Google Japan Creates Conveyor-Belt Keyboard for Typing Without Moving Your Fingers
Google Japan has unveiled an unconventional device called the Gboard Conveyor Belt Version. The gadget’s main feature is that users do not need to move their fingers across the keys: the rows of buttons move automatically, following the principle of a conveyor belt.
The keyboard consists of four continuous belts, each featuring 29 keys. The system is based on flexible printed circuit boards and rotating drums. Users simply keep their fingers in one position and press the required letters as they pass by. According to the engineers, this concept can reduce hand fatigue and completely eliminate unnecessary movements during prolonged typing.
The project continues Google Japan’s annual tradition of creating humorous but fully functional concepts. In previous years, the engineers have already surprised the IT community with a Möbius-strip keyboard for collaborative typing, a cap-shaped keyboard, and a device designed like a vintage rotary telephone dial.
Despite the April Fools’ and ironic nature of the project, the company has made all technical documentation, 3D-printing files, and firmware openly available on GitHub. Anyone can download the designs for free and build their own conveyor-belt keyboard at home.
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