Google Japan has a history of fun keyboard concepts to question common methods of computer input. The latest concept, the Gboard Stick Version, places every key into one giant row.

Google Japan actually prototyped the 5.25 foot long keyboard but many of the detailed use cases for the one-row keyboard are clearly jokes: from using it to measure your kid’s height and get items dropped behind the couch, to using it as a walking stick.

Google will not mass-produce or be selling it but they did release GitHub files with open source firmware, circuit diagrams, and design drawings to build the keyboard yourself.

The GitHub page is careful to note that “this is not an officially supported Google product.” Too bad, I think it would be pretty fun.

Links:

• https://landing.google.co.jp/____/
• https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/10/google-shows-us-how-to-make-a-5-foot-long-keyboard/