If you’re aiming to maximize your ergonomic efficiency, then minimizing movement is key. After all, repeating the same motion day after day can lead to the development of repetitive strain injuries (RSI).
Concurrently, smaller motions are preferable to larger ones, which is the reason I transitioned from a conventional mouse — now, I exclusively use a trackball mouse both at my home desk and during travels. At CES 2025 last week, for instance, I took along a compact trackball mouse with me, and while at the event, I came across one of the most intriguing gadgets I’ve encountered in quite some time.
The Automatic Transmission Keyboard & Mouse/Trackpad + Onboard Computer — or AutoKeybo for short — not only incorporates one of the finest mechanical keyboards but also includes a numerical keypad and a trackpad. What sets it apart, however, is that instead of having all these devices scattered across your desk, they are all integrated within the same unit. Oh, and there’s a mini PC cleverly incorporated as well.
Apart from its distinct design and form factor, what astonished me the most about the AutoKeybo is that it was conceived by a single individual. During my conversation with AutoKeybo founder and CEO Christian Ryan Leonardo at CES, he shared that the inspiration struck him after he experienced a shoulder injury while boxing. The injury hindered his ability to move his hand away from the keyboard when he needed to navigate with the mouse. This restriction led to challenges in his work performance.
Here’s everything you need to understand about AutoKeybo and why this innovative creation won me over instantly.
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The device you require right at your fingertips
For optimal ergonomic comfort while typing, you’ll want to utilize a split keyboard such as the Keychron Q11 or the one I’ve been utilizing for the past several years, the Mistel Barocco MD770. Unlike conventional keyboards that draw your shoulders inward, split keyboards allow your shoulders to rest in a natural position while you type.
The AutoKeybo is built around this principle and employs a wireless, low-profile mechanical keyboard for its upper layer. This keyboard also features hot-swappable switches, allowing you to easily change them out, and it can be reprogrammed using the online tool called VIA.
Below this split mechanical keyboard, there exists a numpad on the left and a trackpad on the right. Typically, your numpad is located on the right alongside a full-sized keyboard with a trackpad or mouse nearby. However, since the primary goal of the AutoKeybo is to keep your hands stationary, its creator Ryan opted to place the numpad on the left.
When you wish to alternate between peripherals, all you need to do is slightly lift your hand, and AutoKeybo takes care of the rest. For example, if you want to transition from using the keyboard to the numpad and trackpad, the keyboard retracts while the numpad and trackpad extend. You can have both the left and right sections adjust simultaneously by lifting both hands at once, or conversely, you can switch the peripherals one at a time.
This is where the onboard computer of the AutoKeybo proves beneficial. Utilizing AI Machine Vision, the camera positioned between the two halves can detect when you raise your hand to switch between devices. You can also personalize the speed at which the sides switch as well as the delay between when you raise your hands and when they change. While the AutoKeybo I encountered at CES featured a trackpad, Ryan also demonstrated a model functioning with a low-profile mouse in an earlier iteration of the device.
Considering that the AutoKeybo is equipped with its own integrated computer, it provides access to numerous ports including an HDMI port for monitor output, as well as several USB Type-C ports for connecting additional devices like a USB hub for even more connectivity options. It’s worth mentioning that the AutoKeybo is crafted to be portable, enabling you to take it to work or a coffee shop and then return it home once you’re finished.
AutoKeybo: Future Prospects
The AutoKeybo is the first device of its kind, and as a result, it is likely to be priced at a premium when it becomes commercially available. On the AutoKeybo website, you can currently reserve your unit for just $1; this minor deposit is also refundable should you change your decision.
According to the reservation page, Ryan intends to sell the AutoKeybo for $1,165, but reserving one now will reduce the cost to $699. Even within the realm of mechanical keyboards, where customized options can fetch hundreds on their own, this price remains considerable. Nonetheless, if you are experiencing serious shoulder discomfort yet still need to work, the substantial cost of the AutoKeybo could be justified.
Just like with the Uppeal 2 Leg Desk that allows you to alternate between sitting, standing, or even sitting on the floor while working, you might be able to use funds from your Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to help mitigate the AutoKeybo’s expense, especially if you’re suffering from RSI or some other injury, as this may classify more as a medical investment than one strictly for productivity. Similarly, utilizing a device such as the AutoKeybo could potentially help avert the onset of such injuries from developing in the first place.
Personally, I’m eager to observe the future developments of the AutoKeybo. I don’t necessarily require a built-in computer running Linux as I possess numerous excellent mini PCs already. I am quite interested in the keyboard system alone, which could certainly evolve into an individual product that AutoKeybo offers down the line. Nevertheless, this was one of the standout gadgets I encountered at CES this year, and a project I will be observing closely moving forward.