Hacking a keyboard is a simply way to create alternative input devices to Flash. By hacking a keyboard you are able to design your own buttons.

[1] Get a keyboard:You can either use a USB or a PS/2 keyboard; just make sure that the keyboard is not broken. Remember to check to see if you computer has a PS/2 port.

You can buy a cheep USB keyboard at Århus PC-lager. Logitech OEM Deluxe 250 (89 kr.): www.pc-lager.dk/.

[2] Take off the shell.

[3] Take the circuit board and the plastic sheets out.

The plastic sheets consist off several contact points. When you push a key on a key-board, you are pushing the two sheets together, making the contact points meet and therefore writing a letter or activating a command, for example shift.

Instead of using the plastic sheets to activate the buttons, you can solder wires to the circuit board. By crossing two wires you get the same result as pushing a key on the keyboard. When you cross two wires make sure they are not from the same sheet otherwise nothing will happen.

Hack a keyboard

[How to]

[4] The circuit board should look something like the one on the picture. They may vary dependent on the keyboard manufacturer. Along the side of the circuit board there are several contact points. From the plastic sheets you can see which contact points belong to which of the two plastic sheets.

[5] Fasten the circuit board to a wooden board (approximately 25 cm x 25 cm) with the contact points turned up.

[6] Pick out a key, ex. (e).

[7] Find the to contact points corresponding to the key (e) on each of the plastic sheets.

which two contact points to cross to write the letter (e).

[9] With a hobby knife carefully scrape off the black material so that the metal un-derneath becomes visible. Use a brush to clean the circuit board when you are done, otherwise the solder wont stick to the board.

[10] Solder wires (approximately 30 cm long) to the two contact points on the circuit board. (It’s a good idea to use to different colour wires; it makes it easier to distin-guish the wires form each other later).

[11] Plug the keyboard into the computer. Start Word to check if you can write the letter (e) by crossing the to wires.

contact point, hook the keyboard up to the computer and use “trail and error” to

connect the wires with each other.

Contact points Contact points from

Contact points from the

[Make your own buttons]

It is pretty simple to make you own buttons. All you have to do is make connection between to wires or two conductive metals.

Here is an example of a simple way to make your own button:

Wood

Foam

Wood

Screw