Engineering the First Digital Keyboard for the Zou Language: Layout Optimization and Standardized Repository Integration

Abstract Despite recent advancements in computational linguistics for major global languages, minoritized and low-resource scripts continue to face severe digital exclusion due to a lack of native input mechanisms. This paper presents the design, development, and standardization of the first official digital text-entry system for the Zou script, an under-resourced alphabet comprising 27 characters and a localized numeral system. To overcome the physical limitations of standard ISO/ANSI 26-key hardware layouts and mobile viewports, we engineer an optimized character-mapping topology that leverages conditional long-press mechanics and custom virtual key mappings (.kmn / .kvks). The framework is validated via continuous integration pipelines and successfully integrated into the official global Keyman repository. By bridging the gap between native orthography and standardized digital layers, this work provides the foundational infrastructure necessary for the computational preservation, web-based localization, and digital lexicography of the Zou language.