Handicapped gamer can game again thanks to controller mod
by Majed Athab 
{ Nov 10th 2008 at 5:00PM }
Not deterred by his ailment, the intelligent young lad found a way to overcome his situation. He modified his controller and assigned multiple switches to his fingers, his toes and even his tongue. "Each and every jack has a predetermined function and whichever one I plug into is what's [sic] the switch becomes," said KNY (his real name is not given). "So depending on the game I generally use the left analog joystick directions and the right analog joystick using my tongue."
"The main reason I put this on the PlayStation website was to show people that even the most limited person can still enjoy console gaming just as much [as] anyone else. The controller was pretty easy to make, except for converting the analog signals into digital signals for when I use the various switches. This took about two months to build and get working effectively." KNY wants to know if there are any others out there like him, so he could give them back the ability to game, too. We wish him the best and hope he's enjoying his games. See more pics of KNY's design here.
[Thanks Marcoco11!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jack Tretton @ Nov 10th 2008 5:07PM
Where's the gamer in that picture?
snake @ Nov 10th 2008 5:18PM
You can see his there in that pic the table is blocking his head to hide his identity,poor guy excellent inventor great idea keep it up kid hope you go far and work for sony inventing new devices for em.
Kev. Not flaming anymore @ Nov 10th 2008 6:38PM
no really to hide his identity
his pic is right here
http://www.uploadftw.com/200810/DSC1.JPG
mezzanine @ Nov 10th 2008 5:15PM
I saw the headline and picture and went "WTF HE'S ONLY LEGS???"
Erroneus @ Nov 10th 2008 5:15PM
Wow that's awesome! Not a fun situation to be in, so hopefully gaming can make his life a bit easier.
#1 His head is behind the table and part of his body under the duvet :)
Tez @ Nov 10th 2008 5:20PM
DEDICATION.
bambino @ Nov 10th 2008 5:21PM
I'm so ungrateful :*(
Well done kiddo!
maxpontiac @ Nov 10th 2008 5:25PM
Good find. Nice to read a story with some human element in it..
????????? @ Nov 10th 2008 5:32PM
Wait a second here, if he cant have the abilit to play with a normal controller how the hell did he build all that? PLOT HOLE!
Majed Athab @ Nov 10th 2008 5:33PM
Who took the photograph? Hmm.
x3r9g6 @ Nov 10th 2008 5:39PM
He's paralyzed but was able to modify all that?.......and where's the screen?.......under the table?.........wtf.
PSN: John-Paul-Jones @ Nov 10th 2008 5:51PM
You, sir, have earned a FAIL in common sense. There should be a trophy for you
x3r9g6 @ Nov 11th 2008 10:54AM
O rly?......and yer mother shoulda swallowed you.
Gambit07 @ Nov 10th 2008 5:39PM
I wish Sony could make a custom controller for him, that would rock.
tmontana213 @ Nov 10th 2008 5:41PM
Lol
DeathroW @ Nov 10th 2008 5:42PM
Mad scientist, he has his robots do these things for him!
Anyway, this people, is a true gamer.
Tanya @ Nov 10th 2008 5:42PM
Just an FYI KitsuneNoYume posted this comment in the thread about how it was built:
"Mark Felling of http://www.broadenedhorizons.com built the hardware of my design. He is one of the best engineers. He deserves a shotout "
paul from nyc @ Nov 10th 2008 5:54PM
IM gonna invent the crotch stick gamepad. Ill submit my pic as soon as possible.
joe @ Nov 10th 2008 6:06PM
thats great man. one of my homies is in a wheelchair and the position of his hands are permanently, dont let him play well. i never though i would see some one pull something like this off. kudos brother and keep gaming homie!
Arda82 @ Nov 10th 2008 5:56PM
I want to applaud this lad... wait it go my brother. i dont care whomever build the controller but its so nice that he enjoys his games even with his disability.
A platinum trophy to him from me.
blkant @ Nov 10th 2008 6:29PM
Keep it up kid :)
flynn110 @ Nov 10th 2008 6:31PM
this is an amazing story , about an obviously amazing person.
Jake @ Nov 10th 2008 7:01PM
if you look at some of the responses in the thread he posted in, some right dicks out there.
ultramega @ Nov 10th 2008 7:08PM
You're my hero, dude!
seansloan @ Nov 10th 2008 7:11PM
he can probably still kick my a** at CoD.
Quazatron @ Nov 10th 2008 7:16PM
Great article, true gamer.
PARALYZED @ Nov 10th 2008 8:16PM
When i first saw this i thought the picture was a joke (cause you know how psf sometimes uses funny pics), but as i was reading i began to realize that was a real pic and felt really bad. i hate seeing people in that position, but i still think that contraption is rediculous. im a "PULL THE PLUG" type person. lol.
Kit windsor @ Nov 10th 2008 10:48PM
This is the guy featured. http://www.broadenedhorizons.com/videogaming.htm
made this possible
nakedatthecomp @ Nov 10th 2008 10:17PM
anyone know what he has...?
PSN ID -- TheUnforgivenII @ Nov 11th 2008 9:24AM
Some comments really makes me sick.
Living with handicaps it's really hard, so good that he has still the motivation to keep going and live at his max possibilities..
Dan Rabot @ Nov 11th 2008 4:52AM
Oh man, I don't know what I'd do if I woke up one day and could no longer use my controller!
The Voice command in Endwar would become seriously useful.
Adrian Thompson @ Nov 11th 2008 4:54AM
Using the term 'Handicapped' in this day and age are you for real?
ChocoDK @ Nov 11th 2008 10:35PM
I must 100% agree and am suprised not many others picked up on PS3 Fanboy using the word "handicapped."
That word is politically incorrect now and I work with individuals who have developmental disabilities four days a week and using such words is disgusting to use in this day and age. I think you should look up with all do respect the proper terms to use which is this young man is disabled or has a disibility.
Anyways, it is amazing what he has pulled off and he is very brilliant and I commend him.
xbot 360,000,000 @ Nov 11th 2008 6:07AM
Looks like the typical ps3 gamer to me!
Fair play to the guy though!
Jimmy Jacobs @ Nov 11th 2008 6:40AM
Not to mention there making this poor disabled human being go back and earn trophies he should of already had, if he had a 360 he never would of had that problem :)
Damian @ Nov 11th 2008 9:47AM
Got to also agree some of these comments are in very poor taste and can only be written by under 16's .
well done mate for your work on getting a pad working and i also agree it would be great if a major company could help people in your situation . Game on buddy.
Topsu @ Nov 12th 2008 8:26AM
I feel so sad now ;( It's great you can play games now. Probably cheers you up a bit.
Da Cork @ Jan 21st 2009 10:29PM
Not to sound insensitive but how the hell did he build this thing if he can't even just use the regular controller.