MakeyMakey Gaming Controller for Quadriplegia (Utilizes Head/Neck and One Foot)

This controller utilizes neck and foot movement to make gaming accessible to individuals with Spastic Quadriplegia, offering the left, right, up, down, space, and click commands. The neck component contains all of the direction commands in a square resting upon the neck, which may then be controlled by a protruding mouthpiece, while the foot component (applicable to either side) offers the space and click commands through a suspended foot box, which is activated by an adjustable toe piece.

I first created this controller in my AS Engineering for Social Good class, a class which is focusses on creating assistive technology for those in need. At the beginning of the project, we watched My Left Foot, a film starring Daniel Day Lewis that tells the story of artist and writer Christy Brown, and details how he navigated the world living with Cerebral Palsy. This film gave me a lot of insight into the isolation and frustration that people with Quadriplegia feel on a daily basis, which motivated and inspired me to build this comprehensive controller.

Here are the supplies I used to create my controller:

• Duct Tape
• Foam Core
• Rubber Bands
• Wood Skewers
• Aluminum Foil
• Alligator Clips
• Velcro
• Blue Foam Wire(I could not find this on amazon, but 12 gauge wire or some clothes hangers wrapped together should suffice)
• Makey Makey
• Wire
• 3/4 inch PVC Pipe (about 2 feet)

Here are the tools necessary to create the controller:

• Xacto Knife (comes w/ extra blades)
• Hot Glue Gun (comes w/ extra hot glue)
• Wire Strippers
• Ruler
• Pen/Pencil/Writing Utensil

Here are the CAD files the 3D printable Pieces that I made:

• Mouthpiece
• PVC Pipe Attachments

Once you have gathered all of the supplies, you may begin the construction process shown below.

1. You will first need to cut out four identical pieces of foam core with your Xacto and a ruler, which will eventually form the edges of your square (I made mine around 4 inches long for a 4 in. x 4 in square, but the size square you want is up to you).
2. Cut out the first two layers of foam core on one end of each of your four pieces, so as to create gaps that will soon become rabbit joints to connect the square. I recommend using a scrap piece of foam core to measure the width of your cut, as to ensure that it is the correct size. If you are struggling with this step, reference the second and third image.
3. Hot glue the square together.
4. Tape aluminum foil to each of the four edges. Ensure that your aluminum foil does not touch any other foil.
5. Tape down the edges of the aluminum foil and add alligator clips. Although I did not do this, it may work better to apply the alligator clips before taping.

Note: Prior to beginning this, I would recommend taking your neck wire, bending it like it is in the first photo, and resting it on your shoulders so as to determine a good height for your pillars, and a good location for your square.

1. Cut two identical pieces of foam core with your Xacto. These will end up being the pillars holding your square, so make them adequate height (maybe even a bit longer) and similar width to your square. I made mine 11 inches long.
2. Tape the two pillars to the sides of your square, so that the top of the square is even with the top of the pillars.
3. Tape a skewer to the outside of each pillar for support.
4. Tape the pillars and excess skewer to the foam wire.
5. Tie some rubber bands around the bend in the wire to support the box. You will want to tape the rubber bands down to avoid slippage.

1. Take two skewers and rest them on the protruding black rectangles on the back of the Makey.
2. Use rubber bands to secure the Makey in this position.
3. Tape the ends of the skewers to the pillars below the direction square on your neck stand, and cut the extra skewer.

1. Using your neck piece, decide on a good length for a mouthpiece. Then cut out a piece of foam core double that length, and cut it in half, or cut two separate pieces.
2. Stack the two pieces, and then wrap the the tip in tinfoil. Tape the tinfoil down.
3. Print the 3D printable mouthpiece, and slide it in between the two pieces of foam core. Use some rubber bands or tape to secure it.
4. Attach an alligator clip to the tinfoil on the end.

1. Cut two identical squares out of foam core, and a rectangle with the same width but a longer length. The squares should be fairly big, as they will eventually be the foot controlled space and click command keys, and the rectangle will be the space in between.
2. Cut the same style of joint demonstrated in Step 1 on both ends of the rectangle, and glue the squares to it.
3. Wrap each square in tinfoil, and then then tape the tinfoil down.
4. Clip an alligator clip onto the outside of each square of tinfoil.

1. Print the 3D printable PVC component, and put one piece on each end of the PVC pipe.
2. On one of the ends, attach the space and click command contraption by running tape through bottom of the 3D printed component, and wrapping it around the middle segment. You should also apply tape diagonally from the outside of the 3D printed piece, to support the space and click commands.
3. On the other end, run velcro through the bottom of the 3D printed component.

1. Cut a rectangle out of foam core. The rectangle should be around 5 inches in height, and a little over the width of the foot of the user.
2. Wrap the rectangle in aluminum foil, and tape the back.
3. Cut a new piece of foam core, about 7 or 8 inches long.
4. Measure about 3 inches from each end. Then, mark it, and cut across it through the first 2 layers of foam core, so that it creates a gap in the foam core (as shown in the second photo).
5. Tape the foil rectangle to the middle area, and add an alligator clip to the aluminum foil on the side.
6. Add rubber bands for foot attachment

1. Connect the alligator clips on the square to their corresponding "up", "down", "left", and "right" areas on the Makey Makey.
2. Connect the alligator clip on the mouthpiece to the one of the areas labeled "Earth".
3. Add another clip to the "Earth" area, a clip to the "space" area, and a clip to the "click" area.
4. Use tape and a pen to label all of the alligator clips connecting to the Makey with their functions.
5. Cut three pieces of wire long enough to stretch the length of the user's sitting body.
6. Use these wires to connect the "Earth" clip to the alligator clip on the toe piece, and the "space" and "click" clips to their respective areas on the foot element of the controller. You may also want to label which is which for the user.
7. Plug the red wire from the Makey kit into the Makey, and connect the USB end to your computer.

1. Use the Velcro to connect the foot controller to wherever it is most optimal to connect.
2. To connect the toe piece to the user, wrap the rubber bands around the tip of their shoe, and then put the toe piece through the rubber bands once they have been wrapped.
3. Put the neck component over the head, and make sure that the mouthpiece wire goes through the square and not around it.
4. Use this link to access a scratch game that utilizes all of the components, so that you can test the controller to make sure that it works.

If you would like to reorder or change the commands on the controller, instructions to do so are here. I would also love feedback, so if you have any questions, concerns, or advice feel free to comment on this page. I can also print and send any 3D printed pieces if you need them. Thank you so much!