Photo credit: Adam LeBlanc
In a world where keyboards remain stubbornly tethered to desks, an interesting experiment has emerged from the workshop of Adam LeBlanc. His creation, the Schist01, is a wrist-mounted keyboard that feels like it leapt from the world of Cyberpunk 2077.
LeBlanc’s Schist01 is a wild take on typing tech—a one-handed chording keyboard strapped to a curved wrist bracket that puts keys right under your fingers for a comfy, ergonomic experience. It’s not just about typing, though; a thumb-operated touchpad lets you zip around interfaces like you’re wielding a mouse, no second hand required. “I’m designing around my own hand to explore the most comfortable and useful design,” LeBlanc notes.
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Building the Schist01 involved sculpted a clay model of his hand to shape the keyboard’s keycaps, ensuring they align perfectly with his fingers’ natural reach. The wrist brace, adjustable and detachable, was engineered for comfort, though LeBlanc admits it’s not perfect yet. “The padding feels good, but to get a precise and sturdy location of the keys, you have to tighten the straps down way too much,” he writes.
This chording keyboard works its magic by letting you press multiple keys at once to form characters, so you can type at lightning speed. The thumb touchpad gives you seamless navigation without ever needing to grab a mouse. LeBlanc’s dreaming big with wireless connectivity, aiming to make the Schist01 a free-roaming companion for things like VR or on-the-go computing. “To be truly independent from your desktop, mouse input is a must,” he explains.
LeBlanc acknowledges that the current prototype sacrifices some comfort for key stability, with tight straps occasionally restricting circulation. “This is not very comfortable,” he admits. The goal? A keyboard you can wear all day without a second thought.
“If this project turns into something more, I really want it to work well for as wide a range of hand sizes as possible,” he says. The wrist brace features adjustable points, though the fixed key layout remains a hurdle for universal fit.
The prototype’s bulk limits hand mobility, making everyday tasks awkward. “I can squeeze my hand underneath the board if I really need to grab something,” he writes. Future iterations might incorporate a mechanism to quickly stow the keyboard, freeing the hand entirely.
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