Hi everyone and UHK Team.
i would like to build my own Module and it would really help me if i could get a CAD file of an existing module or a CAD file of at least the connecting part.
Would this be something you like to share with us, so we can extend the keyboard with modules that fit nicely?
Thank you so much
Hi there!
I’m sorry, but we plan to release CAD files for our products that we no longer sell. Currently, reusing the parts of an existing module is the best option. The electronics files are available on GitHub.
Hoping to get a little clarity on this because I have the same question.
First, kudos to you and the team, I’ve never been happier with a keyboard, it’s a truly fantastic product, and I really hope you all get as much success as possible.
Second, with regards to the policy for releasing CAD files, previous statements about the UHK led me to believe that more would be open sourced. For example, in the original crowdsupply post, which also demos the modules: Ultimate Hacking Keyboard | Crowd Supply
| Open Source | Copyleft is the way to truly own our products. The firmware, electronics design files, bootloaders, and Agent are all available under the General Public License, version 3. We will also release the mechanical CAD files within 5 years of the initial release. |
|---|
and in the Module FAQ:
Will 3rd parties be able to make and sell their own add-ons? Open API, 3D-printable CAD data, and easy-to-buy connectors are really expected for 3rd party module developers.
The answer is yes to all of the above. We’d love to see more modules and empower the community to make them!
So did the policy change, or was the original copyleft claim incorrect? Or that the copy left claim only applied to non-mechanical parts?
I really hope my question is taken in the spirit it’s intended, I really do love what you’ve built and want you all to be successful, but I also thought that the whole ecosystem was part of the original claim of being ultimately hackable, with the CAD files being a part of the original offer (after 5 years as noted). It looks like now the claim is that the firmware and Agent software are open source (sincerely thank you), and not the CAD files.
Best to you and yours.
Hi there, and thanks for your kind words!
The Crowd Supply page is outdated, and we can’t update it anymore.
When we launched the UHK, we thought ours was such a niche product that it’d never be copied, but we were wrong. Some companies copied the UHK, and some did so quite blatantly, prompting us to introduce restrictions.
The firmware and Agent are in the open and will be forever, but they no longer use OSI-approved licenses.
Nobody has ever seriously attempted to design a module so far. Given that it’s a substantial undertaking, and the UHK is a niche product, it’s not surprising. Opening our design further would hardly make a difference, and it would make the UHK easier to copy, so frankly, I feel uneasy about it.
I realize this isn’t the answer you’d like to hear, but it’s the truth, and I appreciate your understanding.
I think having just the connecting part of the Module publicly available would not help any copycat but us to create additional modules.
The connector is not that complicated. Half an hour with a cad and a ruler tops. Why not make that a part of your project?
Appreciate the response and your candor. I get your uneasiness. As other people have pointed out, it’s pretty easy to copy the design with a keyboard or module in hand, so it seems like it’s only making it more difficult for tinkerers, whereas motivated actors would barely be slowed down. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to do what’s best for your project in a way that’s in line with your morals.
My primary purpose is tinkering, and yours is keeping your business alive, so I’m not going to throw a hissy fit over it. Have a great week, and hope you have a wonderful holiday(s)!
I too am disappointed to learn that one of the main selling points to me is officially dead. I echo @RichMcGhee’s sentiment, but I must add that the userbase suffers from this policy.
I have successfully developed my own module. As an isolated USB switch remote, it deliberately omits the electronic connection, so by design it may not meet your “serious attempt” criteria (fair enough). But it does work for me. I have made two simple prototypes, and the second is minimally usable. I would love to develop this further to make it presentable and shareable.
With official support, I could more easily commit my limited free time to extend the ecosystem of this great keyboard. Or, in the spirit of the FOSS community, I could open my work to other interested users/makers.
If I were to share my module work, including CAD models, how would the UHK company react to that?
Alternatively, would the company consider some sort of Trusted Partner program? While I prefer the open-source model, I would be happy to sign an NDA if that made it possible to get access to the reference materials that I expected to see one day.
@monguin Would you take some photos of your module?
Some context:
I don’t expect there is a ton of interest in this specific module, but I wonder if the general concept - a secondary module with custom non-keyboard buttons - has any broader appeal. If not, I will likely just continue using this as is. If there is any other interest, then there is a bit more work I could do to complete the project.
(one solder joint came loose while I was disassembling for photos)
Thanks for sharing your module! I think it really came off nicely, even including the cable routing.
If you need specific CAD files, please contact us.
