Google Japan shows off conveyor-belt keyboard with keys that move to fingers

Commenters reacted to Google Japan’s moving-key conveyor-belt keyboard as another entry in a yearly run of playful, offbeat input-device experiments. Some praised the whimsy and creativity, while others likened it to chindogu - clever but impractical. One commenter explained the October 1 release as a tongue-in-cheek nod to the old “101-key” standard, and another pointed out there’s no speech-to-text in Japanese for this design. Practical concerns were raised about ergonomics, with at least one person saying the pictured wrist posture looked painfully uncomfortable.

Many responses focused on tinkerability and context within the mechanical‑keyboard community. Several commenters shared a GitHub build and noted Google has multiple experimental input projects, prompting a wry observation that some teams get paid to goof off. Enthusiasts said they’d try mods to add real layers and integrate the concept into split keyboards, and one commenter traced the maker lineage back through Ergodox to Helix and Corne, arguing those designs (some of which were Japanese) helped spark today’s custom-split craze. A final aside warned, ironically, that literal corrections are inevitable in online technical discussions.