Accessible Brick Breaker Game

I created a Brick Breaker game that allows players with physical disabilities to use their switches or touchpads to control keyboard input and press the left and right arrow keys to move the bounce paddle in the game, and gives light and sound feedback when players click these buttons!

• pico W
• laser cutter
• wood
• acrylic sheet
• neopixel light strip
• wires
• copper tape
• touchpad sensor
• speaker
• 2 female audio jacks
• switch button controls
• contact me at oliversf@bc.edu or sgoliver01@gmail.com for the code files to run the because Instructables does not support the js and html file type

First, download the code I attached called assistive_tech.py and that will be run in mu. Contact me (oliversf@bc.edu or sgoliver01@gmail.com) for the files to run the brick breaker game code. Download a code editor software (i prefer brackets) and open the files I sent you in a folder. In brackets, there is a lightning bolt icon on the right side. Make sure you are in the atari.js file and click the lightning bolt. This will open the brick breaker game on a web browser.

Create a file in Adobe illustrator that will be a box with a lid and 2 small holes (I used 3/8 of an inch) in the front and a small square on the side(.5 in by .5 in). Make the lid a little short so that it will not reach the back of the box (maybe an inch shorter in depth then your box) so that you can attach alligator clips to copper tape that will later be on your lid. Laser cut this box in Trotec. Use cardboard just in case you have any issues and you need to fix with your box. I also cut some acrylic pieces that have left and right arrow keys (2 of each) to represent the left and right switch/touchpad controls.

Once your prototype looks good, go ahead and cut your box with wood and assemble it- take some copper tape and tape it onto your lid and attach your touchpads to them- I did this by making my lid a little shorter! Attach all your wires as well, your wiring will look like the image here. Put your pico in the box and run your switch button/their connectors through the holes on the front and the light strip and power chord through the square hole on the side. Tape your light strip all around the box. Set up your speaker inside the box as well.

Once everything is wired, run your code on mu to control the box. Next, open the brick breaker game in a new window. Click into the brick breaker game and get started playing using your left touchpad and left switch to move your paddle left, and the right touchpad and right switch to move the paddle right! Watch the video attached to see how it will look!