Softstep Keyworx Lets You Assign Macros To Your Feet


Many keyboards these days come with programmable keys and macro editing programs. They’re useful for gaming, writing, and coding, where you frequently have to enter the same key sequence over and over. What if you could offload some of those macros onto a floormat that you just stomped on in order to produce preset table html, or even to hide or navigate windows? This Keyworx thing from Softstep does just that, and while it sounds a bit Skymall-ish at first, it could be quite useful.

A week ago we posted a story about an engineer who has been adapting game controllers for paraplegics. This Keyworx setup isn’t so carefully aimed at a disabled subset of the population, but if imagine the trouble one might have navigating a computer and doing common tasks, if for instance one was missing an arm. Having a few modifier keys and automatic tasks assigned to your feet on a simple, plug and play device like this could really help some people out.

I actually like the possibilities of it in gaming. It’d be cool to press your foot down to crouch, or stomp on a button to activate your emergency power. Or if you’re a musician working in MIDI or with synthetic effects. I mean, there are things like this already, but this one looks pretty solid. Each button has an X-Y and pressure component too!

The hardware costs $290. Lots more info at creator Keith McMillan’s site.