Adafruit
NeoKey 1x4 QT I2C - Four Mechanical Key Switches with NeoPixels
The only thing better than a nice mechanical key is, perhaps, FOUR mechanical keys that also can glow any color of the rainbow - and that's what the&nbs...
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The only thing better than a nice mechanical key is, perhaps, FOUR mechanical keys that also can glow any color of the rainbow - and that's what the Adafruit NeoKey 1x4 QT I2C Breakout will let you do! This longgg 3" x 0.8" PCB fits four Cherry MX or compatible switches and make it easy to use with a breadboard/perfboard or with a STEMMA QT (Qwiic) connector for instant I2C connectivity on any platform.
Please note, each order comes with one assembled and programmed PCB but no switches or keycaps or microcontroller. Most folks have specific key switches and keycaps they want to include, this is just the controller board that plugs into a microcontroller.
The breakout has four Kailh sockets, which means you can plug in any MX-compatible switch instead of soldering it in. You may need a little glue to keep the switch in place: hot glue or a dot of epoxy worked fine for us. Each key also has a reverse-mount NeoPixel pointing up through the spot where many switches would have an LED to shine through.
A microcontroller is pre-programmed with our seesaw firmware so button presses and NeoPixel-controlling is done all over I2C. You can even connect multiple board by chaining the I2C and soldering closed the I2C address jumpers - with four jumpers you can have up to 16 of these boards on a single I2C bus. We have Arduino and CircuitPython/Python libraries for controlling the NeoKey 1x4's so you can use any microcontroller/computer for quick creation of a custom macropad.
You can also fit the breakouts onto a breadboard if you like - with two sets of breakout pads, there's plenty of flexibility for any kind of use. There are two rows of 6-pin contacts on a 0.1" grid on both sides. Solder in both sides for mechanical stability.
Soldering is required to attach the header for breadboard use, you may also need to solder jumpers closed to connect multiple boards together. A microcontroller is required to drive this board, it isn't stand-alone. Keys & keycaps are not included: Use any MX-compatible switch: Kailh, Gateron, etc all work!
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- Address jumpers
- Address jumpers are small solder pads, links or switches used to change a device's address on a shared bus such as I2C. They matter when you want to connect several identical devices to the same controller, since each one needs a unique address to avoid conflicts.
- breakout
- A breakout board carries a small or fine-pitched component and brings its connections out to standard, breadboard- and header-friendly pins. Describing a part as a breakout means it can be wired into a project without soldering directly to the component's tiny contacts.
- I2C
- I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.
- LED
- A light-emitting diode (LED) is a small electronic component that emits light when current flows through it in the correct direction. Because it only conducts one way, its polarity matters, and a through-hole LED must be soldered the correct way around to light up.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip that runs a stored program and controls connected inputs and outputs such as buttons, sensors, displays and communication interfaces. In a device built around one, it is the part that executes the code and coordinates the device's behaviour.
- NeoPixel
- A type of addressable LED system where colour data is sent along a single digital data line from one LED or controller to the next. Compatibility matters because the timing and signal format must match for the lights or driver board to respond correctly.
- PCB
- A printed circuit board (PCB) is a board, usually rigid, with etched copper tracks that connect electronic components together without loose wiring. Components are mounted on the board and signals route between them through the copper layout.
- Qwiic
- Qwiic is a plug-in connector system for I2C devices that uses small 4-pin cables, so you can connect compatible sensors without soldering. It matters because your controller or adapter also needs Qwiic, or you will need a cable or breakout to wire it up.
- STEMMA QT
- A small plug-in connector system for I2C boards that lets you connect compatible sensors and controllers without soldering. It matters because it can make wiring faster and less error-prone, especially when adding several small modules to a project.
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