The Holy Grail of Controller Accessibility? Something that enables a person to use their own choice of input method to access anything computer based. That's a long way off.
Meanwhile, two devices have come to my attention that look like a good stepping stone to this. The XIM3 and Cronus devices. Both of these allow you to connect a range of controllers to different gaming platforms.
What I and others have hoped for, for a long time, is for PC based control over a games console. It seems that both of these devices can do this to some extent (reading the AbleGamers review and from reading the Cronus forum).
I'm hoping that fully reconfigurable controls may be possible. I'm hoping that head-trackers and other alternative access controls can be used on a console alongside PC assistant utilities such as dwell-clickers. We'll see. I know Bill Donegan at SpecialEffect is due to get a Cronus soon, so it will be good to learn how well it works out there.
I'm also hopeful that there'll be a way to reduce controls via software assist modes, and also perhaps a way to get eye-gaze control working effectively on consoles via video mixing technology. If this doesn't turn out as well as it might, I've still great hopes for the work over at HMS Projects.
Thanks to Steve Spohn of AbleGamers for the XIM3 link. Devices added to the adapters page of the Accessible Gaming Shop.
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