Athene

A custom 67-key mechanical keyboard, designed for the premium typing experience.

Refined through numerous design iterations and continuous feedback from the keyboard community, the Athene keyboard aims to offer a typing experience that excels in looks, sound, and feel. With its timeless & minimalistic apperearance, the keyboard features a solid CNC aluminum frame, decoupled gasket mounting system, premium brass weight, RGB backlighting, hotswap switch compatibility, all powered by USB-C on open source QMK software.

Research and development is being conducted through material sample testing and experimentation. Usability analyses are done through consultation with several different user groups in dedicated channels, as well as through real life feedback. The design is then referenced and reviewed alongside product and component datasheets and specifications, before being submitted for review with the manufacturer prior to each prototyping run.

All aspects of the case design, pcb design, prototyping, branding, user testing, rendering, and software is crafted with care by me from home during the pandemic, and the project represents a culmination of my various design skills across multiple disciplines.

Product Features

Gasketed plate mount system that runs along all sides of the keyboard, providing a fully decoupled system for ideal sound isolation.
CNC-machined 6061 alloy anodized aluminum body with slim rounded bezels provides a sleek aesthethic and refined feel.
6-degree typing angle provides a slight natural incline suitable for users.
Lasercut 1.5mm thick aluminum or brass mounting plate offers choice of different typing feel and looks.
Solid brass bottom case weight for additional dampening and premium construction.
Foam sublayer between the PCB and bottom case further cancels out excessive vibrations and echoing.
Custom-designed QMK-compatible PCB board.
Case design is also compatible with existing TADA68/TOFU65 PCB's, offering an upgrade path for existing keyboards.

Specifications

Dimensions: 316mm x 106mm (WxL), 20-31mm (Front to Rear bezel height)
Price: TBD
Case Colours Options: TBD
Plate Material Options: Aluminum, Brass
Layouts Supported:
Hotswap: ANSI
Soldered: ANSI, ISO, Split backspace, Split L/R Shift, Split Space

Project Timeline

Athene is actively being designed & prototyped in an agile environment. Community feedback, use case scenarios, and design iterations are frequently being implemented, so the project may change frequently before being delivered.

Case Design + Prototyping, Feedback and Testing

Ongoing: Prototyping, sourcing additional components
Next Steps: Additional user testing, manufacturer coordination

PCB Design + Prototyping, Feedback and Testing

Ongoing: Prototyping, sourcing additional components
Next Steps: Firmware development, reliability testing, production run sourcing

Initial Offering & Interest Check (Est. Late 2020)

Vendor Partnerships & Group Buy (Est. Mid 2021)

Manufacturing & Shipping (Est. Late 2021)

Softwares Used

Autodesk Fusion 360
KiCad
Keyshot
Blender
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Aftereffects
Git + GitHub

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