Using the Corne Split Keyboard for Half a Year

4 months ago

The author built a Corne split keyboard six months ago to improve ergonomics and reduce neck and back pain.
Split keyboards offer ergonomic benefits by allowing independent positioning of halves, reducing wrist and shoulder strain.
Ortholinear keyboards align keys in a straight grid, which the author preferred for better wrist alignment when combined with a split design.
The Corne keyboard was chosen for its open-source nature, community support, and compact 42-key layout, despite initial concerns about missing keys.
Building the Corne involved ordering parts from AliExpress, soldering with help from a cousin, and programming the keyboard with ZMK firmware.
Initial typing speed dropped to 3 WPM but recovered to 90-100 WPM within days, eventually surpassing the author's previous record of 139 WPM.
Layer keys were used to access missing characters, with adaptation being faster for frequently used symbols.
The author reduced pinky strain by implementing home row modifiers and shifting some functions to thumb keys.
Despite also acquiring a Lily58 keyboard, the author preferred the Corne and gave the Lily58 to a friend.
Future plans include experimenting with a 5x3 layout, 3D printed cases, and further ergonomic improvements.

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