It is often said that gaming as a hobby is, or at least should be, for everyone. However, that is not always the case for gamers with physical impairments.Microsoftis one company that’s put a significant amount of effort into making video games more accessible. Examples include the well-received Xbox Adaptive Controller anda range of other Xbox and PC accessibility features.
However,Microsoftisn’t finished trying to make things easier for PC users with disabilities. During the 2022 Microsoft Ability Summit, the company revealed a new system of customizable peripherals. The new Adaptive Mouse, Adaptive Hub, and Adaptive Buttons offer users with disabilities the ability to customize their PC and smartphone inputs to suit their needs better.
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The Hub, as its name implies, serves as the core of the hardware ecosystem. It interfaces with the Mouse and Buttons and lets users assign various functions to the two input devices. The complexity of these functions can range from single keystrokes to complex macros, giving users an incredible range of options. Users can also assign functionson an app-by-app basis for better accessibility.
Each of the Adaptive buttons contains eight electronic switches to which users can assign different functions and support a range of joysticks and directional pads in varied configurations. Users can also sync multiple Buttons with the Hub for a greater range of options. Meanwhile, the square Adaptive Mouse comes with various accessories for modifying its shape and number of buttons. According to Microsoft, users can swap out virtually every part of the mouse to find the configuration that works best for them. Additionally, if the factory options don’t meet someone’s needs, Microsoft’s engineers designed the Adaptive Mouse and Buttons to accept custom 3D printed attachments.
In Microsoft’s presentation video, the company showcased various ways that its Adaptive Ecosystem can be a greatasset for users with disabilities. These include helping a graphic designer who’s missing her forearm, a quadriplegic grad student programmer with limited use of her arms, and a quadriplegic woman named April who runs the Ability Powered blog for gamers with disabilities. In her segment, April showcases how she configured the Adaptive Buttons into a Joystick controllable with her cheek.
It should be pretty easy to see howMicrosoft’s Adaptive technology can improve accessibility. While the new peripherals aren’t purely gaming-focused, they open the hobby up to PC and smartphone users to whom it might otherwise be inaccessible. And while not every new accessibility feature ends up working out, these new peripherals could be a literal game-changer for many people.
