With an estimated 450 million-plus gamers worldwide having some sort of disability, there is a huge need for hardware and solutions to make gaming more accessible.
There is currently no universal accessible control system, though there are solutions that attempt to address the problem.
Systems such as Microsoft’s Xbox Adaptive Controller and PlayStation’s Access Controller do offer a measure of accessibility, but they require a degree of manual control and can be expensive.
Other controllers are not compatible with multiple gaming systems, but developer Valentin Squirelo has now released a system called PlayAbility, which primarily uses head movements and facial expressions to control games on a wide range of platforms.
The only hardware needed is a webcam, and compatible platforms include PC, PlayStation, Xbox (via remote play), and streaming platforms such as GeForce Now and Amazon Luna.
It is also considerably cheaper than Xbox and PlayStation’s controllers, which can cost upwards of £200-£240.
PlayAbility has a free plan with one profile included, and even the lifetime plan with unlimited profiles and access costs little more than £100.
System was developed with aid of disabled Twitch community
To develop the system, Squirelo called on the help of disabled members of his Twitch streaming community – not only to provide suggestions on what was needed, but also to playtest and provide feedback as it took shape.
The PlayAbility system uses a combination of computer vision and relatively simple AI algorithms to translate head movements and facial gestures into game actions.
These do not have to correspond to simple direction controls or the equivalent of a button press, but can be as complex as the use of any controller allows.
After installing a Windows-compatible app, facial gestures such as a wink or an eyebrow raise can be mapped and converted to carry out actions that can be achieved using regular controllers.
Existing assistive and gaming hardware and Bluetooth-enabled wheelchair joysticks can also be integrated into the system.
One user, who had found existing accessibility devices to be beneficial but with limitations due to his own unique requirements, told Wired that PlayAbility allowed him to “use a larger number of buttons immediately with a simple movement of the face”.
The system still does not offer a perfect or universal controller for everyone, but it does increase accessibility options.
Squirelo said that he saw “huge potential” for the system, but added that, for now, the goal is “that we can all play together on a Sunday afternoon”.
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