This device turns your wheelchair into an Xbox controller

Gaming has evolved in many ways over the years. Today, over 2 billion people around the world are gamers. Of course, this includes players like Shroud and Ninja, but also players with different types of disabilities.

To help players with disabilities, Microsoft launched the Adaptive Controller in September 2018. It’s a large board with two huge programmable buttons and 19 jacks to connect to various gaming peripherals such as joysticks, buttons, and switches. This controller was a game-changing device for players who were born with disabilities or who lost certain abilities due to accidents.

The controller is already helping players with disabilities enjoy the latest games on Xbox and Windows PC, but recently released third-party add-on devices have made it more useful than ever. This device is made to turn your personal power wheelchair into a game controller . The Freedom Wing Adapter is basically a box that connects your Xbox Adaptive Controller to your wheelchair via a 9-pin port. This converts the joystick that controls your wheelchair into an Xbox controller. This is to help players who are more comfortable with wheelchair controllers than adaptive controllers.

freedom wing adapter

The Freedom Wing Adapter was created by Steve Spohn, COO of the charity AbleGamers, in collaboration with ATMakers, a group of technology enthusiasts and makers focused on assistive technology. It is currently being distributed to selected individuals through the AbleGamers website .

Adapter manufacturer ATMakers has found a company to manufacture the circuit boards. This board takes input from the wheelchair controller and connects it to the Xbox Adaptive Controller. The company says the circuit boards will be sold for about $7. Apparently gamers can build the entire adapter themselves, complete with all other necessary components, for $35 . The organization has not yet released instructions . AbleGamers published a video showing how the adapter connects to a wheelchair. You can get an overview of how it works from this video.

The Adaptive Controller was created to help gamers with disabilities gain the joy of playing games and participate in the gaming community, and the Freedom Wing Adapter is built on the same idea. The device is also compatible with many power wheelchairs, as a nine-pin port is standard on wheelchair joysticks, according to Steve Spohn.

As the gaming industry continues to expand, the number of gamers is expected to grow to 2.7 billion by 2021. This type of device allows everyone to enjoy immersive gaming, regardless of ability. Kudos to the team that developed this device and helped the disabled community experience gaming more efficiently.