My project : the any key

[iwasz]

Hi my humble project implements button HID keyboard in fancy "emergency-button" casing, which you can reprogram to be any key or combination of keys you wish (open source hardware and software). It is made using Texas Instruments TIVA TM4C123 which is some kind of new incarnation of Stellaris micro as far as I know. The device was prototyped using Launchpad (http://www.ti.com/tool/ek-tm4c123gxl) which is great and I really love it. Then the PCB was designed (the launchpad schematic was invaluable) and programmed with the same Launchpad it was tested on. PCB mounted inside the case looks like that (eagle files are in my SVN, links in original blog post):



The case is some (rather cheap like $8 here where I live) Chinese "emergency-button" which originally was meant to turn a machine off in case of accident or something:



Firmware implements two interface USB HID device. HID Keyboard Descriptors were found on the Internet and modified by myself. Then additional software was made (GTK+ & C++) which interacts with the button (which at this time is also visible to the OS as oridinary keyboard) and enables the user to store almost any combination of keys (8 control keys + 6 regular keys) in the device. Main window of the app looks like this, these buttons you see below can be toggled. The combination of buttons pressed in will be sent to the host:



Finally after user presses the button, the combination is sent. It may be Play/pause (original intention before the reprogramming idea), Power, or Ctrl-Alt-Del and so on. Like hardware inverted keyboard-shortcut. More info at http://www.iwasz.pl/electronics/the-any-key/ (source code and PCB attached).

[mcinque]

Well done! 

[tszaboo]

And it solves the awesome problem:

"Keyboard not found. Press any key to continue!"

[Gribo]

Do you have any plans for a foot pedal? Also, the MCU is a total overkill

[madires]

And it solves the awesome problem:

"Keyboard not found. Press any key to continue!"

Unfortunately not, you have to press F1 to continue. So we need also a F1 key.

BTW, this is a good example of over engineering. The simple solution is to take a label, print "anykey" on it and stick it to some key you never use. 

[dannyf]

Nicely done.

[Mechatrommer]

man. 64pin chip for a big red emergency button for the keyboard combo something the idea i've never come across and hope will not be. congratulation! keep doing it you probably will get something from it. my emergency button is always 10 minutes drive to nearest pcshop.

[zapta]

And it solves the awesome problem:

Yes, a 8 pin IC would do http://digistump.com/category/1  but now the OP has a standard MCU that can do other and bigger things.  Good job!

I would use it as a Submit button for eevblog posts, you write the message and when done, Bang!

[jancumps]

There's a croudfunding campaign running (and funded) for a similar idea:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/very-serious-button

[janoc]

man. 64pin chip for a big red emergency button for the keyboard combo something the idea i've never come across and hope will not be. congratulation! keep doing it you probably will get something from it. my emergency button is always 10 minutes drive to nearest pcshop.

I have built a pedal like that using some surplus military switches and VUSB on an ATTiny. Works a treat. Sometimes devices like this come useful.

I am just surprised that someone has funded that Indiegogo campaign - Thinkgeek is selling a similar device for about half the price ...

[Wh1sper]

BTW, this is a good example of over engineering. The simple solution is to take a label, print "anykey" on it and stick it to some key you never use. 

I vote for the CAPS LOCK key it's the most shitty ugly useless resource waste everr!

Man how often I curse this bloody shitty thing!
 

[c4757p]

I vote for the CAPS LOCK key it's the most shitty ugly useless resource waste everr!

Man how often I curse this bloody shitty thing!
 

Reassign it to something else? I use it as Ctrl

[theatrus]

Remapping caps lock to control has changed my life, and not just due to Emacs usage.

[free_electron]

And it solves the awesome problem:

Yes, a 8 pin IC would do http://digistump.com/category/1  but now the OP has a standard MCU that can do other and bigger things.  Good job!

I would use it as a Submit button for eevblog posts, you write the message and when done, Bang!

screw that. we need at least a million transistors to make a button these days ! i don't get out of bed for less.
any dodo can hook up two wires. where's the fun in that ?

[zapta]

screw that. we need at least a million transistors to make a button these days ! i don't get out of bed for less.
any dodo can hook up two wires. where's the fun in that ?

I remember that days were portable radios had "6 TRANSISTORS" written proudly all over them. The first radio I built had none, just a diode.  I like the almost free stuff we had these days.

[jancumps]

And it solves the awesome problem:

Yes, a 8 pin IC would do http://digistump.com/category/1  but now the OP has a standard MCU that can do other and bigger things.  Good job!

I would use it as a Submit button for eevblog posts, you write the message and when done, Bang!

screw that. we need at least a million transistors to make a button these days ! i don't get out of bed for less.
any dodo can hook up two wires. where's the fun in that ?

they have a special perk for you:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/very-serious-button/contributions/new?perk_amt=16&perk_id=2006375

[iwasz]

Hi all

Do you have any plans for a foot pedal? Also, the MCU is a total overkill

YES, I know that this is too huge µC for the task, but the goal (I wrote this on my blog) was to make a simple project to learn new micros (TIVA in this case). This is HOBBY-diy gizmo, not meant to be reasonably designed No, foot pedal is not in my plans, but  the button is so huge, I suppose one could try to hit it with foot

There's a croudfunding campaign running (and funded) for a similar idea:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/very-serious-button

Thanks for that link! I was wondering about redesigning the thing on MSP430 and trying to sell it on the tindie or something, but something tells me that this is not as good Idea as I thought... But selling something on the Internet would be great experience and I want to try someday (must come up with another idea i guess though).

[dannyf]

However, if you allow the button to be programmable from a PC (aka, pushing to button to perform a particular task, not necessarily keyboard related), there could be an easy market for it. For example, in doctor's offices or for PC-based medical devices.

I would also go with a easier / smaller mcu to lower the cost. There is a substantial opportunity here.

[iwasz]

There's a croudfunding campaign running (and funded) for a similar idea:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/very-serious-button

Maaan I'm amazed! It looks EXACTLY the same, and works quite exactly the same. I updated the post on my blog with this link...

[Kjelt]

you need to sell it as a package of five such buttons for left, right, up, down and fire.
The target audience are seriously addicted gamers so they at least get some excercise in their life.