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New batch of PCB's sponsored by PCBWAY
12/15/2022 at 14:55 • 0 commentsAfter a contact via Hackaday.io message box, PCBWay offered me a sponsor by offering a coupon for the realization of a batch of 10 PCB to try their service, and to write a few lines in return.
I've accepted their proposal, and I took the opportunity to design a new pcb with the name of the components print onboard ,
and design a new one to embed other microcontroller with Xiao form-factor
I must say that I am very satisfied with their service.Ordering is very easy to place from their website.
They have a responsive customer service. I've made a mistake in the files version sent when ordering and after a quick contact by chat with their teammates, the file was quickly changed by their team before it went into production.
The delivery time is very reasonable. I chose the Global Economy option delivery method and the pcbs were delivered to me 10 days after the order.
The packaging was good and PCBs were well protected.
I am not a PCB expert, but the quality is there and suits me perfectly.If you feel like it, you can place an order directly with PCB way, the joytojoy project documentation and manufacturing files are hosted on their platform for an easy ordering.
I will soon give news of the Xiao form factor version, but as a PCB amateur, I 've made a mistake in the routing and I have to modify the design...
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Business model
10/19/2022 at 12:58 • 0 commentsThis project may not save the world, but it’s a small illustration of the best humanity can achieve. In a world with limited resources, share is essential for meet our needs. Without open innovation and sharing, this project would not have seen the light of day.
I am a trained Occupationnal therapist, not a programmer or a mechanical engineer, and I have been able, with the help of users, my practice and my experience, to identify a problem, a real need and try to solve this. Works generously put available by others helped me a lot to prototype and outline a solution to this problem.
We must now mobilize to improve this aid, test it on a larger scale and explore ways to spread it in collaboration with others.
This is not a precise study, but we have different ideas to spread this solution, relying on existing communities, the disability ecosystem and imagining other solution.
- DIY distribution:
We want to offer an open solution, so that everyone can make it, alone or with the help of others, modify it and use it as they wish.
For sure we can rely on the strength and generosity of the Maker movement, FABLABS and hackerspace all around the world. I’m thinking of very active groups and associations like as example Makers Making change, AT makers and users, Able gamers, My Human kit and many others existing.
- We are also considering a commercial approach to allow access to as many people as possible Fabrication kit sale : Including hardware necessary for fabrication (electronics, enclosure + electronics) and final product sale.
We can approach our project from the angle of a Concept Maturity Level evaluation to study its different dimensions : Need, Programmatic and Technical.
NEED :
There are different target users:
- Power wheelchair users:
We live in a hyper-technological world, and many people don’t have the appropriate control interfaces. Imagine yourself in front of your PC without a mouse or in front of your console without a controller. How frustrating!
Yet many people around the world encounter this situation. It is estimated that 65 million people worldwide need a wheelchair and studies show that approximately 30% of which used powered wheelchairs
It’s a huge number, many users wait for a solution to access a mouse or play video games, whatever the origin of their disability.
Trough our experience and our modest user test, We can note a great need of customization for users to tailor solution to their needs.
Power wheelchair users are unfortunately accustomed to paying high prices on specialized equipment, our solution must be affordable. It would change a bit.
- Communities
The maker movement has really developed in recent years, and to respond to disability issues, open innovation is increasingly used. Specialized communities working with disabled people, makers and health professionals have emerged and are very active. For example quote Makers Making change, AT makers and users, Able gamers, My Human kit and many others existing.
These advanced users know the technologies, want to make useful projects and objects and have the ability to make things evolve.
As part of the dissemination of this project, they will be part of the co-developers and early adopters who will help us develop the solution.
They can help people make it in DIY mode, or by help assembly buying kits, and improve-it.
It is also important to rely on associations and communities of users, people with disabilities and those of health professionals and support and other associations here in France and internationally
- Market :
Assistive devices market is particular because it is smaller than mass market compsution.
Often prices are very high (due to high research and development costs, regulatory aspects) and small series production.
Offering an affordable solution using different marketing methods can be a differentiating competitive advantage. An international opening is also important to reach a large number of user.
The choice of open innovation is a plus to ensure its dissemination, development, add new features, and develop a community.
PROGRAMMATIC :
- Regulatory Affairs :
It will be necessary to seriously study this question and define a regulatory strategy.
We will have to choose between a consumer product versus a medical device certification.
At a minimum, the solution must comply with the consumer laws and regulations in force in different countries.
- Project management :
Until now, the development of the project is done with limited means, only one person and three users. To get it out of the garage, the search for new skills via open innovation and the creation of a real project team (technical, business, communication…) is necessary and will condition growth.
We will have to quickly define the statutes of the entity that will carry the project (business creation) and will ensure its development and its distribution.
- Funding :
For the moment the development has been carried out at low cost, in a logic of development, it will be necessary to raise funds to continue the development, follow user tests and study the different possibilities of distribution.
Participation in competitions, calls for projects can help to obtain a starting letter, which will have to be completed by other means (crowdfunding campaign, fundraising)
TECHNICAL
- Intellectual properties:
We believe in the power of open source to maximize access. Without opence source, this project would remain an idea.
We choose a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license so that as many people as possible can fabric, use, remix and share our solution.
In the future, we would like to obtain an Open hardware certification from OSHWA, and we will have to rethink licence choice for more permissive one.
- Technical development
After carrying out a proof of concept, we managed to develop two functional prototypes that could be tested by users.
Challenges to be solved in terms of mechanical and software design are numerous but workable.
We have some ideas for future development, with the addition of new features and challenges to be met.
We will have to quickly improve the device to make it more user friendly, test it on a larger scale, study different fabrication process, to go from a prototype to a final product.
EVALUATION
Our project is rather developed in Need and Technical fields.
We must now improve Programmatic aspects to federate other skills, build a team, define a real business model and develop partnerships to growth.
On our small scale, we are convinced of the merits of this solution and its values, and we want to share them, so that many people can control a mouse, and find or rediscover the pleasure to play video games.
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New prototype : Joytojoy v2
10/18/2022 at 09:47 • 0 commentsTo test our solution with a wider panel of users and makers, we have to quickly facilitate its fabrication.
The longest and most error-prone process was electronic assembly, wire and components soldering.
We design a PCB to reduce assembly time and simplify electronic assembly
We adapt the enclosure design, which has grown by a few millimeters, but still remains light and compact.
We order a first batch of ten PCBs, and the result is nice
Assembly process is easier and faster (for more details, see instructions)
Users don’t feel any difference in use.
And we can customize it at willWe will soon be able to start tests on a larger scale
Material cost
Our solution have a material cost of 32 $ for one unit.
It's a very affordable stuff for a particular.
Economies of scale can be easily achieved for small series production, especially at the pcb level and round tactile switches.
Q Description Price Link 1 ADAFRUIT Trinket M0 10,6 GO TRONIC 1 Sensor MPU6050 3,9 GO TRONIC 1 Round Tactile Button Switch Assortment 7,8 GOTRONIC 1 PCB 6,7 PCBWAY 1 3D printed Enclosure 3,9 PRUSA 3D PRICE SIMULATOR Total price 32,9 -
Functionalities and technical aspects : Improvements to do
10/13/2022 at 13:12 • 0 commentsAfter few weeks using Joytojoy and user testing, we consider several aspects to improve :
To fit user needs : Make it easy to use and customize
- Develop versatile program to switch from a stick function to a mouse without new upload
- Introduce wireless connection
- Implement multimodal accessibility features (visual/sound feed back)
- Check compatibility with different gaming hardware
- Easy 3d custom process to fit on the controller and adapt handle to user need (parametric design),
offer the possibility to change button place for right and left handled
- Study adding other user inputs (jack port to connect external switches...)
- Develop a configuration software
----> Carry out tests with a larger panel of users to increase feedback
To expand possibilities :
- Make use of the device possible in stand-alone mode, without using a dedicated accessibility interface
- Study other uses of the device (head, foot : joytomove)
- Consider other applications (VR control, home automation features...)
To maximise accessibility :
- Make it easy to reproduce :
PCB design, assembly instructions, experience assembly by others, get feedback on the fabrication process
- Make it affordable and sustainable:
Stream line microcontroller, allow the use of other microcontrollers to promote their reuse
Design Low-Tech enclosure process (wood, recycled containers...)
- Product development,
Study manufacturing process from prototyping to manufacturing (electronic board development, enclosure fabrication process)
Provision of DIY kits, final product
----> We’ve made choices to continue technical development and subject it to fabrication tests and user test with larger panels of makers an users.
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Prototype v1 test and use
10/11/2022 at 21:15 • 0 comments- JOYTOSTICK:
Joystostick is design to play through a video game accessibility interface. We have test it with an XBOX Adaptive controller (XAC) from Microsoft.
- Set up :
We need to plug the device into a USB port for an analog stick on the XAC (we chose the left one to control movement once in game), then connect the XAC to the console
- Use :
Movements made on the joystick reproduce the movements of the stick in the video game. This allows navigation in the menus and the use of movements in game (character, vehicle…)
The red button is use to calibrate the starting position by taking a reference position for triggering the accelerometer.
To complete the set up, we use switches plugged into the XAC to activate other buttons necessary for games control.
It works perfectly with a retrogaming system on Raspberrypi : Recalbox
And on Nintendo Switch with an adapter placed between the XAC and the console. We used the Mayflash Magic S pro 2 which allows you to connect almost any controller to any console
- JOYTOMOUSE :
- Set up :
The device works very easily on PC, smartphone and tablet.
Just have to connect the box on the device to control with an USB cable
Joysticks movements allow to control the cursor on the screen, the buttons act as mouse clicks left and right.
- USER'S FEED BACK :
What a joy for users to be able to use their wheelchair controller to play video games and use a mouse.
This is different from traditionals set ups made with external joysticks added to the person's existing installation (it’s more intuitive and ergonomic).
For the accompanying person, the installation time is reduced and allows the person to play faster.
The three testers appreciated the device and the possibility of adapting it to their motor conditions and gripping possibilities.
The choice of color was also decisive for them.
The personalization dimension seems essential and there is work to be done to multiply and facilitate the possibilities of.
On the negative side, it is necessary to underline the need to connect cables, a wireless version would be a plus, for sure
- COMPATIBILITY TEST
Joytostick
console wiring compatibility Recalbox XAC + USB cable +++++ Nintendo Switch XAC + USB cable + adapter +++++ PS4 XAC + USB cable + adapter +++++
Joytomouse
Device Wiring compatibility PC WINDOWS 7 and above USB cable +++++ PC LINUX USB cable +++++ MAC OS USB cable +++++ ANDROID USB Cable +++++ -
Prototype v1 : design and fabrication
10/06/2022 at 13:35 • 0 comments- SOFTWARE
The program was made in C++, using the Arduino IDE, thanks [gdsport] for its joystick library adapted to SAMD.
For a speed of implementation, we chose to carry out two separate programs (they could, in the future be joined together in only one to switch from mouse to stick function easily)
Joytostick : To use the power wheelchair controller as a joystick (right or left stick) with a video game console via a dedicated interface (work with XBox Adaptive Controller from Microsoft)
Joytomouse : To use the power wheelchair controller as a mouse for PC, smartphone...
Theses are avaible in the compressed folder : Joytojoy_prototype_v1.zip
The code is not necessarily clean and optimized (it will be one of the things to improve), but it works!
- HARDWARE
If the programming was facilitated by the use of effective libraries, the electronic and mechanical side required several iterations to design a functional prototype that could be easily exploited by users. The challenge was to respect the initial specifications, by integrating electronics in a box easily adaptable for all.
Enclosure
The enclosure is made of two 3d printed parts wich will clip together (Top and Base)
- Base :
Host the electronic stuff, present a hole to fit in place of the standard wheelchair's joystick knob
Two holes diameters to suit to different controller avaible on the market :
A (diameter = 6.4 mm) = Power wheelchair with Rnet or PRIDE, Permobil, Ottobock, Sunrise, Levo.
B (diameter = 5 mm) = Power wheelchair with Linx electronic (Invacare)
- Top :
Features the joystick handle and two holes for the buttons.
A version with a standard joystick shape is available for common needs,
For other needs, we make an adaptation from the flat shape of the top by adding a specific handle adapted to the user needs
Electronic
We made the choice of a cable connection between the different elements.
Trinket M0 pin 0 - - - SDA MPU 6050
Trinket M0 pin 1 - - - Button 2
Trinket M0 pin 2 - - - SCL MPU 6050
Trinket M0 pin 3v - - - VCC SDA MPU 6050
Trinket M0 pin 3 - - - Button 1
Trinket M0 Gnd - - - Gnd MPU 6050 - - - Button 1- - - Button 2
This requires 1 hour of work, to cut the wires to the right length, cut the MPU pins, play with the soldering iron, put heat-shrink tubing, and a glue gun to fix everything.
After that, we've clipped the two parts together
- PROGRAMMING
Now we will upload the program on the microcontroller with an usb cable and the arduino’s IDE
For a game stick :
Select the arduino sketchJoytostick_TRINKET_M0_v1.ino in Joytojoy_prototype_v1
Download and install theses libraries to the arduino IDE:
MPU6050_tockn by tockn
Joystick Library for Adafruit TinyUSB by gdsports
Be sure to set the USB Stack to TinyUSB
Then, Upload to the Trinket Joytostick_TRINKET_M0_ONE_BUTTON.ino
For a mouse :
Select the arduino sketch : Joytomouse_TRINKET_M0_v1.ino in Joytojoy_prototype_v1
Download the MPU6050_light library in the library manager of the arduino software.
Upload the program to the Trinket
Checking :
- Joystostick :
We can check its proper functioning by connect the joystick to a PC with an usb cable
The OS emits a sound to indicate that the device is recognized as peripheral.
We can get visual feedback and check how it works by usingto the Gamepad tester website.
The values corresponding to AXIS 0 and AXIS 1 will vary according to the movements of the device, it means it works.
- Joytomouse :
We can check its proper functioning by connecting the joystick to a PC (windows, linux, MACOS, or a smartphone)
The device is recognized as a mouse device and works without further manipulation. The movements of the box move the cursor on the screen and the buttons correspond to left and right clicks
All that remains is to install the box on a wheelchair controller and play or control a mouse
- SOFTWARE
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Design approach
10/06/2022 at 09:19 • 0 commentsAs part of a Design thinking approach, we have implemented a user-centric approach to target their needs and determine a solution taking into account their expectations and the technological possibilities in order to be able to carry out a viable project.
This approach will help us enter an iterative loop to design a solution, test it with users , collect their feedbacks and improve the solution.
- User needs :
I used my experience as occupational therapist (14 years in rehabilitation) and worked with a panel of three wheelchair users to collect their expectations, understand their needs, collect their opinions and their impressions. By taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of existing solutions, we were able to determine different functions and conditions for the solutions:
The device will allow users to play video games and control a mouse easily.
The idea is that the device takes the form of a box that is fixed in place of the existing joystick cap
It must be adaptable in size and shape to meet everyone's ergonomic needs, the gripping handle resuming the design of their usual joystick (standard or modified by therapists to facilitate gripping).
The choice of color is also decisive and of great interest to match the taste of the user and ensure that the aid pleases in its visual aspect.
It must be light and mus’nt interfere with the movements of the joystick, don’t represent a risk when driving the wheelchair, have a reduced size and a certain sealing.
It must be firmly attached to the metal rod of the wheelchair joystick (two sizes of joystick bar exist on the market: diameter 4.8 and 6.35 mm) ) and can be easily removed if necessary.
The device should connect to hardware (smartphone, PC, etc.) to emulate a mouse or to a suitable video game interface (XAC, HoriFlex) to emulate a game stick.
Ideally, it should be wireless, to limit third-party intervention during installation in order to maximize user independence.
The sensitivity, the dead zone, the speed of the joystick, the inversion of the axes must be easily adjustable and programmable to meet the possible needs of the user.
The device must communicate in different ways with users using multimodal communication modes to adapt to the disabilities of the greatest number ( visual, auditory…) Visual and auditory feedback is to be expected.
It must be financially accessible and easily reproducible, modifiable and customizable.
- Technical choices
Taking into consideration the need for customization, accessibility and reproducibility, 3D printing was imposed on us for the realization of the enclosure. We have been using it for several years in various assistive device projects, and its ease of implementation, its speed and it lower cost present a major ally for our project and to produce the first prototypes.
The idea is to offer an easily customizable box which host the electronic stuff and on which you can add the handle that suits user’s need.
Beyond the handle, we made choice to add an other user interface, two switch buttons located on the case to have :
- clicks when using the mouse function(left and right)
- reset position button when using the stick function
We chose colorful round tactile switch button from adafruit
For the Microcontroller, we had to choose open and well-documented hardware, easily programmable for which libraries and code exist, within a contained budget.
After prototyping with Arduino micro and leonardo boards, our choice fell on a small-sized SAMD 21 microcontroller with HID functions.
We chose the Trinket M0 board produced by adafruit for its compactness, its possibility of programming it with the Arduino IDE or in circuitpython, the on-board LEDs, its documentation and the community work that it surrounds.
For motion detection, we chose Joy-it's SEN MPU6050 board. It’s a 6 DoF I2C Module based on an MPU6050 combining a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope. Its easily findable documentation, existing codes and its affordable price helped us to select this material.
Regarding communication, we have chosen a USB cable connection, which is faster to implement, a wireless connection remains a medium-term objective to facilitate use. Regarding multimodal accessibility, to go faster we have chosen to doesn’t implement visual and sound feedback, but this will have to be done shortly.
- Business model, viability :
This aspect will be more detailed in a specific log, but here are some great ideas.
We are considering a low-cost solution that can be adapted to a maximum of users
The idea behind the project is to make acessible the possibility of playing video games and controlling a mouse as many wheelchair users as possible in the world.
We want to offer an open solution, so that everyone can make it, alone or with the help of others, modify it and use it as they wish.
For sure we can rely on the strength and generosity of the Maker movement, FABLABS and hackerspace all around the world, I’m thinking of very active groups and associations like as example Makers Making change, AT makers and users, Able gamers, My Human kit and many others exiting.
We will also have to work with various associations supporting users, I am thinking of TechLab APF France handicap and other association here in France, and consider other international partnership.
A few years ago I worked with UCPLA which became Momentum, and I think our project should interest them. At the time, they made me discover the activities of the Emerging techlab and I would also like to get in touch with them
We are also considering a commercial approach to allow access to as many people as possible. This could be done in the form of a kit, a final product, and we will detail this point in a dedicated log.
After studying user needs, making technical choices, we started an iterative process to design prototypes, test and improve them.
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First hacks
10/04/2022 at 14:07 • 0 commentsThe idea was to create a motion capture device integrated onto the powerwheelchair joystick that allow to play video games and use a mouse.
Something operating according to the diagram below.
To start I needed:
A motion sensor, a microcontroller with HID possibilities and a few switches.
I'm not a programmer, but thanks to the community and open source, documented projects and libraries are avaible to make gyroscopic mouse. And on the other side, there are code and libraries to translate a mouse signal into a gamestick signal.
A little reading led me to the choice of material:
An accessible and documented Inertial mesurement unit, the MPU6050,
Arduino HID boards (like micro and leonardo boards lying around in the back of a cupboard) will do the trick as MCU.
These different projects have helped me a lot : Thanks to their authors !Mouse for people With Brain or Nervous Injuries de Davy
MPU6050 library by tockn : Arduino library for easy communicating with the MPU6050
DIY MPU-6050 Joystick by Pin Chung
ArduinoJoystickLibrary by MHeironimus
It was like playing lego, with the help of the work made available by others, I’have assembled different bricks, deciphered code, understood blocks to assemble them, remix and made them work together.
I've tried to use a simple joystick to turn it into a mouse, then a game controller, before taming an IMU, and replacing the physical joystick with an IMU.
To end up with an IMU that emulates a joystick or a mouse.
What a joy to see everything working for the first time! The programs thus remixed make possible to create a mouse emulator or a video game joystick.
With this proof of concept in hand, it works!! It was now necessary to start a more serious design process to be able to leave the breadboard, embark the aid on a wheelchair, define functions and optimize technical choices
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Existing solutions
09/30/2022 at 13:38 • 0 commentsHere is a modest state of the art of assistive devices for mouse and video games acessibility with a joystick. It describes some commercial solutions and some DIY, open source, openhardware projects. This is not exhaustive due to the large number of existing solutions, but it provides an understanding of the market,and existing solutions.
For futher information see the Analog Joystick Selection guide from Makers Making change and take a look at others specialized websites which list and details different solutions and possibilities :
- Association Cap Game : www.capgame.fr
- AT makers and users : http://atmakers.org/
- Able gamer : https://ablegamers.org/
- My Human Kit : https://myhumankit.org/
- One switch.org : http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/
- Special effect : https://www.specialeffect.org.uk/
- Game acess : https://gameaccess.info/
- TechLab APF France handicap : https://lehub.apflab.org/
Mouse accessibility :
For few years, most of power wheelchair manufacturers offers electric wheelchair manipulators that emulate a mouse by communicating via bluetooth with the device to be controlled. It allows users who are equipped to control a mouse pointer on a smartphone or a computer (Android or Ios, Windows, MacOS, Linux)
Unfortunately this option is a solution that is not yet offered as a standard delivery option by all manufacturers and its price can exceed few hundred dollars. Many users ignore this solution due to a lack of finance.
Apart from the powerwhellchair's manufacturiers solutions, only one product exists to add a mouse function to your wheelchair manipulator : the Bjoy ring which is placed on the metal shaft of a wheelchair joystick. It’s avaible in a wired version ($500) and a bluetooth version ($850).
People who can’t afford these solutions often turn to the use of an external joystick to be used by hand or chin, mounted on the wheelchair frame, placed on a table, desk or tablet. Their price varies but can easily run into hundreds of dollars.
To solve these acess problems , many Open source projects have emerged (see the guide from Makers Making change or Hackaday projects) and allow to access a mouse by hand, mouth, breath or tongue, for a reduced cost. Note that these proposed solutions are externals joysticks, and currently, there aren’t Open source solution to use the powerwheelchair joystick directly as a mouse.
Video game accessibility :
Accessibility interface:
Regarding access to video games, to use an assistive device (joystick, switches), you have to use a dedicated interface. The arrival on the market of Microsoft's Xbox Adpative Controller (XAC) was a big revolution and made life easier for many gamers by offering many possibilities to adapt external switches and joysticks to a console for a price comparable to a standard game controller ($99).
This aid works perfectly on PC and Xbox, and also adapts very easily to other consoles (Nintendo Switch, Playstation) with inexpensive conversion adapters.
The Hori Flex controller that recently arrived on the market is a similar aid that allow to play with assistive external devices on a Nintendo switch, it offers more settings and costs $249.
The TITAN and TITAN 2 are boxes with higher configuration possibilities, they allow you to recover the mouse signal from a wheelchair joystick equipped with bluetooth but it requires a computer and a dedicated software to be programmed, their handling is not easy for everyone, and the results are different from one brand of chair to another.
See the French article by the CAPGAME association How to use a wheelchair joystick on game console
Note that only one commercial solution, The Q logic 3, offered by Pride and Quantum Rehab (wheeelchair manufacter) allows you to use a powerchair joystick with bluetooth as a game joystick, but this only works on PC from Windows 10.
With devices currently available, it is possible to make a wide variety of set ups to adapt to gamers needs. You can choose to use external switches and joysticks, but the use of a wheelchair joystick as an input control to play video games is not possible on consoles.
Open source solutions have emerged to address these issues but are aimed for limited number of users:
Special mention to the smart Freedomwing project, and thanks for Able Gamers and AT Makers for the release. This very well documented project, allow you to build a device that allow to control a game stick with a special wheelchair control unit. The only disadvantage is that your wheelchair have to be equipped with a special wheelcchair control unit with a sub d 9-pin. This connectic is very specific and its’nt present on all wheelchairs. This aid works very well, but it also requires to unplug the manipulator from the wheelchairchair electronics to be used on an access interface.
We've build some Freedomwings and it works really well
Milad's RaspberryPi-Joystick is an other ambitious project that allows you to recover the bluetooth mouse signal from a wheelchair joystick to play video games. We enjoyed working remotely with Milad to test this aid during Covid, but it requires having an integrated bluetooth function on its wheelchair.
Adafruit has a DIY adaptive game controller article and gives explanations and specifications for tinkering, adding switches and joysticks to the XAC.
If many commercial and Open source solutions exist, we can retain from this inventory, that currently, there is no avaible device which allow to play directly with the joystick of a powerchair on a video game console. The different solutions offered (with the exception of open projects) can quickly cost several hundred dollars. Faced with this observation, I ‘ve wanted to design an affordable device that would detect the movements of the wheelchair joystick’s to convert them into mouse or gamestick signal usable on a video game console, PC and smartphone.
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Birth of the idea
09/27/2022 at 09:49 • 0 commentsFor several years as an occupational therapist working in a healthcare home, I regularly work with power wheelchair user's who wish to be able to play video games like everyone else.
For a power wheelchair user, it is not always possible to hold a game controller in their hands.
Frequently, the movements he makes with his hand or his chin on his joystick to move with his wheelchair are often the most reliable, efficient and reproducible movements he can produce, and sometimes the only ones he masters.Thanks to the mobilization of users, charitable organisation and association, great progress has been made in recent years by manufacturers to offer suitable equipment and by game publishers to develop in-game accessibility parameters, but for yet, it's impossible to play directly using the joystick from a wheelchair as an input device .
Power wheelchair users manage to play by making specific set ups, based on switches, dedicated interfaces and external joysticks, but this often requires the help of a third party to set up external equipment and make connections.
It would be so much easier to play directly with a familiar controller, which has proven itself because it is known, mastered by users and used on a daily basis.
The most frustrating is that it’s already possible to control the cursor of a mouse using a wheelchair’s joystick. Why not a video games stick?
Having knowledge of its different elements, I wanted to design an assistive device that would allow powerchair user's to play video games, control a smartphone or a computer, using the movements made on their wheelchair's joystick.
And as much as possible, make this device accessible, easily reproducible, customizable to adapt to the specific needs of each user