Introduction: Simple Pico Custom Keyboard
This instructables show how to build a super simple custom keyboard.
This project only requires 2 components and even not require soldering.
Supplies
Raspberry Pi Pico RP2040 dev board
ST034 button module or any button module you have in hand
Step 1: Why Custom Keyboard?
Tradition full size keyboard have 104/105 keys. However smaller size keyboard may miss some keys. For example, my currently using keyboard did not have a print screen key. It is a little bit clumsy when I need some screen capture for documentation. Same situation for missing HOME, END, PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys. So I would like to add some keys back.
Step 2: Software Preparation
Please follow the installation instruction to install Arduino-pico support if not yet:
Step 3: Assembly
Please follow the video for assembly. Something highlight, the Pi Pico pins have a GND pin in the middle between GPIO 2-9. So it needs to bend the pin headers a little bit to skip this pin.
Step 4: Sample Program
I prepared a simple sample program based on Pico keyboard.ino example:
https://github.com/moononournation/PicoKeyboard.git
This sample program use an interrupt function stored the GPIO status while key pressed down (falling signal), then check the stored status in loop() function then trigger a key press to emulated USB keyboard.
For example, check K1 pressed:
if ((pin_status & (1ul << BTN_K1_PIN)) == 0) {
If K1 pressed, emulate a print screen key press:
Keyboard.press(KEY_PRINT_SCREEN);
delay(100);
Keyboard.releaseAll();
More key defination can be found at HID_Keyboard.h:
Step 5: Advanced Use
You may already found fit can emulate more complicate key combination. E.g. Ctrl-K then Ctrl-D for the format shortcut in VSCode. In the Pico original keyboard.ino example, it even can emulate typing the password (But it is not a good idea through...).
Some new Windows notebook have a new special key dedicate for calling copilot.
Pushing a computer's integrated Copilot button is like pressing left-Shift + Windows key + F23 simultaneously.
The keys are hard to found from any keyboard in the market, but you still can emulate the new key by this custom keyboard.
Ref.:
Step 6: Enjoy!
