Kinetic Controller

The Brief

Sina Ball and Malena Horne

Playing video games is a huge source of entertainment, but most game controller lack accessibility for people who have physical disabilities which damage dexterity and fine motor skills. The accessible game controller takes advantage of larger movements done by the arms which activate the buttons depending on directing and how far the arms go.

We worked with Lee Cusack who has Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, which greatly limits the movement in his body. Lee can't move his fingers or grip a controller. Our solution was to use rotation to activate the buttons. Lee uses his arms to turn a lever, it senses what direction the lever is in and motors press the buttons on the controller. Most controllers are meant to be held comfortably centered in front of you, but it isn't comfortable or convenient for Lee, so the levers are set up on the sides of his wheelchair where his arms can be in the most convenient position. We realized how inconvenient and inaccessible things that we use on a daily basis are, we had some trouble understanding just how difficult some movements could be. Our addon will greatly help in making the controller more practical and comfortable for Lee and others like him. 

Presentation

Sina Ball and Malena Horne
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