This is an open source adapter which allows using a USB keyboard (and mouse) with a computer that has a PS/2 port. It is shipped in a ready-to-use state. If you want to save some money and are comfortable with electronics such as the Raspberry Pi Pico, you may want to check out the listing for the hat only.

But why?

You may be wondering, but why would anyone want to use this when they could just plug their keyboard and mouse in directly via USB? Great question! The main use is for a security improvement with Qubes OS. There is a discussion about this on their community forum. The other use would be to get a modern (i.e. USB) keyboard to work with an old computer. If you're not into retro computing, this is probably not of interest, but some people might find it to be wonderful.

For comparison, the commercial versions of this device made which cost $80 and they're not open source!

What makes this special?

This product is entirely open source. You can download the designs and, provided you have the right equipment and skills, make one of these yourself. Others can freely make improvements to the product. You can see how its made, which is highly desirable for any security device.

What is included?

This listing is for a complete, usable adapter. It includes: one hat (the purple board in the photos), a Raspberry Pi Pico, the case, a PS/2 cable, and a USB-micro to USB-A (female) adapter. It's already flashed with the code to make it work.

This means you can plug in a keyboard to the USB port, the PS/2 cable into your computer and you're all set!

If you want to plug in multiple USB devices (e.g. a keyboard and a mouse), you will need a USB hub. Any USB hub should work just fine.

And if you want to re-flash the device, the code and instructions for doing this are available here.