit. it registers keystrokes via the change in capacitance across the spring when the spring gets compressed by the user. WI think theres pretty solid potential at least for something not mass produced by someone with tinkering time.
Also, magnets with a hall effect sensor could work pretty well as well, this is also used in some keyboards to extremely great effect.
I guess I prolly shouldn't assume you haven't heard of these though, just figured i'd toss them out there just in case
The silicone spring is what is used in my laptop's keyboard (I know this for a fact because I had accidentally broke off a key awhile back, and was trying to figure out getting a new key/putting the original one back on)
So, even industry giants like HP use a method like this! Hope it keeps working out for you
What about degradation over time with various temperatures and humidities? Pretty cool.
If you're just going for on and off then possibly linear mechanical keyboard switches would be a good choice. Built in sensor and spring combo and available in a wide array of different spring weights.
Thats actually very impressive
Reinvented the membrane keyboard
this information is gold!!
I like making my own push buttons with pen springs. In the saxophone I don’t want a click like with classic push buttons, so I just order like 200 pen springs online and that works great.
I play the alto saxophone as well
durability tester moves with roughly 1Hz frequency. did your test took 23 days?
Don't remember exactly. I just left it running in a cupboard and checked in every couple of days, but it wasn't more than a week and a half at most. The frequency is more like 3hz... The biggest surprise for me was that the cheap servo lasted through the whole test 🦾
@@KontinuumLAB i found MG-996R actually pretty durable. their clones should have similar toughness.
DIY-3D-printer-community-engineers keep reinventing stuff over and over 👀
Hmm, I like it!
how do you mount that without it falling out?
What brand is that Microphone keyboard?
I love how bro says boring
I think 2 bil is a little bit small of a number to judge it's durability...
NICE
How to use a membrane keyboard like a piano with sensitive
Can you share the 3D file for plastic spring key and version to be used with silicone rubber tubing? Thanks!
Great !!! But... where do you find those silicone tubes ? I've searched a few shops and websites, but not luck so far..
All kinds of places, amazon, ebay, your local hardware store maybe. Google search food grade silicone tube, then select "shopping" sub section
Nice! I'm wondering if there is a forum somewhere to ask questions? I have ideas and I'd like to learn more about CNY70 sensors.
Hi Brian. Sorry, no forum. But I do get into the details of how to use the CNY70 sensor in a few videos. Like this oldish one: ua-cam.com/video/6GP9X0xT6cg/v-deo.html - or this other (even older) one: ua-cam.com/video/OInd2ybB2uA/v-deo.html
Feel free to ask your questions here in the comments (which is kind of like a forum...). I generally respond to comments, if the question makes sense and I can think of a brief answer.
@@KontinuumLAB yes, I soldered together a sensor based on that, though I haven't hooked it up yet. So far I've been using microcontrollers on breadboards, though the idea of a general-purpose breakout board is starting to seem appealing.
Regarding discussion forums, perhaps adding Github Discussions to one of your repos would be a nice way to do it?
Your creativity with such simple materials and sensors is awesome.
Are you familiar with electro-capacitive keyboards?
It's a rubber dome over a conical spring. When the key is pressed the dome flattens and pushes down on the spring which is detectable through a capacitive sensor.
The spring is only to provide the conductive element; the dome itself it what will push the key back to resting position.
You can see a video of what I mean here: ua-cam.com/video/PqQHZtG4e5M/v-deo.html
Most of the commercial keyboards have a "trigger point" setting which allows you to adjust when the keystroke actually fires.
That suggests to me the keys may be producing a range of values under the hood.
Obviously too specialist to be used directly but maybe there are some useful ideas there.
Keep up the great work.
Thanks! Didn't know these keyboards. The one I disassembled has two activating circuits on each key designed to activate one after the other on the downstroke, which can then be turned into a velocity reading. The same thing can be achieved by taking two samples from a continuous analog reading.
Great idea!!
Thanks!
Hola eres un pro saludos desde Colombia
Neat idea
Thanks!
cooool
Noice ❤
waiting
for what? :)
@@KontinuumLAB I just like waiting
could you try print tpu?
New here, subscribed... 👍🏼
soprano sax player confirmed?
My laptop's true keyboard uses silicone
danish accent?