After countless late nights and prototypes, the Nolltronics team is proud to present the Leversteno, the worlds first production hobbyist lever machine!
The Leversteno achieves the feel of a professional steno machine while only being priced at a hobbyist level. We accomplished this by using 3d printed levers and keyswitch springs to take advantage of the economies of scale that already exist from the mechanical keyboard community, while recreating the feel of a professional steno machine by adding a “load bar” that creates a consistent press-down force no matter how many keys you press.
We opted for an optical switch system over mechanical switches to remove sources of friction typically found in standard keyswitch designs. Combined with the mechanics of the lever, individual keypresses are supremely light – only requiring ~7gf to fully press down. The load bar adds ~40gf to the entire stroke spread across all pressed keys – shown here adding to a single pressed key for a total of ~50gf. The lower keys are 1-2g lighter than the upper keys due to their mechanical advantage.
Keycap customization options include your choice of wide T/S or D/Z keys, and an optional extra wide asterisk key extended on both sides. The keycaps can be removed and swapped – and the extras are included if you’d like to switch at any time.
We designed this machine to be fully user serviceable and configurable. Stroke depth can be configured by swapping out a thinner or thicker backstop. Stroke force / tension can be configured by swapping out the load bar springs for any other MX-compatible spring. Individual key press forces can also be modified, though a dramatic change in spring strength is needed due to the mechanics of the lever.
Note that actuation depth can also be edited in a roundabout way, but we don’t recommend it! It involves adding / removing padding from the inside of the lid to “pre-press” the levers, but it also affects stroke depth.
You can pre-order your Leversteno here! We're planning on starting shipments between July and August!
Here's a quick video to show off the levers:
Q: Usually we only list inventory that we have, so why are we using preorders this time?
A: There are several things we can improve on the Leversteno depending on the order volume, such as molding the keycaps and making the machine more easily user adjustable. We'll also need to order several 3D printers and potentially set up a new space and maybe even hire new people depending on demand. We're at a weird stage that's a little too high volume for 3d printing, but not high volume enough for injection molding, so there's a lot we'll have to figure out. While we could rush things and ship this as is now, we're hoping we can make things even better!
Q: What all will be included?
A: We're planning on including a few spare keycaps, an extra backstop or two, and a USB cable, but we're also working on adding a case and potentially a tripod (though we can't confirm them right now)
Q: I see a bunch of ridges on the keycaps, can you feel them?
A: Nope! The keycaps are printed on a completely smooth surface, so while you can see the paths the 3D printer took, you can't feel them. We're working on making them even better, but nothing's set in stone yet.
Q: What software will this machine be compatible with?
A: The Leversteno uses Gemini PR, making it compatible with Plover and other steno software.
Q: Is is Javelin compatible?
A: Yes! The hardware supports it, and we are currently working with the developer to bring it onto the Leversteno.