Arduino Leonardo Game Controller for Quadriplegics

Click HERE for demonstration video

My task was to create a video game controller that can be used by quadriplegics. This video game controller was meant to be cheap and easy to create from the comfort of your own home. The controller itself can be used by only moving the head and the neck. All the materials used to build the structure of the controller should be easily found around your house, whereas the wiring and the tools are definitely less common.

• Cardboard
• Hot glue
• Tinfoil
• Paper clips
• Elastic band
• Clamps
• Alligator clips
• Velcro
• Micro USB
• Perfboard
• Solder
• Resistors (10 Megaohm)
• Arduino Leanardo board
• Arduino Leanardo code Click Here
• Space invaders files, (you can use this controller for any game) click here
• Makey Makley (more expensive/simpler alternative to using the Arduino Leonardo) Click here to buy

Wire the circuit according to the picture above. Make sure to have 3 ground wires, one for each button. Be sure to use the 10 megaohm resistors, this project will not unless those resistors are used. Once you have the analog pins, ground wire, and 5v pin wired to the circuit board you can solder them into place on your perf board. Then connect long alligator clips to the end of each analog wire. These will be used to connect to the buttons.

1. Cut a large piece of cardboard into a T shape.
2. Add sides that are all the same height.
3. Attach sides that go straight up. These will be on each side of your head so, you want them to be long enough that you can place your head inside the open square.
4. Then cut 6 identical circles, cover 3 completely in tin foil, then for the other three only cover half.
5. Pull a paper clip apart and put it in between a partially covered and fully covered circle in order to create a button. The finished button is shown above.

1. Attach one of the analog wires to the top of one of the buttons, make sure to be aware of what movement that wire entails. Then attach one of the three ground wires to the bottom of the button. This way when the button is pushed the ground wire and analog wire meet and send a signal to the computer. Repeat this process for each button.
2. Glue the buttons down, one on the right side, one on the left, and one in the middle. Make sure that they correspond with your movements, for example, the button that moves right is on the right side of the head.
3. Take the wires that are coming off the buttons and hide them in the hollow part of the structure and then cover the open part with cardboard, as seen above.
4. Add a small box on the right side of the structure, this will be to hold your Arduino. as seen above.
5. Add a small hole to connect your USB to your Arduino. Then cover the top of the box

1. Find a stretchy band, I used a piece of a workout band. Attach that to the back of the structure. As seen above.
2. Further down the T attach the velcro. These will hold the T to the chair.

I took this photo when it was tilted, but to attach it to the chair start by velcroing the bottom of the T to the chair. Then pull the elastic band towards you and use the clamps to secure it to the chair. This makes it so when u push on each side the T doesn't fall over. Attach the USB to an adapter and plug that into your computer. Open the space invaders game link. Download all the contents. Go to your finder and open the index.html. This will open a space invaders tab on your computer. Have fun!!!!!