Onigiri Dev Log #1: Prototypes are here!

Hey everyone!

My name is Kuba and I’m the designer/engineer/everything for the Onigiri keyboard. I’m starting this series to document the design and development process behind this project, to give you and inside look and provide context for how certain choices are made. Whether you’re interested in the keyboard or just curious, feel free to follow along!

Project overview

The work for this project began over 2 years ago, but was quickly shelved due to limited availability of low-profile switches and particularly keycaps. The situation has improved a lot since then and so I picked it back up in early 2024, wrapping up the case and PCB design, as well as researching manufacturers for everything.

It’s not secret I have an affinity for low-profile keyboards. When I first came up with the concept, I took inspiration from the shape and tapered design of 2nd and 3rd gen MacBook Pro’s, which helps make it appear even thinner than it already is. Admittedly, it’s still probably much closer to the 2nd generation in terms of overall thickness.

The inspiration for the light bar came from Audi’s original A6 eTron concept light signature. Unfortunately, the movie playback feature didn’t quite make it into this iteration.

First prototypes are in

It’s quite a feeling to finally hold something you’ve been thinking about for years in your hands. Things not always go according to plan either, which can be a massive disappointment as it means more money spent, timelines pushed out further, etc.

Well, I’m happy to report that the manufacturers I’ve chosen are top-notch and the prototypes came out near flawless! They arguably look better than the renders!

I’ve had my fair share of concerns as due to how thin it is, the board includes some features very much on the limit. And I’ve had cases of manufacturers accept orders they weren’t actually able to produce. Hence why I decided to go with some of the most proven names in the hobby and they did not disappoint!

I’m also really happy about the light bar came out. There are a few very minor things that need work here, but generally, I think the concept works and it came out nearly just as well as I imagined too.

Things that need addressing

But why did I say ‘near flawless’? It’s not due to the manufacturing process, but there are a few minor changes I still want to make for the production version.

• The display’s diffuser layer needs further refinement. The current version works ok, but it doesn’t produce the smoothest results. I will be ordering more samples using different materials to experiment with for the best possible effect.
• I will also be adding another foam strip to cover up the LED’s from underneath. There is some – very little – light leakage there which can be seen through the case when viewed from underneath. It’s not really a problem when the keyboard is on a desk, but still, someone can find this annoying and it’s an easy problem to fix so that’s what I’m going to do.
• The current set of bottom plate sets is all anodized aluminium, which doesn’t match the materials or finishes of the production version. After more discussion about this with the manufacturer, I will be ordering a new set of plates to provide an accurate representation for the group-buy.
• Finally, I’ve also added some very minor refinements and finishing touches to the PCBs. The updated versions are already on their way as we speak.

What’s next?

I’m very pleased with the state of the hardware so far, and so it’s time to move back into the firmware side of things while the IC is going on.

This includes further additions and improvements to the light-bar animation logic, a 2.4Ghz dongle mode, and generally ensuring full compatibility with the PCB’s hardware capabilities.

I will also continue writing this blog series, describing that, diving into the process of some things I already did, and documenting any updates as new parts come in and problems get solved. I’m also really curious to hear what you have to say so don’t hesitate to reach out in a comment, Discord, or any of the social platforms!

And if you’re interested in getting one for yourself, don’t forget to fill in the IC form!

Let’s make this happen!