It was announced this week that computer and mobile peripherals titan Logitech would be releasing attachments to work with Microsoft’s Adaptive Controller which, was released recently. The Adaptive Controller allows for gamers with limited usage or range of their appendages & fingers to interact with their favorite games as the ‘average Joe’ would on the standard Xbox One X’s controller. It’s large even surface is designed to provide a universal base through which a wider scope of dexterity types can interact with their gaming consoles. Logitech’s ‘G Adaptive Gaming Kit’ seeks to enhance the possibilities of the groundbreaking device to better serve those with accessibility needs.
Social Integration
The implications are tremendous as it reveals facets of the gamers individuality they may otherwise have struggled to communicate as some of these individuals may also have limited speech capabilities. The uniquely tailored peripherals allow those who are often overlooked to stay up to date as they interact with the lush and immersive environments the Xbox One X can produce on today’s modern 4K screens. This allows for a form of self-expression and self-discovery, which was otherwise impossible.
“Gaming…allows the social integration that we all desire.” Steven Spohn, Chief Operations Officer - AbleGamers
Often the disabled are rounded together for daytime care as their families have to hold down jobs to provide for them. Not all can afford the time or money to dedicate the 1:1 care these challenged persons require yet, all humans need to express themselves and all brains require exercise!
This should one day lead to great advancements in the workplace or even create jobs for many which were before deemed incapable. As advances in computing and artificial intelligence progress, the trend is computer/robotics-assisted living in a not-to-distant future. Even the ‘able-bodies’ are relying more on tools and technology to perform tasks so there’s no reason in 2020 so some to be left behind.
Enabling Through Options
The peripherals being released by Logitech allow gamers to attach a wide range of buttons and switches in various sizes and shapes to the 3.5mm port in the back of Microsoft’s Adaptive Controller. Before this, gamers with disabilities used many of their own home-brewed/hacked buttons, pedals, switches, and doohickeys to be able to join the ‘rest’ of us sniping aliens as Master Chief or skidding off the asphalt in Forza. The brand, most synonymous with mice and keyboards (who may have made the one you use every day at work), is a Kingpin in the computing accessories market and are directing their vast experience in peripheral craftsmanship towards a hugely under-served community.
Those recovering from accidents have much to gain from these devices as well. The devices are being tested during physical/mental recovery therapies and are showing promising signs. Health practitioners have a new set of tools to incorporate into their practices. It’s only a matter of time before controllers just like this could be fitted for use at schools to teach language and mathematics to many who may have been mislabeled as “unteachable”. The applications are wide in scope. Hopefully this inspires the ‘rest’ of us to try to do more with less when we have to!
You can read more about Microsoft’s Adaptive Controller here and the full press release of Logitech’s release can be found here.
