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Introduction

The ADM42 is designed to minimize hand and finger movement.

All the modifiers and layer access keys are available symetrically to promote hand alternation. Consequently, every key can be accessed with less or equal effort compared to a conventional keyboard.

  • Symetric modifiers & thumbs usage - Distribute the load between hands and fingers and avoid finger stretching
  • Special keys placement - Based on the frequency of their usage, see in the guide
  • Optimized layouts - Colemak-DH, ColeMAX, Colemak and Dvorak are all included by default
  • One-key distance - The keys are all positioned within a maximum distance of one key from the home position
  • Thumbs cluster - Keys are perfectly aligned with the natural rotation of thumbs
  • Angled split layout - A confortable base position with hands aligned with forearms
  • Vertical staggering - Optimal finger placement for balanced access to both upper and lower rows
  • Columnar arrangement - Reduces lateral finger movements
  • Flatness - Comfortably rest your arms on the table
  • Hot-swap switches - Allow the use of your favorite switches

Besides alleviating fatigue and reducing stress on fingers, especially the pinkies, we expect that many of these features will significantly enhance typing speed and accuracy.

Thumbs Cluster

On the ADM42, thumbs are responsible for some of the most crucial keys. However, since efficiency is vital for us, all of these keys are positioned at most one key distance away from the home position, and their angles are perfectly aligned with the rotation of the thumb.

Thumb cluster position

Interestingly, Dygma, while designing their Defy keyboard, has arrived at the exact same conclusion as ADM42, determining the position of thumbs keys that are the most comfortable to use for all hand sizes.

Ortholinearity

Old typewriter

Back to the era of old mechanical typewriters, each key was linked to a bar that physically struck the paper. To accommodate multiple rows of keys, a staggered arrangement was employed. Operating such keyboards necessitates constant micro-movements, leading to the perpetual adjustment of our wrists.

In the present day, this design is utterly obsolete, given that physical bars have been supplanted by electrical signals. However, the conventional layout persists, perpetuating inherent inconveniences.

With an ortholinear keyboard your wrist remains consistently positioned.