LABS Keyboards

Custom QMK/VIAL keyboard firmware for building and customizing mechanical keyboards. Supporting 5 different keyboard layouts ranging from compact 36-key splits to full ortholinear boards.

What This Is

A collection of keyboard firmware configurations built on top of QMK and VIAL, making it easy to customize and build firmware for mechanical keyboards. The project uses VIAL’s graphical configurator for easy keymap customization without recompiling.

Supported Keyboards

Corne v4 (CRKBD)

3x6+3 split with LCD & encoders (RP2040)

A popular 42-key split keyboard featuring:

OLED displays for status information
Rotary encoders for volume/media control
Per-key RGB lighting support
RP2040 microcontroller

DASBOB

36-key diodeless split (RP2040)

Ultra-compact split keyboard:

36 keys total (18 per side)
Diodeless design for simplified build
RP2040 microcontroller
Minimal and efficient layout

Piantor

42-key diodeless split (RP2040)

Compact split with more keys than DASBOB:

42 keys total (21 per side)
Diodeless design
RP2040 microcontroller
Balance between compact and functional

Planck v7

47-key ortholinear (STM32)

Classic ortholinear grid layout:

47 keys in a grid layout
STM32 microcontroller
Compact form factor
Ideal for minimalists

ZSA Voyager

52-key split ergonomic (STM32)

Premium ergonomic split keyboard:

52 keys with ergonomic layout
STM32 microcontroller
Professional-grade build quality
Highly customizable layout

Features

QMK Foundation

Built on the powerful QMK firmware platform providing:

Extensive key customization
Layer support
Macro capabilities
Advanced features (tap dance, combos, etc.)

VIAL Integration

VIAL support enables:

Real-time keymap editing without flashing
Graphical configurator
Easy layer management
Macro recording
No need to recompile firmware for changes

Development Setup

Streamlined build process with:

Makefile for easy building
Setup script for symlinks
Submodule management for VIAL-QMK
Build targets for each keyboard

Quick Start

# Clone with submodules
git clone --recursive https://github.com/jeroenvanwissen/LABSKeyboards.git
cd LABSKeyboards

# Initialize vial-qmk submodules
cd vial-qmk
git submodule update --init --recursive
cd ..

# Setup QMK environment
make qmk-setup

# Create symlinks
make setup

# Build firmware (examples for each keyboard)
make crkbd_v4      # Corne v4
make dasbob        # DASBOB
make piantor       # Piantor
make planck_v7     # Planck v7
make voyager       # ZSA Voyager

# Build and copy to RP2040 (for RP2040-based keyboards)
make crkbd_v4-copy
make dasbob-copy
make piantor-copy

# Build and flash via QMK
make crkbd_v4-flash
make planck_v7-flash
make voyager-flash

Project Structure

LABSKeyboards/
├── vial-qmk/              # VIAL QMK submodule
├── keyboards/
│   └── labskeyboards/
│       ├── crkbd_v4/      # Corne v4 keyboard
│       ├── dasbob/        # DASBOB 36-key split
│       ├── piantor/       # Piantor 42-key split
│       ├── planck_v7/     # Planck v7 ortholinear
│       └── voyager/       # ZSA Voyager split
├── Makefile               # Build convenience wrapper
├── setup.sh               # Setup script
└── README.md

Why This Project?

Mechanical keyboards are highly personal tools. This project makes it easy to:

Maintain keyboard firmware in version control
Share configurations across multiple keyboard layouts
Build custom layouts without fighting build systems
Experiment with different key mappings
Support both RP2040 and STM32 microcontrollers
Contribute to the mechanical keyboard community

Keyboard Categories

The collection covers different use cases:

Ultra-compact (DASBOB): Minimal 36-key layout
Compact (Piantor, Corne): 42-key balanced layouts
Ortholinear (Planck): Grid-based typing
Ergonomic (Voyager): Premium split design