Making assistive technology joysticks #AssistiveTechnology @MakerMakeChange
In today’s interconnected world, access to technology and the internet plays a crucial role in enabling individuals to thrive, both personally and professionally. Unfortunately, people with disabilities continue to encounter substantial obstacles using technology. Many people with physical disabilities have difficulty using traditional input devices like computer mice — there are limited options for alternative input devices and those that do exist are often cost prohibitive.
Neil Squire has received funding from the Government of Canada’s Accessible Technology Program to develop and release at least four cost-effective, customizable joystick-based alternative input devices through its Makers Making Change program. These will build upon our previous work with the LipSync and OpenAT Joysticks.
You can read more, see their prototypes and express interest in the post here.
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Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.
