Self

The 'Sphere Keyboard': How My 8-Year-Old Son and I Are Solving VR Typing Fatigue

Hamza Musa

08 Dec 2025 — 4 min read

Enhancing Typing in VR

While creating a VR experience with the help of my 8-year-old son, "Mo," he asked if there was any other way to type instead of using the linked virtual keyboard. I believe he was referring to my use of the SwiftKey keyboard, which he loves watching me use by sliding my fingers across it.

As we are using JavaScript to build our VR experiences, including frameworks and libraries like Three.js, Svelte, and A-Frame, I noticed he is right: the idea of typing by clicking on a virtual keyboard within the VR environment is absurd. I realized we spend so much time typing within VR that our time becomes limited and unproductive.

I currently use a Logitech MX Keys Keyboard connected to the VR system, as well as a Logitech MX Ergo trackball mouse, which I find useful in VR. However, typing in this environment using pointing and clicking, or even an unseen physical keyboard (ignoring system features that analyze hand gestures and finger movements) is tiresome and slow.

Seeking Alternatives

So, what are the alternatives? I saw this as an opportunity to ask for my son's help in finding a creative solution that makes VR more productive and fast for typing, browsing the internet in 3D space, or even searching and taking notes.

While I am engaged in a massive project, I found it productive to ask my son to plan and design our new virtual typing interface.

Mo's Suggested Solution: The Sphere Keyboard

He replied instantly: "Dad, why don't we have a magical sphere or a virtual ball where we can type all characters with simple gestures? It will be like a magician's ball." (He hasn't watched Harry Potter yet, but it was a cool idea!)

Thus, the concept of The Sphere Keyboard emerged.

The idea is to analyze and detect finger movements and hand gestures as if holding a glass ball or sphere. It would work like a piano, where hands can rotate the ball to make new buttons available, and typing uses only three fingers from each hand.

Mo with the imaginary Sphere keyboard idea.

While I was planning to include this in my next VR experience, I don't have time for it now. However, I think it would be a great idea to write without the pain of extending my arm or moving the virtual keyboard to a comfortable position to start typing.

This gets me excited as I came from Linux World and tend to have everything customizable, This can even work for gaming, imagine yourself driving a spaceship, a race car or even a complex Mech!

My Alternative Approach: Mini Keyboards

My idea was a bit different: I would have a small, pop-up mini-keyboard programmed with each simple finger gesture. I would then choose the required key with a simple swipe or by using other gestures, resulting in 10+ mini-keyboards and quick selection.

The problem here will be adaptation, the learning curve, and implementation.