Ben Heck unveils the Access one-handed controller

Engadget's favorite hardware hacker Benjamin Heckendorn is at it again, and his latest mutant mashup is the one-handed Access controller. The modular rig features five interchangeable pods -- one each for the analog sticks, d-pad, main buttons, and shoulder buttons -- that can be rearranged to make any control scheme one-hand-friendly. Ben says the Access is in pre-production with eDimensional, and will be hitting in PS2 / 3 versions first with a planned 360 version to follow -- although it certainly looks like a brave 360 controller was involved in making that prototype. More photos await you at the read link.

[jcapp @ Oct 24th 2007 9:24PM]

That just doesn't seem practical...

[prateeko @ Oct 24th 2007 9:29PM]

Your lack of foresight is not unique. There are a lot of gamers out there who have been in accidents or by some other unfortunate circumstance found themselves with only one hand (i.e. our vets).

While this isn't going to appeal to the mass market, it is nice to see Ben making something that will make it easier for handicapped gamers.

Sadly, no such solution exists for the Wii. Damn you Nintendo, you discriminating bastards! :p

[Jman196 @ Oct 24th 2007 9:45PM]

Your right it doesn't, who the heck created this?

[Metal Wolf @ Oct 24th 2007 9:57PM]

It already said, Benjamin Heckendorn. If your not smart enough to notice that please don't post period. Plus, Ben Hack already has a huge fan-base, me included, petty comments like yours don't mean a thing.

[Josh @ Oct 24th 2007 10:13PM]

To the above poster: Your lack of insight into a joke is what is really astounding - he was making a pun moron.

[imacmatt09 @ Oct 24th 2007 10:14PM]

Silly Metal Wolf didn't get Jman196's joke.

[prokanda @ Oct 25th 2007 12:47AM]

@Metal Wolf:

1) Sheesh.. chill out.
2) If YOU'RE not smart enough to know the difference between "your" and "you're", maybe you shouldn't be allowed to use a keyboard either.

;)

[teej @ Oct 25th 2007 2:36PM]

lull pwned

[LikeICare @ Oct 25th 2007 3:41PM]

I agree, I believe a modified mouse could act as a single directional stick for camera control similar to PC FPS games.

If the mouse was contourded for left or right hand it could be molded in a way to add a thumb stick and face buttons to it's surface.

I also remember seeing a wonderful one handed PS1 controller back in the day that was designed for Japanese RPG players so they could smoke or eat while they play, it was missing analog sticks though.

[Mile @ Oct 24th 2007 9:28PM]

Hey, this is a one-hand tourny! You're using two hands, aren't you? Cheater!

Okay, maybe after you've honed your mad gaming skillz so much the only thing left to do is to kill everyone with one hand tied behind your back.

OTOH, if you don't have an OH this may make it much easier for you to get in on the action.

That about covers my comments for this entry.

[Andrew @ Oct 25th 2007 8:06AM]

Just wait until this happens the other way round - I seem to remember some sprinters claiming recently that the composites in prosthetic running limbs gave amputees an 'advantage'!

Seriously though, great job, so long as the L and R analogue sticks are labelled, otherwise some crazy stuff might happen when you mix and match.

[Peppie @ Oct 24th 2007 9:31PM]

Yeah, this could be cool for amputees, although I'm pretty sure it will take some getting used to.
One thing to note: Anyone using both hands on a regular controller has an advantage because on that controller, you would have to do some one-handed finger gymnastics just to jump or fire or open a door depending on the configuration.

[Flyy (NDF) @ Oct 24th 2007 9:31PM]

So Ben is finally taking his amazing works to market? Good for you Ben!

[3ntropy @ Oct 24th 2007 9:35PM]

Ben Heck has terrible design ideas and needs to stick to building portable consoles.

[Metal Wolf @ Oct 24th 2007 10:10PM]

lets just wait until you get into an issue where you can only game with one hand, then you will thank Benjamin Heckendorn for his inventions.

[Grizz @ Oct 24th 2007 10:45PM]

I worry something may happen to both my hands. The only thing that lets me sleep at night is knowing our Techno-Saint Heck' will save the day with a foot controller.

If your reading this right now Ben, you are truly a good man. (Period!)

[Mikey @ Oct 24th 2007 10:46PM]

I'd like to see you do better...

Got any mods you would like to show off?

[DickHardknocks @ Oct 24th 2007 9:38PM]

HEY

I've seen a kid without arms play Super Mario Bros with his feet.

I've seen a woman driving the car right next to me with her mmouth on the steering wheel.

I've seen a Iraq war veteran who lost both his legs running next to Bush (jogging on metal stilts)

DON'T TELL ME IT CAN'T BE DONE.

[Alexander @ Oct 24th 2007 10:08PM]

I want some of those metal feet/springs. They look like great fun.

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 24th 2007 9:39PM]

I thought the prototype was more like a joystick head with the analog thumb stick, "movement" analog on the pinky or ring finger and array of buttons for the primary finger. (Or was the movement on the bottom of the stick and you used your leg...)

[Laron @ Oct 24th 2007 10:05PM]

Ben has huge mits

[Ryanmkyle @ Oct 24th 2007 10:10PM]

This is going to bring a whole new level to late night Fap Uno on xbl arcade.

[Macroy @ Oct 24th 2007 10:20PM]

Well, that explains the added Scene It remote support in Uno...

[Mike Jenkins @ Oct 24th 2007 10:15PM]

Does anyone remember when he created a custom Xbox 360 controller for a man with one hand, and it had one of the analog sticks on the other side so he could move it around on his leg? I thought that was pretty cool.

P.S. The site doesn't work, so I can't see the rest of the pics to see how this thing works.

[rcm_rx7 @ Oct 24th 2007 11:12PM]

I remember that controller, much better design than this.

[UniBrow @ Oct 25th 2007 7:58AM]

he made that controller for my brother. Although the design was good and ben is the man. It needs some love and is still not able to be used by him atm. Currently it is in pieces =/. Perhaps i should email ben and ask him if he can help a brother out again =)

[Clinton Christian @ Oct 24th 2007 10:29PM]

Interesting. Question is, what to do with the other hand? hmm.

[SectionZ @ Oct 24th 2007 10:32PM]

with this controller i can finally get all of the games that are coming out this holiday season .. wink wink.

[Blake Bowen @ Oct 24th 2007 10:47PM]

I'd be interested in comparing game performance between two people, one who has one hand and using this controller, and one who has two. The gap might not be as big as one would think. Sure, anyone would have a hard time pulling off a headshot with one of these, but games like Oblivion will work just fine with it.

[Veritas II @ Oct 24th 2007 11:03PM]

For all your dating sim needs!

[Jacktheripper @ Oct 24th 2007 11:06PM]

Haha! @ Jman196. Comment of the decade.

[ffresh @ Oct 25th 2007 12:06AM]

they should sell this thing with DOAXBV

[dhlt25 @ Oct 25th 2007 12:08AM]

now you can play hentai game with one hand and jack off with the other. Pure sweetness

[Skemo @ Oct 25th 2007 12:10AM]

go go carpal tunnel

[Reader @ Oct 25th 2007 2:32AM]

Haha I love his stories, would be great if the people he was playing Uno with read the article.

[Boyo @ Oct 25th 2007 4:53AM]

Like the lady from the Pretenders said:
Don't get me wrong; I Like this idea and think there is a great need for it. I even have a friend who will now be able to play Xbox because of such devices.

However, it seems to me a more user friendly and competitive design would be to make a one handed controller with foot petal controls to take some of the action load off the single hand. Imagine how hard it would be to frag anyone in GoW with that thing. Now imagine if your Movement was controlled by your feet and your hand only had to aim and fire.

[ScreamingSkull @ Oct 25th 2007 9:31AM]

He needs to get a better hosting service, any time I've ever taken a link to his site it's gotten swamped.

[James @ Oct 25th 2007 5:03PM]

The real question is, who's hardcore enough to figure out a control scheme that uses two of these things at once (one in each hand)? Four analog sticks/eight axes, 8 buttons plus 8 triggers, two D-pads... you could fly a frickin' 747 with that many inputs.

Or play Halo co-op by yourself...

[James @ Oct 25th 2007 5:23PM]

The real question is, who's hardcore enough to figure out a control scheme that uses two of these things at once (one in each hand)? Four analog sticks/eight axes, 8 buttons plus 8 triggers, two D-pads... you could fly a frickin' 747 with that many inputs.

Or play Halo co-op by yourself...

[Ceyhan @ Oct 25th 2007 5:36PM]

METAL WOLF IS A FANBOY PUSS-BABY LOLZZ!

[SteveO McBeaveO @ Oct 25th 2007 6:24PM]

Finally the man with no friends can experience the joy of co op.

(as long as he buys two of these)

[Ms. Kelci @ Oct 26th 2007 7:29AM]

As a disabled gamer (right side paralyzed), I feel I should put my 2 cents in. Having just purchased an Xbox 360 in June, I am somewhat of a n00b to the online scene. I find that games like Two Worlds, Jade Empire, Overlord and Beautiful Katamari wouldn't need a controller like this. All you have to do (and I do this now) is get a rubber pad like the ones to open stuck jars with, lay it on your lap and lay the controller on that. I use a normal controller that way. To everyone else, this controller looks sleek and shiny. When I look at this controller, I see it sliding all over my lap. Give me a controller that has some friction & traction.
With that being said, I would STILL purchase this because I could place the trigger buttons EXACTLY where I could get the most use and I could finally play me some Halo! I've always liked 1st person shooters and I could never get used to moving and firing with the right trigger. Try it sometime, you'll see what I mean. Lots of games are set up exactly the same way and the only ones I actually purchase are the ones that let you re-map the buttons. I have had a little more luck with PC games, PS2 and the Wii (yes! I play Metroid with 1 hand!) but now I can get into my Xbox 360 so much more. The have a 1 handed controller for the PS2 http://www.consolesandgadgets.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/1616 so its about time someone caught up.

[keikun17 @ Oct 26th 2007 9:36PM]

that one hand controller would look and feel great of console RTS (like the upcoming supreme commander for Xbox 360)

[mels @ Oct 26th 2007 9:57PM]

Can we pool some money together and get Benny to go for a manicure?

[Rob @ Dec 11th 2007 6:27PM]

ASCII Grip One Handed Controller- I used this for RPGs I loved it even though I have full use of my hands. I was convenient.
http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/1/asciigrip.htm

DragonPlus RPG DuoCon 2- never seen this one before now. looks ok
http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/1/AGS/AGS-onehand/dragonplus.htm

We need an updated version of this that support sixaxis so we can shake it to restore EX in Enchanted Arms in dance mode. Funny stuff. Oh, thank god makoto gets smooshed he was annoying, lol