Category: Keyboards

ANAVI Arrows and ANAVI Macro Pad 12 Are Open Source Hardware Certified

The ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows have received official certification from the Open Source Hardware Association (OSHWA). OSHWA, a non-profit organization based in the United States, manages the Certified Projects Directory and hosts the annual Open Hardware Summit. Notably, the summit takes place in different cities, and in 2024, it is scheduled to be held in Montreal, Canada.

The printed circuit boards of ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows were designed the open source software KiCad

The certification program by OSHWA ensures that a project’s understanding of “open source hardware” is in harmony with the wider community’s definition of open source hardware. Subsequently, OSHWA assigns a unique identification number (UID) to every certified hardware version. This UID commonly comprises a blend of a country code and a numerical sequence, ensuring that each certified hardware version possesses a distinct identifier. For our two new keyboards, the UIDs are:

BG000094 for ANAVI Arrows version 1.0
BG000095 for ANAVI Macro Pad 12 version 1.0

The OSHW Certification Mark serves a dual role: not only does it display the project’s unique certification ID, but it also streamlines navigation and information retrieval. In this context, the “BG” prefix signifies the country code for Bulgaria, indicating that these mechanical keyboards are crafted in Plovdiv, the second-largest city in Bulgaria and the oldest continually inhabited European city with over 6000 years of history. What sets our keyboards apart is their complete adherence to open-source principles. This means that every facet of their design and functionality is open and freely accessible to everyone. Our dedication to openness extends to utilizing only free and open source software in various project aspects, including designing the printed circuit board, creating acrylic enclosures, developing firmware, and thoroughly documenting the entire process.

The printed circuit boards for ANAVI Arrows and ANAVI Macro Pad 12 were designed with the open source software KiCad on Ubuntu Linux distribution. Furthermore, we use open source firmware called KMK, written in CircuitPython. Soon QMK firmware will be also ported to both keyboards. Open source ensures transparency, sharing knowledge and hopefully fostering collaboration and innovation within the community.

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ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows Are Shipping Soon to Backers of the Crowdfunding Campaign

Good news, everybody! All kits with ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows have been sent to Crowd Supply’s warehouse for distribution. Crowd Supply will ship them to backers of the crowdfunding very soon.

ANAVI Arrows and ANAVI Macro Pad 12 mechanical keyboards with how-swappable switches

Every kit features environmentally conscious simple packaging encased in recyclable cardboard boxes. These boxes are made from recycled materials and are readily recyclable once more, fostering a circular economy. Opting for this kind of packaging is in harmony with our sustainability objectives and a dedication to a more environmentally-friendly and conscientious approach to packaging materials.

Mechanical keyboard kits in eco-friendly packaging from recycle cardboard boxes

We want to express our profound gratitude for all backers of our open-source hardware offerings! If you missed the crowdfunding period you can still purchase a compact mechanical keyboard from Crowd Supply. In the coming months we will make ANAVI Arrows and ANAVI Macro Pad 12 available through our other distributors. Anticipate a consistent flow of technical enhancements. We trust that your new equipment will bring you both enjoyment and a boost in your productivity!

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ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows: Manufacturing Progress

After our crowdfunding campaign concluded successfully, we immediately started the manufacturing phase without delay. Thankfully, we had the foresight to ensure we had all the necessary components in stock ahead of time. Just recently, we happily received the first batch of ANAVI Arrows and Macro Pad 12 printed circuit boards, which are adorned with surface mount components on both sides.

ANAVI Arrows and ANAVI Macro Pad 12

We are already in the process of locally producing our second batch, and we expect it to be ready by the end of September. These printed circuit boards are meticulously gold-plated to guarantee the highest quality.

XIAO module with Raspberry Pi RP2040 assembled on the mini mechanical keyboard ANAVI Arrows

Additionally, the acrylic enclosures were laser cutted in August. Our next steps include programming CircuitPython and the KMK firmware, testing, and packaging all keyboards.

Once again,thank you for your support of ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows. Stay tuned for more exciting updates in the coming weeks!

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KMK: Harnessing the Potential of Open Source and CircuitPython to Energize Mechanical Keyboards

Within the realm of computer keyboards, a remarkable open-source firmware called KMK has surfaced, captivating enthusiasts from all corners. KMK possesses a potent capability to revolutionize mechanical keyboards into personalized instruments, enabling users to venture into uncharted territories of customization and productivity.

KMK Open Source Mechanical Keyboard Firmware Written in CircuitPython

CircuitPython is an open-source programming language that runs on microcontrollers used in various embedded applications, including mechanical keyboards like ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows from our crowdfunding campaign at Crowd Supply. Built upon the foundations of Python, CircuitPython is specifically crafted to cater to the requirements of resource-limited embedded devices housing microcontrollers. One of the standout merits of CircuitPython lies in its user-friendly nature and effortless adaptability, particularly beneficial for newcomers who may not possess extensive coding expertise.

ANAVI Arrows and ANAVI Macro Pad 12 with the open source firmware KMK written in CircuitPython

The source code of KMK is readily available on GitHub, released under the GPLv3 license. The inception of KMK can be traced back to 2018. Notably, the KMK source code follows a coding style that employs the Python code formatter, known as Black, and embraces the usage of single quotes.

KMK firmware runs on Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontoller which is in the core of Seeed Studio XIAO RP2040 module

The hardware requirements for microcontrollers to run KMK are: a minimum of 256KB of flash storage, support HID over USB and/or Bluetooth, CircuitPython version 7.0 or newer. With its impressive hardware capabilities, the Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller is a perfect fit for CircuitPython and KMK. Because of this we selected Seeed Studio’s XIAO module with RP2040 for ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows.

KMK offers many key features:

  • Key Mapping: Customize key assignments to suit individual preferences
  • Macros: Create and assign macros for automating tasks or executing commands
  • Layers: Define multiple virtual layers for accessing different functions or modes
  • LED Control: Customize backlighting and LED behavior
  • Rotary Encoder: Rotary encoders for various functions like volume control or scrolling.
  • Mini OLED Display: Compatibility with mini OLED displays, allowing users to display custom information or visuals on their keyboards
Back-light and under-light effects with KMK firmware on the mechanical keyboards ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows

KMK supports many mechanical keyboards, including ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrrows. Although you are free to change to another firmware at any time, both ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrrows out of the box will come with KMK pre-installed.

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Transforming Keyboard Customization: Unleashing the Potential of Hot-Swappable Sockets

A standout feature of the ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows is their seamless switch swapping capability, allowing you to tailor your typing experience on the go! With utmost ease and no need for soldering, thanks to the convenient hot-swappable sockets integrated into the printed circuit board, anyone can effortlessly remove a switch from its socket and replace it with another compatible switch.

This revolutionary feature provides several benefits to keyboard enthusiasts and users who like to customize their typing experience. It allows for easy experimentation with different switch types, enabling users to find the switch that suits their preferences best. It also simplifies switch replacement, making it more convenient to replace a faulty switch or try out different switches without needing specialized soldering equipment or skills.

Basically the whole key is like a sandwich: hot-swappable socket, mechanical switch and a keycap. All kits with ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows include Gateron red mechanical switches. However thanks to the hot-swappable sockets you can experiment with various options of clicky, tactile and linear Cherry MX compatible mechanical switches from different brands with various tech specs and colors: red, blue, brown, green, silver, etc.

The printed circuit boards of ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows are designed with Kailh hot-swap sockets on the back. These sockets are for surface-mount technology (SMT) assembly. To provide backlight on the front of the printed circuit boards there is a separate LED under each mechanical switch. We decided to make both of these keyboards with north-facing switches, aka the LED on each key is on the top (north) part of the switch. Furthermore, there are WS2812B addressable LEDs on the back. All these LEDs combined with the translucent keycaps included in the kit create awesome light effects when the keyboard is turned on. The open source firmware KMK allows fine tuning of the lights.

Although, as you can see in the video it is possible to hand-solder the sockets, this is appropriate only for a prototype. For manufacturing the keyboards ordered from the crowdfunding campaign we have hired a trusted local factory and they will do a professional lead-free assembly of all components. Using these hot-swappable sockets and SMT LEDs there is no need of manual hand soldering of any mechanical switches. This significantly simplifies and speeds up the manufacturing process. The end result is better quality and lower price.

Our crowdfunding campaign has a very modest goal of just $1. It will help us make the keyboards in my hometown Plovdiv, Bulgaria, EU thanks to the trusted supply chain we have established throughout the years. Order ANAVI Macro Pad 12 or ANAVI Arrows to get a cool mechanical keyboard and help us bring these entirely open source hardware projects to life!

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Introducing ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows

We are back with two brand new fully programmable, open source, hot-swappable compact mechanical keyboards: ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows. The crowdfunding campaign is now live at Crowd Supply!

ANAVI Arrows and Macro Pad 12


Both ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows feature high-quality gold-plated circuit boards designed with the free and open source software KiCad. These compact keyboards are driven by the Seeed Studio XIAO RP2040 with Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller, ensuring top-notch performance. Equipped with a USB-C connector and a charming mini yellow-blue OLED display, they combine functionality with visual appeal. Thanks to the popular open-source KMK firmware written in CircuitPython, personalizing keyboard layouts and macros becomes a breeze.

ANAVI Arrows

Import your typing experience with our bright and shiny compact mechanical keyboards, made in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, EU. Support our crowdfunding campaign and help us bring these unique and high-quality open source keyboards to life.

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Improving the Firmware of ANAVI Macro Pad 10, ANAVI Knobs 3 and ANAVI Knob 1

There are two different options for mechanical keyboard open source firmware for ANAVI Macro Pad 10, Knobs 3, and Knob 1: KMK and QMK. Both of which have been getting upgrades recently!

KMK is a feature-rich and beginner-friendly open source firmware for mechanical keyboards, written in CircuitPython, which comes preloaded on the Macro Pad 10 and Knobs 1 and 3. The source code is available on GitHub under the GPLv3 license. So… if you have code suggestions to make it better, just open a GitHub pull request. This is exactly what Stefan Misch recently did, by improving the encoder resolution.

ANAVI Macro Pad 10, ANAVI Knobs 3 and ANAVI Knob 1

Huge thanks to Stefan for his valuable contribution to the upstream of KMK! If you own Macro Pad 10, Knobs 3, and Knob 1, please consider upgrading the KMK firmware on your mini mechanical keyboard to get his fix.

In other news: the GitHub pull request that adds support for ANAVI Knobs 3 was finally merged in QMK! QMK stands for Quantum Mechanical Keyboard. It is probably the most popular firmware for mechanical keyboards and supports literally hundreds of devices, including ANAVI Macro Pad 8 and our other mechanical keyboards. The source code is available under GPLv2 license and written in C. Initial support for the Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller in QMK was added in September 2022. We started the porting efforts in October, and shortly after that, patches for ANAVI Macro Pad 10 and Knob 1 were merged. However, it took almost 6 months to merge the GitHub pull request for ANAVI Knobs 3. The long wait is over: now all of our mini mechanical keyboards are supported by QMK!

ANAVI Knobs 3

The community is very important and makes all the difference in any open source project. Thank you for supporting and improving our open source hardware mechanical keyboards!

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ANAVI Macro Pad 10 & Knobs are Funded!

The launch of our crowdfunding campaign was a blast! ANAVI Macro Pad 10, ANAVI Knobs 3, and ANAVI Knob 1 were all fully funded and all stretch goals were met in the first week. Thanks to all backers and Crowd Supply for bringing life to these three entirely open source projects!

As part of the covered stretch goals, each kit will include stickers from ANAVI Technology and KiCad, the free and open source CAD software used for designing the printed circuit boards of the keyboards. Furthermore, ANAVI Macro Pad 10 kits will include 32 super-cool emoji stickers. You can stick them on the top or sides of the translucent keycaps. Last but not least, we’ll be publishing various video tutorials to ensure getting started is easy.

One more thing… Recently, our mini mechanical keyboards were featured in an article by CNX Software. This is a very popular website with news and tutorials about embedded systems, makers, and open source hardware. It was started in 2010 by Jean-Luc Aufranc. By the way it is worth keep an eye on CNX Software because there are always news about interesting gadgets!

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ANAVI Macro Pad 10 and Knobs Coming Soon

With Crowd Supply we are preparing a new crowdfunding campaign for 3 open source hardware mechanical keyboards: ANAVI Macro Pad 10, ANAVI Knobs 3 and ANAVI Knob 1.

ANAVI Macro Pad 10, ANAVI Knobs 3 and ANAVI Knob 1

There are many common things between these 3 mini mechanical keyboards:

  • Seeed XIAO RP2040 – a power module with USB-C and Raspberry Pi RP2040 MCU from Seeed Studio
  • Rotary encoders
  • KMK – an open source firmware for mechanical keyboards written in CircuitPython
  • Open source hardware designed with the free and open source software KiCad

Subscribe at our pre-launch page at Crowd Supply to be the first to know when we launch the crowdfunding campaign!

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ANAVI Macro Pad 2 – a Tiny 2% Mechanical Keyboard

ANAVI Macro Pad 2

Meet ANAVI Macro Pad 2! It is an open source, programmable two-key mechanical keypad with backlighting. Each of the keys on ANAVI Macro Pad 2 can be reprogrammed for use as a macro or even as a dedicated shortcut key, making it perfect for a number of applications across various industries.

ANAVI Macro Pad 2

ANAVI Macro Pad 2 runs on a Microchip ATtiny85, which is a reliable, low-cost, 8-bit AVR RISC-based microcontroller. It has a gold-plated printed circuit board, Gateron red mechanical switches, 3mm red LEDs and translucent keycaps.

Gateron red mechanical switches with 3mm LEDs on ANAVI Macro Pad 2

Only free and open source software tools like KiCad, OpenSCAD, and Inkscape were used to design ANAVI Macro Pad 2. Quantum Mechanical Keyboard (QMK) with V-USB is the default open source firmware. Source code and schematics are available on GitHub.

ANAVI Macro Pad 2 with stickers on the translucent keycaps of the mechanical switches

We kicked off a crowdfunding campaign for ANAVI Macro Pad 2 at Crowd Supply. We have a stable product and we are ready to proceed with low-volume manufacturing. We hope you help us bring this entirely open source project to life by ordering a developer or a maker kit!

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