Key Box
01.Reinventing Laptop Keyboards with Keybox
Keybox is a creative hardware solution that transforms your favorite laptop keyboard into a standalone USB or Bluetooth peripheral. Whether salvaged from an old Dell, HP, Apple, or Chromebook, Keybox breathes new life into your trusted input device. Designed for flexibility, it allows users to either place the keyboard inside a custom case or mount it directly over another laptop’s palm rest using adhesive. With seamless USB and BLE connectivity, Keybox offers a portable and programmable alternative to traditional keyboards—perfect for tech enthusiasts, developers, and tinkerers looking for a compact and familiar typing experience.
02. The Challenges & Solutions
Building a device that supports varied legacy laptop keyboards while ensuring cross-platform compatibility came with its own set of challenges. We needed to address:
The diversity in keyboard matrix layouts across brands
Reliable translation of key matrix signals into standard HID input
Supporting both USB and BLE communication stacks
Low-latency and power-efficient BLE performance
Optional sensor data integration for extended features
To overcome these, we implemented a dual-controller architecture using the Raspberry Pi Pico for matrix scanning and USB handling, and the CH-583 BLE controller for wireless communication. We also designed a flexible firmware layer that supports common laptop keyboard matrix configurations. For future-ready applications, AHT sensors and other I²C peripherals were added to enable extended features such as environmental sensing, button mapping, and macro functions. The final result is a versatile, plug-and-play device compatible with Windows, Linux, Android, and macOS systems.
03. Working Process
We began by analyzing a variety of popular laptop keyboard layouts to develop a flexible scanning and mapping system. The Raspberry Pi Pico was selected for its low-cost performance and GPIO flexibility, ideal for keyboard matrix scanning and USB HID handling. For wireless use, the CH-583 BLE controller was integrated to enable seamless pairing with mobile devices and laptops over Bluetooth Low Energy.
After hardware prototyping, we developed a cross-platform firmware stack with support for both USB and BLE modes, switchable by a button or jumper. To enhance user experience, additional sensor modules such as temperature and humidity were embedded, offering potential for expansion into smart control panels or data-logging keyboards.
A laser-cut enclosure and adhesive mounting option were added to support both standalone and overlay usage, making Keybox ideal for repurposing beloved laptop keyboards into customizable external input devices.
