Google's bizarre new Gboard keyboard is a conveyor belt that brings the keys to you

Google has once again decided that keyboards are far too normal. For its annual October 1 tradition, the company’s Japanese division has unveiled a new DIY Gboard keyboard that takes a rather bizarre approach — moving the keys to you instead of making you move your fingers to them.

Google Japan has been using October 1 to show off some crazy concept keyboards since the company ended its traditional April Fools’ jokes in 2021. The date is a nod to the 101-key keyboard, since 10/1 can also be read as “101.” This year’s creation might be one of the strangest yet.

The idea behind what Google calls “the rotating Gboard keyboard” is surprisingly simple. With traditional keyboards, you have to move your fingers and hands around a stationary set of keys. Google Japan apparently looked at this arrangement and decided that the keyboard was the problem, and its solution is to put the keys on a conveyor belt.

The belt continuously moves the keys, allowing you to press the character you want as it comes around. Each belt has 29 keys and accommodates both uppercase and lowercase letters. Essentially, instead of reaching for the A key, you wait for the A key to reach you as the conveyor belt moves.

Google describes this as a “Copernican revolution” in text input, which is certainly one way of describing a keyboard that has decided to become a treadmill.

The company also says the design is intended to make one-handed and single-finger typing much more efficient. And if one conveyor belt isn’t enough, Google suggests that you could build another one for two-handed operation.

Unfortunately for anyone who has suddenly decided that their desk desperately needs a conveyor belt keyboard, Google isn’t planning to actually sell this thing.

Instead, the Gboard team has published the design as open source, meaning you can build your own if you have the necessary skills, components, patience, and questionable judgment.