u/PippoPioppo12

Hey everyone,

I made a short video to explain a concept we’re exploring: a macro keyboard built on top of our Smart Surface technology.

At èlevit, we work on sensorizing materials. Basically, we turn materials like carbon fiber, decorated glass, ceramics and composites in general into reliable touch surfaces. Most of our work is in automotive, smart home and robotics, where the goal is to take reliable data directly from the surface of a product.

Now we’re trying to understand if this technology could make sense for a consumer product. The concept is a premium control made from real carbon fiber or decorated glass.

What we’re exploring:

• touch buttons with finger guides, so you can distinguish the keys by touch + resting positions for the fingers
• dynamic haptic feedback
• customizable dot-matrix icons under the surface
• modular elements, buttons + slider

For now, we’re mainly focused on the hardware, but we also have software ideas and we’re open to suggestions.

I’d love honest feedback.

What feels strong? What feels wrong? And what should we change to make it truly useful, not just cool-looking?

Hi everyone,

I’m the founder of a small hardware startup working on sensorized advanced materials, basically turning materials like carbon fiber, decorated glass, ceramics and composites into reliable touch surfaces.

We usually work on Smart Surfaces for automotive and premium hardware products, but we’re now exploring consumer applications on top of our technology.

One idea we’re testing is a macro keyboard made from real carbon fiber or decorated glass, with touch buttons, finger guides, haptic feedback, and dynamic dot-matrix icons.

We’re trying to understand whether this is actually interesting, who it could be useful for, and what would make it valuable rather than just “cool looking.”

Here is a link showing the technology: https://x.com/MicheleAiello12/status/2047405264224088374?s=20

Curious to hear brutally honest feedback.

Hi everyone,

I’m the founder of a small hardware startup working on sensorized advanced materials, basically turning materials like carbon fiber, decorated glass, ceramics and composites into reliable touch surfaces.

We usually work on Smart Surfaces for automotive and premium hardware products, but we’re now exploring consumer applications on top of our technology.

One idea we’re testing is a macro keyboard made from real carbon fiber or decorated glass, with touch buttons, finger guides, haptic feedback, and dynamic dot-matrix icons.

We’re trying to understand whether this is actually interesting, who it could be useful for, and what would make it valuable rather than just “cool looking.”

Here is a link showing the technology: https://x.com/MicheleAiello12/status/2047405264224088374?s=20

Curious to hear brutally honest feedback.

Hi everyone,

I’m the founder of a small hardware startup working on sensorized advanced materials, basically turning materials like carbon fiber, decorated glass, ceramics and composites into reliable touch surfaces.

We usually work on Smart Surfaces for automotive and premium hardware products, but we’re now exploring consumer applications on top of our technology.

One idea we’re testing is a macro keyboard made from real carbon fiber or decorated glass, with touch buttons, finger guides, haptic feedback, and dynamic dot-matrix icons.

We’re trying to understand whether this is actually interesting, who it could be useful for, and what would make it valuable rather than just “cool looking.”

Here is a link showing the technology: https://x.com/MicheleAiello12/status/2047405264224088374?s=20

Curious to hear brutally honest feedback.

Hi everyone,

I’m the founder of a small hardware startup working on sensorized advanced materials, basically turning materials like carbon fiber, decorated glass, ceramics and composites into reliable touch surfaces.

We usually work on Smart Surfaces for automotive and premium hardware products, but we’re now exploring consumer applications on top of our technology.

One idea we’re testing is a macro keyboard made from real carbon fiber or decorated glass, with touch buttons, finger guides, haptic feedback, and dynamic dot-matrix icons.

We’re trying to understand whether this is actually interesting, who it could be useful for, and what would make it valuable rather than just “cool looking.”

Here is a link showing the technology: https://x.com/MicheleAiello12/status/2047405264224088374?s=20

Curious to hear brutally honest feedback.

Hi everyone,

I’m the founder of a small hardware startup working on sensorizing advanced materials, basically turning materials like carbon fiber, glass, ceramics and composites into reliable touch surfaces.

We usually work on Smart Surfaces for automotive and premium hardware products, but we’re exploring consumer applications on top of our technology. One idea we’re testing is a macro keyboard made from carbon fiber or glass.

The concept would be:

• 15 touch keys, around a 3x5 layout
• dynamic LED icons under the surface
• haptic feedback
• touch slider
• USB HID output
• open protocol

We’re trying to understand if this is actually interesting for keyboard/macropad people, and what would make it useful rather than just “cool looking”.

A few questions:

• Would touch keys make sense for a macro keyboard, or do you need physical switches?
• Would haptic feedback help enough?
• Carbon fiber or glass: which would feel more interesting?
• Would an open SDK / QMK-like configurability matter to you?

Here is a link to see the technology: https://x.com/MicheleAiello12/status/2047405264224088374?s=20

Curious to hear brutally honest feedback.