Pneuma Mk.1/60
The Pneuma is my latest keyboard design and my take on the 60% form factor that I have worked on for the past year. The name "Pneuma" or "πνεῦμα" translates and is interpreted from ancient Greek to the word "Breath" or "Spirit".
The design philosophy
The board was developed around the design philosophy that there are three acts of interaction with a product; noticing it from a distance, coming within its regular usage distance and getting up-close with the product.
The exterior of the Pneuma uses fundamental shapes and soft lines without many distracting features. This creates an appealing shape that can be seen from a far and Invites the viewer to come closer.
Once the viewer gets closer he/she can notice the symmetry of the board and design cues like the screwless exterior and the fact that the slope of the board actually differs from the typing angle.
The final act is the close-up view with the product. Here the tiny little details like the tight fitment of the parts, the attention to detail of the internal design and the quality of the surface finishes from the different materials that are used.
All this makes for a refined / minimal aesthetic that that lures the viewer at first glance but becomes more and more interesting the closer you get and the longer you look at it. In short, a board that I'm very proud to present here!
Main features
Gasket mount
The Pneuma uses a set of 13 slow rebounding gaskets to create a distributed typing experience while dampening unwanted vibrations.
Minimalist exterior
The exterior design of the Pneuma revolves around simplicity. Therefore no screws are visible from the outside once build and there are no visible seams when using the board.
Covering case angle
The typing angle on the Pneuma is 5.5° but the top of the case itself actually has a 6.5° angle. This helps to cover up the top row of keycaps a bit which adds to the calm aesthetic.
Appreciation
I would like to thank the following people that helped me out immensely over the past time with this project.
Salvun for his full commitment and delivering excellent work during the design phase, prototyping phase and private GB.
NecromanX for designing the pcb and a lot of information regarding the current market.
Koen Romers for building the first ever prototype and delivering some amazing visuals (like the photo’s and the typing test below)
And of course all those in the private GB for their patience and useful feedback <3
Visuals
