WOOTING One: The Worlds first Modern Analog Mechanical Keyboard

[WelshDdraig]

Original Article: http://www.overclock3d.net/articles/storage/wooting_one_analog_mechanical_keyboard/1

 

 

The WOOTING One is the world first analog mechanical keyboard.

Wait, Analog? Yes. Analog.

 

One of the major issues surrounding current mechanical keyboards is the input is digital, 1 or 0, on or off.

That mean s in games, you tend to walk at a set speed, driving involves multiple taps and is no where near as fluid as a controller or steering wheel.

 

The WOOTING One keyboard solves this by measuring how far the switch is pressed and adjusts inputs before converting to a digital signal, such as a pressure sensor.

You can now walk at any speed you want in a game - something useful on stealth missions when following NPCs,

You can now make minute changes when turning both walking and driving.

 

Currently the price has not been announced, but the company is aiming for a release this year (2016)

 

 

 

 

My thoughts.

This looks freaking amazing. It wont force me to ditch my steering wheel for driving, but it may make me ditch my controller over all on the PC.

The switches used in demonstrations look to be the colour red, and usually that means it is a linear switch, which I would assume it would have to be to measure 

how far the switch has been depressed.

That, along with the amazingly clean ascetic design makes me want this keyboard, even though I am more of a tactile keyboard user.

I would love to try this out.

 

Your thoughts? Please leave them down below!

 

Edit: Found a gif? of the animation showing how the sensing would be intended to work:

 

EDIT 2: Some people are questioning how this will work since USB is a digital input. Fair enough that is true, but what I think is happening is they are using an ADC (Analog Digital Converter)? It could be the switch is analog, sends data to a microcontroller which converts the signal to digital.

Thanks to user @Snooli for confirming this by stating thats how it is said on their website. I'll admit, I wrote this article on the video I saw, not the website. If you wish to visit the website you can click the link below!

http://www.wooting.nl/

 

 

Edited February 26, 2016 by Alexp10v2

[ImBleu]

Might even ditch my K70 RGB for this. 

 

Hopefully they deliver what they promise.

[Epiclol86]

This looks like good stuff. not only does it look cool but it seems fun to use. I just hope more and more companie start to make those because we want to see analog keyboard direct implementation in games.

[Unhelpful]

Cooooool

[Carde]

Amazing idea.

 

 

However if it is not supported it is about as useful as full golden keycaps.

[adiobe]

This is amazing! 10/10 would buy!

[terrytek]

yeah but it would still never replace a steering wheel. i mean who drives a car with buttons?

[Thony]

I'm sure this will be done digitally if the demand is high enough.

 

Being used to a set speed I don't think I would want this keyboard to replace my current one.

 

Could be interesting experience though.

[Snooli]

It doesn't have to be supported. Just some remapping app. Make the games think it's a more usual analog gamepad.

 

W=Xbox360 leftstick +y

A=Xbox360 leftstick -x

S=Xbox360 leftstick -y

D=Xbox360 leftstick +x

[Enderman]

thats not analogue

thats just pressure sensitive switches

 

analogue would be one key is pressed = certain voltage sent to computer

another key pressed = different voltage sent to computer

which you cant do because USB is digital not analogue

 

 

[AlTech]

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! This can't be happening! I would hate something like this.

[Snooli]

4 hours ago, Enderman said:

thats not analogue

thats just pressure sensitive switches

 

analogue would be one key is pressed = certain voltage sent to computer

another key pressed = different voltage sent to computer

which you cant do because USB is digital not analogue

 

 

So all analog joysticks are either 100% left or 100% right?

 

Please read the article before posting anything about it.

[WelshDdraig]

1 minute ago, Enderman said:

thats not analogue

thats just pressure sensitive switches

 

analogue would be one key is pressed = certain voltage sent to computer

another key pressed = different voltage sent to computer

which you cant do because USB is digital not analogue

 

 

Heard of an ADC (Analog Digital Converter)? It could be the switch is analog, sends data to a microcontroller which converts the signal to digital. (Just my hypothesis, not sure if thats how they are intending it to work)

[Snooli]

2 minutes ago, Alexp10v2 said:

Heard of an ADC (Analog Digital Converter)? It could be the switch is analog, sends data to a microcontroller which converts the signal to digital. (Just my hypothesis, not sure if thats how they are intending it to work)

Yup, exactly. They even say it on their site.

[WelshDdraig]

Just now, Snooli said:

Yup, exactly. They even say it on their site.

I didn't see that. I based the article on what I saw in the video. Ill add that the the original post, thanks!

[Prysin]

misleading title. nearly all keyboards pre 1990 was mechanical, every keyboard pre 1980 WAS.

all of them was analog inputs using simple voltage regulated or in the case of the REALLY old keyboards hardwired Normally Closed or Normally Open switches

 

L2history

 

To explain what the different between analoge "ancient" and this keyboard is:

This keyboard uses a resistance coil or pressure sensitive sensors to regulate a resistance in a set voltage level. This is how you can manually increase or decrease signal strength based on pressure. It is essentially a zero-pot regulator, commonly found in some older (1950-1980) ventilation fan and electric motor systems).

Whilst a ON/OFF signal can also be analog aswell as digital is limited to ONE factor. Wiring.

Whilst an analog circuit CAN have adressable units, the communication to with said units CANNOT be done individually. You can make a analog circuit with 50 units, adress each and thus cause a certain voltage/resistance when unit x/y/z breaks or connects the line. However you cannot control the individual unit due to your limitation to a on/off input.

As for signals, it is a bit different, but the same restriction apply. you cannot with a signal alone adress multiple units with a different end result using analog, whilst you can with digital systems due to the ability to adress and communicate with each unit in the system. Every unit WILL have an adress, and each unit CAN be adressed if the system is built to do so.

 

To adress a single unit in a analog circuit, you will have to have a communication wire to EACH of the units leading back to the central. This is why digital signaling is prefferred, because of the reduced cost, but also the reduced complexity, as most of the problems are moved away from hardware and over to software, wich is much more flexible in terms of design.

 

 

[eLucid]

It's TKL too! 

 

[AlTech]

Just now, eLucid said:

snippy

You can't be serious!

 

I bottom out all my keys! This would be pain and suffering for me!

[Snooli]

Just now, AluminiumTech said:

You can't be serious!

 

I bottom out all my keys! This would be pain and suffering for me!

If they don't screw up, there should be

a) analog/digital toggle

b) customisable analog curves

[SImoHayha]

4 hours ago, Snooli said:

So all analog joysticks are either 100% left or 100% right?

 

Please read the article before posting anything about it.

Jesus Christ fam. Please calm down a bit from your high horse.

[eLucid]

Just now, AluminiumTech said:

You can't be serious!

 

I bottom out all my keys! This would be pain and suffering for me!

Meh, I used to have that problem until I installed o-rings. It's a non issue now 

[Snooli]

2 minutes ago, Prysin said:

misleading title. nearly all keyboards pre 1990 was mechanical, every keyboard pre 1980 WAS.

all of them was analog inputs using simple voltage regulated or in the case of the REALLY old keyboards hardwired Normally Closed or Normally Open switches

 

L2history

 

 

Do you even know what you are saying?

[WelshDdraig]

4 minutes ago, Prysin said:

misleading title. nearly all keyboards pre 1990 was mechanical, every keyboard pre 1980 WAS.

all of them was analog inputs using simple voltage regulated or in the case of the REALLY old keyboards hardwired Normally Closed or Normally Open switches

 

L2history

Fine, modern mechanical keyboard.

[Snooli]

Just now, Alexp10v2 said:

Fine, modern mechanical keyboard.

Actually, all keyboards are digital in they way you put it in the original post. A key is either pressed, or not. There are however, multiple ways of detecting such keys.

[Prysin]

1 hour ago, Snooli said:

Actually, all keyboards are digital in they way you put it in the original post. A key is either pressed, or not. There are however, multiple ways of detecting such keys.

edited my previous post. read it again