Wireless keyboard problem
How to make a wireless keyboard? It turns out it's not that easy. The way big manufacturers make wireless keyboards with those little USB dongles is a closed source operation. For example if I want to make a wireless keyboard with USB dongle, that can be achieved, but that USB device will be bulky. It will look like a USB stick. In other words it won't have that slick minimalistic look. On top of that it will draw a lot more power from batteries.
The components for doing so are one microcontroller for the keyboard with wireless capabilities, probably ESP32, and one for USB. But exactly how those commercial keyboards with small USB device work is not known to me, and it's hard to find anything about that on the internet. It is possible because of the next device:
It's a device that was made by user on Reddit, and its purpose is to convert a signal that keyboard sends to the computer, and transmit it wirelessly.
Wired keyboard to wireless , Anyone want to hear my process?
by u/Typical-Seesaw7554 in keyboards
Original Reddit post
To be honest the details of how that device works are beyond my current understanding. All I know is that microcontroller was at first ESP32, but it draws too much power, so he redesigned the circuit and used dedicated Bluetooth IC instead.
The next project that's tied to wireless keyboards is Nice!Nano
Nice!Nano is a board that helps in making a bluetooth keyboard. It's powered by nRF52840 microcontroller, and it can connect directly to the computer without using a USB receiver.
I really like those USB receivers just because there is no need to set up anything in the system, and if the USB is in it is connected immediately after computer is powered on. But no matter what it's a nice tool for making a wireless keyboard.
Conclusion.
Making a wireless keyboard requires knowledge tied to wireless technology and protocols. So making a keyboard similar to commercial wireless keyboard is a real deal project. But if the goal is to make a keyboard that can just connect to the computer via built in Bluetooth, then it can probably be done without that knowledge with pre-built tools. No matter what there is no short way around, if the results want to be seen, then some knowledge is mandatory.
