Keyboard studio Atomic Keyboard has announced MDR Dasher, a limited-edition keyboard inspired by Apple TV’s acclaimed show “Severance”. The design draws heavily from the distinctive terminals used by Mark S. and his fellow “innies” on Lumon’s Severed Floor, echoing the look of the Data General Dasher machines seen throughout the show.
The MDR Dasher features a 70-percent layout, deep blue casing, and rounded keycaps – all of which capture the show’s unsettling, retro-futuristic aesthetic. Most notably, the keyboard omits the Escape, Control, and Option keys entirely – a design choice that seems very much in line with the series’ themes.
For context, Severance explores the disturbing extremes of work-life separation, where Lumon Industries employees undergo a surgical procedure to divide their consciousness. This process results in the creation of the “Innies” personalities who never leave the office, while their regular selves – known as “Outies” – get continue their regular lives when they return home for the day, with no memory of what happens at work.
Despite the bleak inspiration, the MDR Dasher is a fully functional device. It connects via USB-C and supports macOS, Windows, and Linux. There’s also a trackball that sits to the right of the keys, offering an alternative to a standard mouse.
It’s unclear precisely when the MDR Dasher Keyboard will be available or how much it will cost at this time. However, Atomic Keyboard set up a waitlist so prospective buyers can sign up to be notified when more information is available.
Interestingly, Apple briefly listed the fictional Lumon Terminal Pro on its website back in March – a clever marketing stunt tied to the show. The machine wasn’t real, but if it were, Atomic’s keyboard would’ve been a perfect match.
(Source: Atomic Keyboard [official website])
