I Don't Have A Keyboard

An Arduino based USB Keyboard that uses a serial console as the input

What is this?

This is my answer to setting up a new computer but not having an external keyboard handy. It takes input from a serial console and (poorly) emulates a USB keyboard. You can read a little more about why I built it here.

Should I use it?

Probably not. You're better off getting a cheap keyboard (I did, not even 2 hours after building this...) but it is handy in a pinch.

Can I use it?

You're free to do whatever^[1] you want with this.
_{1. Well almost whatever you want, just read the license.}

How do I use it?

Things you'll need

1. An Arduino compatible with the keyboard library
2. A USB-Serial Adapter

Using it

1. Program the arduino with the firmware
2. Connect your USB-Serial adapter to the RX/TX lines on the arduino
3. Connect the adapter to the computer with the keyboard you want to use
4. Open a serial console (for example: screen /dev/ttyUSB0 9600)
5. Anything you type in the console will show up on the other end as a key press.

Limitations

Because I’m lazy, it will only emulate printable ASCII characters, arrow keys, return and backspace.