TL;DR
- Google Japan has made a Gboard hat that types everything and also protects you from the sun.
- You can actually make the hat yourself with a 3D printer or even cardboard.
- It’s an actual head-turning device.
Google Japan’s latest DIY innovation is a hat shaped like a giant keycap. It’s obviously something you will never be able to buy, but it looks like you can make one yourself if you’re so inclined.
So how does this head-turning device work? Well, Google Japan’s Gboard team has a video that explains it all. Essentially, you wear the Gboard hat and rotate it from side to side. After adjusting the characters to be input according to the angle of the head, you press the device to confirm.
Google says (machine translated), “The shape that covers the head makes it a wearable device ideal for places with strong sunlight or in combination with free hairstyles.” No, this is not a very late April Fool’s Day joke.
The company has released DIY blueprints on GitHub to help anyone create an authentic version of the Gboard hat using a 3D printer. There’s also a production guide for those who want to keep things simple and make the hat using just cardboard and scissors.
Specifications of the Gboard hat include a 6-axis inertial sensor, one push switch, USB-C for charging, Bluetooth for connecting to other devices, and one key with 20mm travel.
In the future, Google Japan is considering various different designs for the hat for different occasions.
