The Optimus Keyboard

Posted 10 months, 1 week ago at 3:55 am. 0 comments

Everybody knows about the Optimus Keyboard, right? If you don’t, it’s a keyboard in which each key has its own (O)LED screen with a resolution of 48×48 pixels on every key. This comes in handy for many reasons. Say you were in Photoshop. This keyboard will display tools on keys to quickly be able to select them, apply actions, or what ever you set it to do. Or how about gaming? You don’t have to use your W,A,S,D keys to move anymore… they automatically change to arrows and such. The possibilities are endless.

The concept was created back in 2005 by Art Lebedev. But now it is 2008. A few days ago art came to the consumer electronics show with a working Optimus keyboard. But what has changed in the design, almost 3 years later?

As you can see, it is a lot more bulky than the concept. They also switched from the metallic material to white or black plastic. Heh, Apple is switching from plastic to metal, Optimus is switching from metal to plastic. Artlebedev also added some new features such as the card reader and USB ports in the back. But look at all the wires that will stick out of the back. As people are switching for keyboards with one wire to wireless keyboards; this keyboard is a 2-wire minimum baby. Add 3 more. One to plug your mouse in. One for the Kensington lock to keep this $1,500 keyboard at place. And perhaps another peripheral. Thats a little too many wires for my taste.

The guys over at Art Lebedev Studios already have another concept in mind for a totally key-less keyboard. Basically a touchscreen in the form of a keyboard. The Optimus Tactus.