Product Prototype
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Keyboards are tactile and efficient, but their true functionality and powerful shortcuts are often hidden behind a set of unchanging keys. The touchscreens on our phones and tablets can adapt to any situation, but are prone to misclicks and can’t be used by feel.
The Flux Keyboard combines the best of both worlds. The tactility and speed of a mechanical keyboard with the adaptability of a screen, breaking down the barriers between you and what you want to do.
Adaptive Display
A Full HD IPS display allows customisation of the keyboard with any background image, video, or an interactive style. It can automatically switch between profiles to reveal the most relevant keyboard shortcuts and fully customisable macros for any software, or switch to any language.
Any Language
27+ languages supported by default, configure your own for any other.
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Save Time
Using keyboard shortcuts can save significant amounts of time. Studies have shown that users can save several seconds per minute compared to using a mouse. This adds up to about 60 hours over a year.
2 sec / 1 min
= 15 min / work day
= 75 min / 5-day week
= 60 hrs / year
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Learn New Skills
Learning what each key does in an application can be tedious.
Whether it's an application you only use occasionally, or every day but have only learnt a few of the shortcuts. The Flux Keyboard can show you exactly where any shortcut is.
Even if you are an expert in your field and know every hotkey, there is always something new you can add to your skill set. The Flux Keyboard accelerates your path to mastering any new software skill set.
Maglev Switches
Each key is magnetically suspended with rare earth magnets allowing them to be 97% transparent and ultra low friction. Each switch has 4mm of travel and will be available in linear and tactile variants. They also feature a software adjustable actuation point in 0.1mm increments and rapid trigger functionality through analog hall effect sensing.
Collapsible content
What are Hall Effect Sensors?
Hall effect sensors measure the strength of magnetic fields, they can be incredibly precise and are frequently used in applications where high reliability is a priority such as in the aerospace industry. The sensors used in the Flux Keyboard do not act like on/off switches but rather can sense the precise position of each key.
Advantages for Gaming
Adjustable Actuation Point
The point at which the keypress is triggered can be customised in 0.1mm increments for each key individually. Earlier actuation means faster response as there is less distance to travel. Later actuation can prevent misclicks of certain keys.
Rapid Trigger
When rapid repeated keystrokes are required, the limiting factor becomes key release. Traditional mechanical keys must be moved to a higher release point before they can be activated again, slowing the whole process down compared to analog keys which can be released immediately.
NKRO = no ghosting
Zero debounce time = lower latency
Interchangeable Modules
Up to 4 modules can be attached to the keyboard magnetically to enhance your productivity and creativity. There are 4 varieties of modules available which can be combined in any assortment or order to match your use case and can be rearranged in seconds.
Passive Module
By default, the keyboard features passive modules providing a wide window above the keyboard to display information such as weather and system information.
Side Dial Module
Use it as a scroll wheel, volume wheel, or assign it to any variable in supported applications. The side dial features a machined aluminium wheel, which can switch between a clicked and smooth rotation, and a transparent rocker switch to switch between functions and view dial status.
Triple Key Module
Control your music and view album art right at your fingertips, mute and unmute your mic in calls at a single press or feed your pet keyboard cat. This module adds 3 extra keys that can be mapped to any shortcut or macro including one oversized key for your most important functions.
Triple Dial Module
This module features 3 smooth dials for adjusting multiple variables in supported applications and volume mixing between applications*. The responsive display below the dials indicate function and status of each variable.
Instant Hot-swap Keyframes
Truly hot swappable 84-key keyframes to switch between tactile keys and linear keys in just 2.15 seconds.
Easy Maintenance
A seamless design minimises any trapping of dust or debris and the removable key frame provides a cleaning process that is much simpler than with any conventional keyboard.
Tech Specs
Measurements
| Dimensions |
193 x 320 x 22 mm ( W x L x H ) with passive modules attached |
| Angle |
Adjustable - 1.5, 3, 5 degrees |
| Weight |
1.6 kg |
Hardware Specs
| Display |
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Hall Sensor |
0.1mm |
| Polling Rate | 1000hz |
| Key-roll over | NKRO |
| Embedded SOC | Quad-core ARM processor |
| Onboard Storage | 8GB |
| OS Compatibility |
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| Connectivity |
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| Included Cables |
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| Power | 5V 1.5A min (Recommended 5V 3A) |
| Power consumption |
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Switch Force Curves
Tactile - 55g
Linear - 45g
FAQ
When will it be available?
Kickstarter preorders are on track for their estimated delivery. Pre-orders on this website will go live soon and new orders will ship in Jan 2024.
How much will it cost?
The retail price of the keyboard will be around US$450.
I need a numpad! Is there a full sized version available?
The keyboard features a USB-C port on both sides of the device to add on any peripheral such as an external numpad if desired. We plan to release a matching numpad add-on in the future.
How do the keys work?
The keys contain magnets along their perimeter which are attracted by magnets in the frame which surrounds them. This magnetic attraction suspends them in place and provides the return force which makes the key bounce back after depressing - similar to a spring.
Is it a touchscreen like on my phone or tablet?
No, the keyboard does not function as a touchscreen. This means there is no accidental actuation from resting fingers on the keys.
Can you use it for gaming/what is the latency like?
Analog hall effect sensors are the best type of sensors for gaming as they allow for adjustable actuation point and rapid trigger functionality which provides some advantages for rapid direction changes or in rhythm games.
Polling rate is 1000hz with 1-2ms latency, however the performance may exceed higher polling keyboards as most real world latency comes from the key travel time and debounce.
Does it need a utility installed to run? Can I use it on a work computer which restricts users from installing third party programs?
In order to customise and configure the keyboard, the provided Flux Polymath software must be used. However, once a configuration is loaded onto the keyboard’s on-board memory it can be used even on computers that do not have the Flux Polymath software installed. Shortcuts and custom macros consisting of combination keypresses will also still function as well as manual switching between profiles. However, more advanced functionality such as automatic layout switching based on the active window and certain application specific features such as album art and track information for music will not be available if the utility is not installed.
Can I use it as an external monitor?
No, the keyboard is not recognised as a display device by the host computer operating system. It is driven by its own independent efficient embedded microprocessor to provide a more seamless user experience and compatibility with more devices. Also your mouse cursor will never get lost on your keyboard.
Will the keys hit and damage the screen?
No, there is a mechanical end stop built into the frame which prevents keys from hitting the screen.
Will there be an ortho/ortho split layout?
Due to the position of the sensors ortho layouts will not be available. We hope to do a separate ortho split model in the future and the best way to make that happen is to let people know about this product.
What ports do I need?
You will need 1x USB-A or USB-C 2.0 with a minimum power delivery of 5V 1.5A. If you plan to use additional peripherals connected to the keyboard 5V 3A is recommended.
The keyboard features a USB-C receptacle for removable cable. If your computer’s USB ports are unable to provide this, a 5V 3A USB-C charger (sold separately) can be used along with the included USB Y cable.
How much power does it use?
In typical use with moderate brightness the keyboard will consume 3-4 W. In standby it uses less than 0.25W with the keyboard sensors being always active eg. to wake your PC from sleep. The time to startup fully from this state is about 10-15 seconds but the keys will work during this time.
Can I play a movie on this? How much storage is there?
Yes you can play video files on this, there is 8GB of inbuilt storage for wallpapers and icons. You can easily fit a few 1080p feature length films.
How do you clean it?
The removable frame allows easy access to the gaps under the keys where dirt generally gathers on a normal keyboard, making cleaning much easier. The frame itself is also totally passive with no electronics within it.
How customisable is it? Can I make my own layouts?
The Flux Keyboard is infinitely customisable, any image or video can be used as a wallpaper with some interactive styles as well. The key legends/symbols and mapping are also completely customisable with support for macros.
What applications are supported?
Any pre-existing hotkey bindings will function in any software and a custom layout can be made to support it. By default the following layouts will be included at launch with more to come over time:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Adobe Lightroom
- Ableton Live
- Autodesk 3ds Max
- Autodesk Fusion 360
- Autodesk Maya
- Blender
- Cinema 4D
- Davinci Resolve
- Figma
- Final Cut Pro
- FL Studio
- Logic Pro
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Powerpoint
- OBS Studio
- SolidWorks
- Steinberg Cubase
- Unity
- Unreal Engine 4/5
- Visual Studio Code
- Microsoft Visual Studio
Let us know if you want another application supported by default.
What key layouts are available?
Frames will be available in:
- ANSI 84 Key layout
- ISO 85 Key layout
The keyboard’s base is compatible with any frame, so it is possible to swap between these layouts if you wanted to.
What switches will be available?
At launch two switch types will be available:
- Tactile 55g
- Linear 45g
The weight can be modified by changing the magnets to magnets of a different strength grade and more varieties are planned to be made available in the future.
What operating systems are supported?
- Windows 10/11
- macOS 11+ (Note: application volume mixing not available for macOS)
- Linux / Android / iOS - Limited compatibility (see FAQ regarding operation without installed software)
About Flux
About Us
Based in Sydney, Australia. We have a growing team creating new ways of integrating user interface and experience design across hardware and software.
We are from the future, due to time zone differences.
