Dual Net Gaming Site Review of the Mini Connect

There are many gamers out there with disabilities and the number of blogs and reviewers is growing almost weekly.

We were very impressed with the newish blog called Ergo Hacks. They are building up a large and frequently updated site of all things accessible gaming, with recent news, game reviews and product and technical updates being added very regularly.

Trabasack Mini Connect detail taken by gaming reviews at Ergo Hacks

We were pleased to hear that they would review a Trabasack Mini Connect with a Media Mount with the uses for gamers with disabilities in mind…

The review was very positive and comprehensive. In particular they liked the design features that have been added to make trabasack a very ‘inclusive design ‘ and usable by a wide range of people.

Some nice touches demonstrate the attention to detail that makes this an exemplary bag. The tray has an edge that prevents items from sliding off, the zipper pull rings are chunky and large and easy to use even by those who have some impairment in their hands or small children. Two types of clips are used to attach the straps, a swivel clip and a snap hook clip, both are again easy to use.

They were also impressed with The Media Mount and the velcro receptive function of the trabasack connect tray surface and the  Media Mount:

Switches, a mouse mat and controllers can all be stuck to the tray in an ergonomic position for the user, preventing slippage and making it easy to move the whole tray with attached devices instead of having to balance or remove all devices before being able to move the tray to get up.

On the whole they concluded:

The Trabasack is a versatile innovative product highly recommended to anyone who travels frequently, don’t have a desk at home or requires a specialist surface due to a disability that reduces motor function or causes fatigue. It is easy to pack up your kit when retiring from the lounge to the bedroom and only have one bag to carry up and down the stairs. If you are gaming anywhere but a desk, it provides a stable surface on your lap for either a controller, switches or mouse and keypad set-up.

These extracts are taken from the Trabasack Review on Ergo Hacks The site is well worth a visit. There is lots more useful information there.

Trabasack Review from Izzy of  EnabledGaming Blog

Izzy is an antipodean gaming enthusiast who has a blog at EnabledGaming.blogspot (which is unfortunately currently unavailable). We first heard about Izzy’s enthusiasm for gaming when we read this interview with him at the excellent Special Effect Gamebase site.

In the interview Izzy talks about his current set up that allows him to enjoy gaming

My gaming setup includes a custom built mini joystick attached to a microphone stand, 2 micro switches and 2 touch switches. I also use a voice recognition program called Game Commander 3, and X-Keys switchbox and a custom Autohotkey script.

I use the mini joystick with my lips to move the mouse cursor around while using a micro switch in each hand for left and right clicking. I have 2 touch switches positioned near my face, 1 on each cheek, which I use for middle click and an extra button.

Game Commander 3 allows me to activate keyboard commands with my voice. It’s used for playing all of my games and is an essential gaming tool. My X-Keys switchbox allows me to program my switches to perform various commands depending on which program I have running. The Autohotkey script is used to program the mouse axis to perform different commands. This is essential for racing games and platformers.

Izzy has been very ill this year but we were thrilled when we discovered he had managed to record this video review of Trabasack Mini Connect:

Thank you very much Izzy for your efforts and very kind words! Anyone interested in talking to Izzy further can find him via his facebook profile.

He also was also recently interviewed about website accessibility for Red Bridge Web.

Trabasack on The AbleGamers Disabled Gamers Holiday Buying Guide

We were also chuffed to find that the Media Mount was included on the AbleGamers list of best buys for 2012:

Trabasack System One of the coolest items for the mobility impaired gamer, Trabasack’s new Media Mount uses Velcro “Noodles” to secure objects the surface of the tray. This soft felt beauty has a comfortable feel, but maintains its role as a sturdy table alternative with the added security of locking down your new expensive electronic items. Give yourself some peace of mind with a Trabasack this year.

So all in all there has been some great endorsements for the Trabasack from the disabled gaming community in 2012. Roll on 2013, there is much more to come! 😉

Now launched it the versatility of the adroit switchblade looks awesome. Mark Barlet CEO of The Ablegamers Foundation describes it as a ‘game changer for people with disabilities’. Here is a video of Mark describing the new controller from the Joystiq site:

Said to be  the most adaptable controller on the market, the Adroit Switchblade has 19 ports (11 reprogramable and 2 sets of 4 for the thumb sticks). It means that gamers can decide their own preferred personal set up. Any switches can be plugged in from light touch to muscle twitch to gumball in any configuration so that the best individual set up can be achieved. Another amazing feature is that any of the 11 slots can be reprogrammed as any button on the Xbox controller.

Adroit Switchblade “A game changer for people with disabilities”

Each Switchblade is supplied with lightweight and easy to operate, very small thumb sticks for directional controls, included too is a rumble pack for each one. Rumble packs being one of the favourite  mods for gamers from Evil Controllers, the company who developed the Adroit Switchblade.

No need for Joysticks

For gamers who cannot use joysticks, each Adroit Switchblade comes with ports designed specifically for the directional movements. With this adaption you can now make thumb sticks yourself using the four switches in any configuration you choose. One suggestion is to mount four light touch switches around a central hub so that  you can move the switches with both hands.  There is a huge range of personal possibilities and unique set ups with this arrangement.

Switch Users

For switch users there is a special option called the Switchblade exclusive option. As switch users know there are usually only a few postions suitable for a switch. If you can only use a few switches at a time or you don’t want to spend a lot of money on different switches the Profile Option is excellent.

Joystick, the Adroit has amazing flexibility

The profile option allows for multiple functions on the same switch on three different profiles. If for example you can only use 2 switches after the directional controls, you could set switch number one to be the profile changer and thereby give you access to s to 6 controller functions. Profile one could be set to your main action buttons and profile two has the shoulder buttons and profile three can contain the remaining secondary action buttons. You would just press the profile changer to run through the profiles and use that button for the task you were currently trying to do.

The Switchblade arrives set-up for Xbox gaming, but using a straight forward adapter you can use it very quickly and easily with a PC, Laptop or Playstation. This will help reduce the costs for people with disabilities who often need to buy many different controllers for games on different platforms. It is a versatile piece of assistive technology so that  one device with a simple adapter can suit all a persons gaming needs.

The AbleGamers say that the Adroit Switchblade is a “dream come true for many disabled gamers” and has the greatest adaptability on the accessible gaming market.

The main controller and central hub of the Adroit switchblade with its many port options.

This new partnership between Evil Controllers and the Ablegamers Foundation is very encouraging for those supporting user designed technology. It is the the first in a new line of accessible controllers, but perhaps the beginning of more affordable assistive technology, of which the Trabasack design team are proud to be a part. We agree that equipment that can help people with disabilities is often too expensive for people on fixed incomes and benefits. The partnership intends to sell the new range of controllers in the Adroit line at an affordable price. The Adroit Switchblade will be $399, around £250 which is considerably cheaper than many adaptive devices for gaming currently on the market.

Big congrats from all at Trabasack the teams involved including Adam Coe and Jonah Coe, Mark Barlet and Steve Spohn. We hope to meet up with them in the US next year.

The Adroit switchblade is a step closer to achieving high quality, low cost accessibility for gamers everywhere!

Ablegamers and Evil Controllers unveil new controller: The Adroit Switchblade

Hot news from our favourite US charity The Ablegamers Foundation, they have a teamed up with the awesome Evil Controllers to launch a brand new controller at the annual PAX event. The Adroit Switchblade is said to be the first in an innovative series of controllers that make gaming more accessible for all users.

Adroit controller logo

The new Adroit Switchblade controller is a joint effort from the two much admired organisations and has been developed to create “highly versatile assistive technology” at a reasonable and affordable price. Evil Controllers was one of the first controller modification companies to offer professional Rapid Fire and Fast Reload controller mods and is considered the best ‘modding company’ in the US.

Evil Controllers is admired in the gaming industry for their joint working with the AbleGamers. They have been developing bespoke controllers for gamers with disabilities with button modification and the ability to switch the button positioning.

“Adroit controller : jump into the gaming  without restrictions.”

Adam Coe, CEO of Evil Controllers said “Working with AbleGamers is very exciting and allows Evil Controllers to make larger strides in bringing gaming to the entirety of the population. Working with gamers with disabilities has been incredibly rewarding for all involved, both on the production and gaming end of the spectrum. I am personally very excited about the new Adroit controller, which AbleGamers and myself hope will enable even more people to play, and jump into the gaming community without restrictions.”

Mark Barlet, the President and co-founder of the Ablegamers Foundation said that the work behind the scenes to develop the new Adroit controller had been exhausting but very rewarding, he added that the new accessible controller has potential to enhance the gaming experience of people with disabilities and enable real change in their lives. Complimenting the intellectual and technological skills of the Evil Controller development team, he said “I could not be happier with the results”.

Unveiling the Switchblade

“The problem with equipment currently available to help the disabled community get into videogames is that it often costs way more than someone on disability can afford,” said Steve Spohn, Editor-In-Chief of ablegamers.com. The new Adroit Controller is expected to be affordable for the ordinary gamer, a breakthrough among expensive adapted controllers. Those lucky enough to be attending the PAX prime conference will be able to see the launch and ceremonial unveiling of the new Switchblade Adroit Controller during the  the “Gamers Doing Good, How Video Games Change People’s Lives” panel on Saturday, August 22, at 12:30 PST in the Serpent Theater, Penny Arcade Expo (PAX).

PAX takes place at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center, which is  located in downtown Seattle, Washington.

Trabasack and the Adroit Controller

At trabasack we are very excited about the launch of the new adroit controller and the new venture by Ablegamers. We are working with the Ablegamers to help bring trabasack to the gaming community in the US and look forward to seeing Trabasack working with the new Switchblade adapted controller. The Ablegamers are big fans of trabasack so we are hoping to see some pics of it being used at the launch event. Watch this space.

UPDATE

Now launched it looks awesome, Mark Barlet describes it as a ‘game changer for people with disabilities’. Read about the launch of the Adroit Switchblade in our next post.

AMAZING footage of a talented wheeler, skateboarding by balancing his rear wheels on a skateboard.

Mounir sk8 by vagdespoir

In the video a guy balances his manual wheelchair on a skateboard. He rocks back and forth, horizontally across the skateboard with his manual chair tipped back. He is a able to change the direction of the board and keep it going. Really very clever.

Found this on a French site called vagdespoir

Below is a google translation of the Vagdespoir site that looks interesting for those keen on accessible sports.

“VAGDESPOIR is a sports and social association.

Founded in March 2004 by a group of young handicapped and disabled, a passion for sports, including Ishmael GUILLIORIT is the founding president. It currently has over 600 members (of which two thirds are valid) at the national level and has set up eight antennas on the French coastline.

VAGDESPOIR has to be noticed by the originality of his actions, in particular, the discovery and practice of sports such as surfing, snowboarding, kite … by people with disabilities with able-bodied. To do this, teams are trying to adapt the material to different pathologies, allowing to satisfy the best and safe, the joys of skiing. All this for a specific purpose, to establish a climate conducive to the exchange in which sport, especially the outdoor recreation, not an end, but the tools par excellence, is pleased to allow shared Disabled and valid. During these outings, the relationships are not one-way, but in a genuine spirit of sharing, even when the disabled person has the opportunity to offer.

Using a manual wheelchair to ride on a skateboard!

If it were not already the case, VAGDESPOIR was made to recognize the general public by promoting its project in 2007, “The UN ZAND start” … a naked calendar, highlighting artistic and daring manner, a cast of his best HandiGlisse Riders …

OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION VAGDESPOIR are:

– Change the Look at Disability by promoting sports HandiGlisse, example: the traveling exhibition of photographs, “Vagdespoir.com Another Look at Disability”.
Change the look of valid, but more importantly, the look of people with disabilities themselves, such as “start to the Zande NU”.
– Conduct awareness campaigns in schools, colleges, high schools, universities and event-bodied and disabled.
– To carry out support and assistance to people affected by disability, the direct victims and indirect. First time in hospitals, listening and advice from relatives (parents, friends …), example at the University Hospital of Bordeaux, and with people with disabilities and their families in rehabilitation centers, to create the spark allowing them to rediscover the joy of living, such as: The Tower of Gassies, the center Kerpape …
– Actions sports, “Weekends HandiGlisse”, and outdoor activities, promoting the exchange and without disabilities, such as: ROYAN, GUIDEL, GRUISSAN, LACANAU, BISCARROSSE …
– Training, with providers that can accommodate this particular audience in the outdoor recreation, such as: the method “From parking to the Wave.”

All our actions are relayed by various media, press, radio, television,
and on our website, www.vagdespoir.com, with many illustrations:
“For us a well-chosen picture is worth a thousand words.”
Our pictures and videos are the guarantors of that best characterizes our association, “ACTION” …”

I bet there are more wheelchair skateboarding videos out there somewhere, feel free to post below.

Sometimes you just wish that you had thought of something first!  We need to think of a new idea for a video viral, and I came across this video. It is being shared across social media networks and many people do not realise it is a hoax. It supposedly show a new craze that has started in New York, Nude Gaming Parties!

It shows lots of people sitting around playing  video games in the nude at a New York night club. Black boxes tastefully hide any rude bits!

This video is a hoax viral for Xtendplay. You can see the people in the video using them. It is a controller holder that improves posture and grip of gaming handsets. The people in the video are actors and maybe unfortunately (!), there isn’t really a new craze for nude gaming sweeping across America.  I think the fact that eveyone has an extendplay in the video helps to give it away. Another clue is the unusual attractiveness and lack of diversity of these supposedly ordinary punters!

Now I really wish I had thought of this idea. We could of  shown nude gamers with trabasacks on their laps and controllers on the trabasacks. There would be far fewer black boxes needed in our video. It could have been a tasteful trabasack on the lap instead!  We would love to create another viral video. It will be hard to beat the 800,000+ views of the first trabasack video viral, but please email or  comment with any suggestions.

The Xtendplay Gaming Accessory

The Xtendplay holder does look useful though. Here is one of  the Xtendplay gaming accessory video’s from youtube that is a little less crytic and explains the benefits:

The soft foam controller holder is said to make gaming with Xbox360 and Playstation controllers more comfortable. These additions of a wide foam base to a controller could also help accessible gaming. They would add a wider and larger surface for people with poor grip. For those who want to attach their controller to something else, the foam could be modified or cut.

However, a disadvantage is that that anyone who uses a slightly modified or adapted controller might find that it did not fit the xtendplay as they are specific to the exact shapes of the original manufacturers models. More cutting and shaping would be needed.

If someone wanted to attach a controller to thier trabasack with velcro or ‘hook tape’, the xtendplay could help though. It would provide a bigger surface area for the tape and give move stability for a controller to be held on the ‘Connect’ surface of a Trabasack gaming bag. The xtendplay and controller would also fit inside the trabasack bag space after use.

We look foward to hearing from anyone who has used one with a trabasack. If any gamers reading this have tried using them together please let me know, a free trabasack T shirt of any pics sent in! But don’t worry, you won’t be asked to take part in the trabasack nude video gaming viral….

Post first appeared on the trabasack website xtendplay Nude Gaming Party Video