In this blog post i want to close off the topics I have had researched a bit before, before starting with completely new research. As the title says, this week’s theme is input methods for people with disabilities., meaning how they are able to use and interact with digital devices such as a PC or smartphone. Since this is a vast and deep topic, I want to focus on an area in which I already have some experience in – gaming. Since I went into the relevance of this particular use case in my first blog post I will not go into it further here. So let’s get right into it!
Depending on the disability, players may not need specialized equipment at all. As is the case with Street Fighter player BrolyLegs, who uses a normal controller to play the fast-paced, fighting game Street Fighter V. Instead of using the controller with his hands, he uses the controller with his mouth. Using this technique, he can go toe to toe with other pro players.
However, sometimes more specialized equipment may be needed. One option to help disabled gamers play their favorite games is to redesign the controller they are using. Both Sony and Microsoft have done just that and developed controllers for their respective consoles which are designed with disabled gamers in mind. In Sony’s case, they have developed the Access-Controller, as they call it. It features big, customizable buttons and a big joystick. Button remapping is supported in the PlayStation software, allowing players to customize as they see fit. It will release this December at a retail price of 89,99€. On the other hand, Microsoft developed the Xbox adaptive controller. It features two large pads which can receive input as well as a d-pad. Its strength lies in its customizability and ability to work with other devices, such as joy sticks or buttons, which is supported in the software. It is also sold for 89,99€.
One thing I came across in my research which I found interesting was eye tracking. As for a specific use case, I found EyeMine, a piece of software which can be used to control the popular video game Minecraft with your eyes. However, this software only supports specific devices such as the „Tobii Eye Tracker 5“ which, even on sale, is listed at 223€. This investment cost may serve as a potential barrier of entry for low income households. However, basic eye tracking is achievable at very low cost. Any webcam may be turned into an eye tracker using software like the open source software „Opentrack“. The problem then stems from the available software to utilize cameras. However, there already exist many (free) options and as these open source projects grow, it will become more and more easyily for end users to utilize such technology.
While I was doing my research I also stumbled upon this video by Great Big Story who interviewed streamer and psychologist Perrikaryal (her internet handle). Though not disabled herself, she found an input method which may be useful for disabled people. Using an EEG (ElectroEncephaloGram) she was able to pick up brain signals and translate them into usable input. This means that when thinking of an action, e.g. attack or jump, the input can be mapped so that the game character responds accordingly. However, this is not as easy as it may seem. It took her many hours of deliberate imagination practice for the EEG to be able to pick up the signals. Nevertheless, combining this brain tracking technology with eye tracking, she was able to beat Elden Ring, a game commonly known for its high difficulty. This input method may prove a valid option for people with disabilities.
Another form of input are voice commands. Utilizing any microphone and software, which in many cases is open source or even built into the operating system directly (as is the case with Microsoft’s Speech Recognition) users are able to use their voice to input commands or generate text. This may be very useful for slower paced games, such as turn based games, where the speed in which an input must be made is not that decisive. Speech commands may take longer to perform or take a while to be recognized, and may therefore hinder faster paced games. This does not mean that voice commands cannot be used for such games, but it is a problem to keep in mind.
In summary, there exist various input methods which may provide suitable solutions for disabled gamers. These input methods are not only applicable in the field of gaming, however. They may be used as input methods for digital devices in general. But even just in the field of gaming, the possibility for people to play games and connect to each other, regardless of disability, is of incredible value.
