One Hand, Unlimited Possibilities
Accessible Gaming Tech
How might we make the traditional gaming experience more inclusive?
“Accessibility is often an afterthought rather than built into the game in the beginning . . . even when they are accessible it is added later, and usually misses a lot of key functionalities.”
-Madison, Disabled Gamer
Research Phase
Insight was collected from industry experts at...
Of polls sent to disabled students at RIT and interviews with disabled gamers...
53% feel that accessibility was an afterthought in their games
79% say their disablity affects how they enjoy games
100% think that accessible hardware is too expensive
Design Goals
For many casual gamers, accessible tech is not worth the investment unless it can be achieved affordably.
Making an ambidextrous design,
lowering tooling and inventory costs
Eliminating undercuts and slides in tooling,
unless where required by the design
Reducing unnecessary features,
such as haptics, gyro, and bluetooth
Design Paths
Adapt existing technology
Lower barriers to entry
Solve a new problem
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Refinement
Developing an ambidextrous one-handed controller
Most development was in 3D so it could be tested quickly
Working alongside engineering team to optimize for functionality and ease of manufacturing/assembly
Inclusive Packaging
One-handed users would require one-handed packaging
PaBlo
One-handed video game controller that puts affordability and accessibility first
Ambidextrous form
Designed to lower manufacturing cost
One-handed packaging
One-handed play