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Touchless tech is a huge gaming accessibility upgrade

Accessibility to games for disabled people used to require expensive specialist equipment. Now, sophisticated – and free – applications like MotionInput are helping to make the hobby more equitable.

Picking up a controller or a mouse is second nature to the majority of game enthusiasts, but there is a large community that sadly don’t have that option.

In the UK, 66% of gamers with a disability or condition say they face barriers of both a practical and economical nature when trying to play games. In the US, this strife is felt by roughly 46 million gamers.

For console players, both Sony and Microsoft released their own customisable gamepads which have proven useful to some, but those with severe motor impairments have had precious few options to partake.

With recent breakthroughs in ‘touchless’ technology, however, that inclusivity gap has been markedly narrowed.

Those who previously would have needed to invest heavily in specialist equipment such as eye-tracking devices can now download free software (from the Microsoft store) with a range of user-specific options and preferences.

Functional without any physical touch, MotionInput lets users create control presets that are entirely unique to them and their ability to play.

Small gestures, motions, or facial expressions visible through any modern webcam can be mapped to in-game functions. An AI machine learning system provided by Intel then ensures the game corresponds correctly.

MotionInput, developed by University College London computer science professor Dean Mohamedally, had been in the works for four years where it was tested by more than 200 students. Now, it is available for any standard PC or laptop.

‘This new controller helps me play better,’ said Safiya, a student with a motor disability at the Richard Cloudesley School in London during a bug audit session. ‘It is easy. It helps me experience every action of the game,’ she added.

The excitement surrounding the digital product is really encouraging and this feels like a genuine watershed moment for inclusivity and accessibility in gaming.

While charities like SpecialEffect and Able Gamers have helped to create custom controllers for people in recent years, there hadn’t been a viable and affordable option with the potential to have widescale impact until MotionInput.

Dr Lynsay Shepard, a senior lecturer in cybersecurity at Abertay University, believes this success should now be built upon by making gamers with disabilities key consultants in future developments.

That way, developers can attain specific insights from those who matter most as they attempt to tailor the gaming experience for maximum enjoyment.

As the world becomes increasingly digitised, assistive technology should strive to ensure that nobody is left behind. Kudos to MotionInput, we’re excited to see what else it comes up with.

Accessibility