Input this: Wild and wacky keyboards

The GlowType keyboard is made of silicone rubber so it is flexible as well as easily washable. And if that isn’t enough, this keyboard glows in the dark!

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: GrandTec

On the Optimus Maximus keyboard each of the 113 keys contains a small OLED screen embedded under the key. Using the included utility, the image displayed on each tiny screen can be customized to show any letter, symbol, or icon. You can even assign different layouts to appear on the keyboard when a specific application is opened or with a certain key command is pressed.

You can see this keyboard in action on YouTube.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Art Lebedev Studio

While the Warrior Extreme is designed primarily for gaming, it is possible that someone could actually use this keyboard to type. Still, it is a very interesting looking keyboard augmented with blue backlights.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Wolf King

While not a gaming keyboard, this keyboard is made from Scrabble game pieces by Steampunk artist Datamancer and is extremely cool.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Datamancer

For those who travel a lot and tire of a laptop’s small keyboard, there’s the Onboard Travel Keyboard, which has standard size keys yet fits easily inside laptop case enclosed in a hard protective cover.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Atek

For those who really, really, want to design their own gaming keyboard, Ergodex makes the DX1. This kit includes blank slate, a set of adhesive keys, and a pack of stickers. You put the keys anywhere on the slate that you want them and then use the included software to assign macros to each key.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Ergodex

For those who appreciate the look of fine wood furniture, the Swedx company creates keyboards with wooden enclosures made from Sapele, Ash, and Beech wood, like the XKS1-BE1.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Swedx

For the real wood enthusiast, the Ki-Board not only has a fine wooden enclosure, but the keys are also made from wood.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Hacoa

If a wooden keyboard is not quite what you had in mind, then check out this leather keyboard with its smooth, soft keys.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Wazakura Koubou

This ergonomically designed, contoured keyboard is made for folks suffering from repetitive stress injuries. In addition to providing each hand with a separate concave keywell, the separate thumb keypads include often used keys such as [Enter], [Space], [Backspace], [Delete] and the combination keys, [Ctrl] and [Alt].

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Kinesis

For people who use a laptop more often than a desktop and have become very accustomed to using a touchpad, Adesso makes the Windows Touch Pro keyboard with a built-in touchpad.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Adesso

The Trackball-U2 with its built-in trackball provides another variation of the all-in-one input device.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: KeyTronicEMS

This wireless keyboard is designed for Windows Media Center and features a unique touch pad which responds to special two and three finder gestures that allow you to perform a host of functions. Flip a switch and the touchpad becomes a numeric keypad.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Brando Workshop

This colorful keyboard has LEDs under each key that can be configured to display various patterns across the entire keyboard as well as configured such that only the keys that you press will light up.

You can see this keyboard in action on YouTube

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Luxeed

This USB keyboard, which will literally fit in the palm of your hand, has 56 keys and 12 special hotkeys.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Brando Workshop

The Big Keys keyboard features 1-inch sized keys and contains all 97 essential keys. Perfect for toddlers and those with vision problems.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Key Technologies

For those one-finger typists, the Fast Finger keyboard will reduce the amount of hunt and peck and improve typing speed because the main layout of the keyboard is in alphabetical order. Press a button and the standard QWERTY layout takes over allowing this keyboard to be shared with touch typists as well.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Fast Finger Keyboards

Designed to be vandal proof for Kiosks, this stainless steel keyboard gives new meaning to the term “Heavy Metal!”

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: SZ KMY

For the military enthusiast, the AK-39 is a rugged wearable USB keyboard that is designed to meet MIL-461 standards and is also available in a night vision (NVIS) compatible configuration.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: iKey

For those who love their existing keyboards, but would like to spice things up a bit, there’s Funkyboards Keyboard Stickers. Choose from multiple designs and colors to funk out your keyboard.

Images compiled by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic courtesy of: Funky Rico