buttonboard

A buttonboard is a panel or board that hosts multiple push-buttons or switches, intended to provide user input to an electronic device or control system. Buttonboards are used as compact input interfaces where a dense array of controls is advantageous, such as on instrument panels, keyboards, arcade cabinets, and dedicated control consoles.

Construction typically involves mounting one or more types of push-buttons—often momentary tactile switches or moss-style switches—onto a printed circuit board or a molded panel. The buttons may be through-hole or surface-mmount, and the assembly can include keycaps, LED illumination, and protective housings. Electrical connections are usually arranged in a matrix or individually wired to a controller, allowing many buttons to share fewer interface lines and reducing wiring complexity.

In operation, a buttonboard is read by a controller, often using matrix scanning to detect which button is pressed. Diodes are sometimes used to prevent ghosting in multiplexed configurations. Button switches may be mechanical and durable for high-usage environments or employ membrane or capacitive technologies in lighter-duty applications.

Common applications include consumer electronics interfaces, industrial control panels, laboratory and test equipment, arcade and gaming consoles, musical devices, and accessibility-oriented input devices. Variants include button arrays, keypads, and button panels, which differ mainly in scale, switch type, illumination, and integration with other interface components.

See also: keyboard, keypad, switch matrix, human-machine interface, control panel.