pmw3360-breakout VS dactyl-keyboard

Here you go: https://github.com/jfedor2/pmw3360-breakout

A core module just consists of nice!nano and a pmw3360 breakout board by jfedor2 (https://github.com/jfedor2/pmw3360-breakout) which is shown in the last picture. (By the way, jfedor2 has a lot of cool custom trackballs based on RPI which provide lots of ideas.) I'm planning to use this module to apply in various setting, and this was the first prototype to replace my Ploopy Nano.

Outside of the Ploopy, if you haven't checked out u/Jfedor's stuff I highly recommend it. They created an open source rp2040-PMW3360 pcb specifically for creating new kinds of trackballs. I have bunch coming on the way now (It's a little pricier due to the smd components) and the parts to make trackball 7 when I get here. It's bigger (uses a standard billiard ball) but it seems closer to the direction I'd like. /u/azat-dev on here posted a modified Kyria using Jfedor's 3360 breakout but I don't think they can post the files because it uses modified closed source code.

Personally I'd use one of Adafruit's nRF52 Feather boards with an optical sensor breakout like this (this one happens to be mine, but you can find others).

Here's a nice one if you want to order your own from JLPCB: https://github.com/jfedor2/pmw3360-breakout

You're absolutely right and in that spirit I've posted the STLs here and the sensor breakout here.

I printed a hot swap compatible case from files generated using this repo from Wylder Builds. The sockets fit pretty well without glue, but not all are tight enough to never pop out. Depends on your print tolerances (mine are okayish).

Regarding trackball and thumb cluster variants of a Dactyl ManuForm: wylderbuilds github has pretty much the majority of, if not every, Dactyl ManuForm thumb cluster and trackball thumb cluster variations.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Wylderbuilds is a place I've used in the past. They sell parts and completed keyboards, but also have a link out to github with their modifications, at https://github.com/bullwinkle3000/dactyl-keyboard. The whole dactyl space is definitely a rabbit hole, though.

There's examples of dactyl manuform cases with trackball housing (example GitHub repo), though the circular display is going to be a design topic in itself. Most likely the display protrudes from the upper inner side of case slightly, like a sky scraper roof top Helipad 😋

If you preferre python goto https://github.com/joshreve/dactyl-keyboard or https://github.com/bullwinkle3000/dactyl-keyboard