We have been testing out some new button styles for the next version of Dustin’s Words. Currently, we are using analog arcade buttons with manual cut and inserted icon paper. While this has tested well and worked great as a low-fi means of communication, we’d really like to make Dustin’s Words more. Our big goal is for caregivers to have the ability to swap out icons as they need through a web app and the digital button displays also give us the ability to open the device up to two way communication, not just one.

What we have pictured above is an exploration we have been taking which mashed an LED display and cherry switch keyboard keys. We’ve combined these 2 with a 3D printed enclosure. As we looked for off the shelf solutions, we didn’t find anything that fit our visions. We still want the tactile feedback to remain, while introducing the digital element. Thus, we started to experiment.

I’ll be posting more of these digital & tactile button experiments soon.

- Matt