ShiftKey
- Project Type
- Startup
- Year
- Ongoing
ShiftKey is the only keyboard that replaces your cluttered stack of gadgets with a system that transforms in seconds by snapping on magnetic modules. Powered by intelligent software that delivers unmatched control with instant setup.
01
One keyboard instead of a stack of gadgets
Desks have a way of filling up with a cluttered stack of gadgets, and ShiftKey is my answer to that. Instead of adding one more device, you start with a single keyboard and snap on magnetic modules, like a numpad, a haptic dial, a pad of app shortcut keys or a small display, so the whole setup changes in seconds.
I wanted the family to read as one object, so the modules share the keyboard’s dark, low-profile look, with soft blue light under the keys and a few bright touches like the color ring on the dial.
02
Snap it on and get to work
Each module joins the keyboard magnetically. On the first version’s connector, five gold contacts sit between two round magnets, so a module snaps into place and connects through the same joint.
The other half of ShiftKey is software. An AI companion app handles the connection flow and the configuration, so setup is instant and you can control every module from one place.
03
From V1 to V4
ShiftKey has changed a lot from one hardware generation to the next. The first prototype put a keyboard, a numpad and a knob module with a small screen side by side, with a fabric wrist rest in front.
V3.2 pairs a compact low-profile keyboard with Digits, a numpad module that sits right beside it. V4 adds the haptic dial, a module with a round color display.
04
Built for every kind of desk
The same system can dress for very different desks: a creative studio, a gaming setup, a laptop on the go and a minimalist workspace. The white versions show up in those last two.
I also brought ShiftKey to the Cozad New Venture Challenge. The booth had the keyboard and its modules out on the table, right next to the bare circuit boards and posters.
