*This page earns revenue through an affiliate program.
The Access Controller, released by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) on December 6th, is a PlayStation 5 (PS5) controller developed with input from the accessibility community so that even people with physical disabilities can enjoy gameplay. It’s a game controller.
I myself have been able to maintain my motor function for my age, but I feel that it is declining. Also, there are people around me who have some kind of disability due to an accident or illness. Even if he lived a normal life, she thinks it’s possible she could be similarly disabled. He is no stranger to anyone.
This time, I borrowed the Access controller from SIE. This product won the Good Design Gold Award at the 2023 Good Design Awards, and after actually trying it out, I feel that it is a game peripheral that should be highly praised at game awards. This time I would like to tell you what surprised me about the Access controller.
Sony Interactive Entertainment “Access Controller”.The price is 12,980 yen (tax included, same below)
Designed to be easy to use for many people and allows for detailed customization
This Access controller can be called a “controller kit.” It is designed to be easy to operate even for people with physical disabilities, and the button layout can be customized in detail to suit individual characteristics.
This product consists of one analog stick, nine buttons, a dedicated button for switching settings (profiles), and a locking mechanism to adjust the length of the analog stick arm. Although it is completely different hardware from the standard game controller “DualSense Wireless Controller,” it achieves functional beauty in a different direction.
Additionally, up to two Access controllers can be used as one virtual controller. Functions such as haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, motion sensors, and touchpad swipes can be added by combining with the DualSense Wireless Controller or DualSense Edge Wireless Controller. Furthermore, external switches, buttons, and analog sticks can be connected to the four 3.5mm AUX terminals, providing a wealth of functions that can be expanded to suit the user.
What particularly impressed me was the standard set of buttons and stick caps of various shapes. The raised-shaped “Pillow Button Cap,” the flat-shaped “Flat Button Cap,” the concave-shaped “Curved Button Cap,” and the raised-shaped “Overhang Cap” accommodate a variety of finger and hand strengths and degrees of freedom. It can also be operated with your toes.
Furthermore, the Access controller has ring-shaped handles throughout so that people with physical disabilities can open and assemble the box themselves. It can be opened with one hand with light force. After experiencing such a well-made package, I can’t help but hope that a similar package will be prepared separately for the PS5 itself.
The center button is marked with an “x”, and buttons 1 to 8 are placed around it.The bottom of the photo is the analog stick.
A PS button is placed next to the analog stick.There is also a USB Type-C terminal and four expansion terminals (3.5mm AUX terminal) on the side of the 1 to 8 buttons.
The one that says “LOCK” is the arm lock button (top right), and the one that says “PROFILE” is the profile button (bottom left).
The actual weight of the main body is 325.5g. A non-slip rubber pad is attached to almost the entire bottom of the table, so it will not slip when placed on a table surface.Also, although I cannot show you what I borrowed this time because it is a prototype, there are two “10-24 screw holes” and one “1/4-20 screw hole” on the bottom. Can be fixed on a tripod
List of accessories.Naturally, the cost increases as the number of accessories increases, but the fact that many customization parts are available as standard is a nice consideration for buyers.
Standard stick cap and ball stick cap
Flat button cap x 4
Curved button cap x 4
Overhang button cap x 2
Wide flat button cap x 1
button cap tag
The outer box can be opened by simply pulling the ring-shaped handle from either the left or right side. Ring-shaped handles are also available on the inner box lid and button cap tag (from the product’s official website)
Copyright © ITmedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
