In 2019, I received my first custom keyboard build for a gift guide review: a Rama Works Kara board, built on their previous M60-A model:
The 60 should have been a hint to what was ahead but I proceeded clueless, unaware of what I was getting myself into. As I began assembling the various parts - PCB, case, dampening silicone, stabilizers, switches, daughterboard, keycaps - something dawned on me: this new keyboard was missing arrow keys. Why was the control key not on the bottom row next to Control and Alt? Why were Backspace, Pipe, and Tilde in weird places? What was going on? This was my unwitting entrance to the 60% keyboard world, a world with many players all centering around the iconic ingenuity of HHKB.
HHKB stands for Happy Hacking Keyboard. It was created in 1996 by Dr. Eiiti Wada, a Japanese computer scientist and emeritus professor at the University of Tokyo.
It started from a paper he wrote in 1992 that specified a vision for a more efficient keyboard layout for UNIX systems. HHKB's hallmarks are the Control key (in the place of Caps Lock), with more efficient positions for Esc and Delete keys, and a compact 60% layout with function key layers for arrows and other actions. Also unique to HHKB is the Topre capacitive keyboard switches which offer superb tactile feel, consistent actuation, and durability for years of continual use.
Since the late 1990s, the HHKB family of keyboards has evolved to the Professional 2, the Hybrid Type-S, and the newly minted HHKB Studio. Other companies like Keychron have built metal body HHKB layout keyboards like the Q60 Max. For this feature I wanted to turn inward and explore what has captivated me about HHKB and it's iconic 60% layout by answering five thoughtful questions.
Reflecting on your initial encounter with the HHKB layout and keyboard, could you describe the moment or feature that transformed your casual interest into a deeper connection? How did this experience shape your approach to design?
After I had used the Rama Work M60-A I was intrigued by the HHKB Hybrid Type-S. I wanted something that was quieter than the Rama and I also wanted something that would connect to my computer wirelessly via Bluetooth. The Hybrid Type-S offered both.
But something else emerged the first time I typed on it. The buttery, smooth, whisper quiet typing experience felt magical. I began using the keyboard with the silent Logitech Lift vertical mouse and the phrase that kept emerging in my mind was "sublime inputs".
Keyboard and mice have been input devices since the 1980s and the design of each of them are largely unchanged. This isn't bad, both of these inputs do their various jobs really well, but the elevated experience of HHKB really places it in an entirely new class.
This has shaped my role as a designer in that I think about the HHKB Hybrid Type-S often as an example of a product that elevates the experience of the user beyond what I thought a keyboard could do. It is exemplary to me as a way to stay true to your roots and also elevate and evolve the feeling of an experience for modern users.
The HHKB keyboards champion minimalism and efficiency in their design. How do these principles resonate with your own values as a designer? Moreover, what do you believe these keyboards express about the culture or philosophy of their creators?
This is an interesting question because I think there are times when designers can overvalue the aesthetics of minimalism while missing an important goal of the underlying philosophy. Minimalism is about removing the excess while elevating the experience of something. In Dieter Rams' parlance it would be "Less and more" or "Less, but better".
Both of these capture the essence that reduction should happen in order to make the experience and efficiency of something more singular. I love how HHKB reflects this in it's design and approach. Removing arrow keys and condensing the layout creates a lot of work for first-time users to adapt to the changes. But the reductions are not for the sake of minimalism alone. They aim to make the programming experience more efficient and more enjoyable to type on for great lengths of time.
In my experience this rings true with HHKB. It took several months for the layout to fully feel "native" to me. The minimalism and simplicity with the elevated experience of typing was worth the investment and now I can't imagine typing on a different keyboard layout.
Each keyboard has its own tactile feedback and auditory signature. Can you elaborate on how these sensory experiences affect your design process? How do you think the physical design and user feedback of a tool, like the HHKB, influence creative thought?
My HHKB experience started with the Type-S. I would describe the typing sound as a soft "thopp" sound with the dampening provided by the silent Topre switches. The Professional Classic has a soft "thwup" sound that is fairly quiet, though not as buttery smooth as typing on the Type-S. The wired connection of the Professional Classic, combined with it's more traditional sound, feels like being connected to a live wire. The feedback and latency are fast, and it performs like a workhorse over long sessions of typing and work.
Tactility is such an important aspect of physical product design. I'm a software designer by trade so sensory experiences manifest differently on a screen but there is a philosophical underpinning that is connected. The ergonomics of software and hardware require that we can about the sensory experiences that users have. Whether that manifests in a dash of sound, a button animation, or a small piece of haptic feedback—all of those pieces combine to create a rich, interactive experience.
I think it is important for designers to be immersed in beautiful and functional hardware like the HHKB. It keeps us connected to the devices we use to create and it teaches us that everyday experiences (including our software) can feel delightful to use every day if we design it with great care.
Over time, how have you observed the impact of HHKB-style keyboards within the broader tech and design communities? In what ways do you think they have influenced or been influenced by other trends in technology and aesthetics?
I think the keyboard industry as a whole is being influenced by the ability to customize our environments. As gaming culture expands so does the desire for self-expression. HHKB, in some ways, pushes against that by staying true to a classic form that has largely remained unchanged since 1996.
That being said, the HHKB layout has inspired countless artisans and makers (from the Keychron Q60 Max to the Norbauer Heavy Grail) to embrace the iconic layout and allow for all kinds of customizations. I expand on that a bit below the Q&A section.
Also HHKB's Studio product represents an important first step forward into the world of allowing users more customization and control over their keyboard experience with HHKB.
As technology continuously evolves, what future innovations or changes do you anticipate or hope to see in the design of keyboards that are inspired by the HHKB layout? How might these changes further enhance your work and the work of others in your field?
I was intrigued to learn about Wooting's 60HE+ hall-effect keyboard—a 60% layout with a whole new kind of actuation experience. The fact that other makers are building in this 60%/HHKB space means that more people will be able to experience it's unique benefits. I hope that HHKB continues to listen to the community and explore creative new ways to help the HHKB layout retain it's beautiful quirks and allow more people to build accessories and customizations around it.
HHKB Studio
HHKB Studio is a new keyboard concept from PFU, the makers of the original HHKB. It boasts silent hot-swappable MX switches and keycaps, a pointing stick, mouse buttons, and gesture pads on the side of the keyboard. I'm excited that PFU is exploring new expressions of the HHKB keyboard and I'm eager to watch this product continue to evolve and mature.
Keychron Q60 Max
The Keychron Q60 Max houses the HHKB key layout in a durable, heavy 6063 aluminum chassis. Like HHKB Studio you lose the ability for Topre's capacitive switches, but you gain the ability to customize the keyboard with numerous keycap sets, artisans, etc. Built on the open QMK/Via firmware, there is a wide range of customizations that can be made to personalize the keyboard and yet still remain true to the original HHKB vision.
URSA for HHKB
URSA is a new keycap project that brings quality, customized keycaps to the Topre keyboard market. Their Classic, Black, Blue, and Red sets bring a new keycap profile similar to MT3 to the Topre world and they work seamlessly out of the box with all of the current Topre HHKB models.
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