Keyboard Joystick

I was playing a video game on my PC and found that my poor little fingers were getting sore from pressing the WASD keys.  Since I am playing this game a lot perhaps I could find a way to ease the pain by using a joystick or gamepad.  I already have a couple of old gamepads lying around that won't work due to compatibility issues so I was reluctant to buy a new one.  So I made a little joystick that can be placed on the keyboard.  It is light weight and portable, no cables to plug in and there is no need to download any drivers.  Just set it on your keyboard and it is ready to go.

Bonus: I created a 3d model of the joystick.  See step 5 below!

Step 1: What you will need

• Coat hanger
• Sugru or make you can make your own here. You can also make it with clay but you will likely need to but some rubber feet on the bottom to grip the keys batter.
• Thinner wire (20 gauge)
• Needle nose pliers
• Plastic wrap

Comments

[instructamaker]

That is so smart!!!! I ometimes play online games I can so use this.

[papercrafter408]

may i ask what game you are playing? because i know of a game that can do the same thing to me! :)

[ChrysN]

I'm playing Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, you spend a lot of time running around a large open world. How about you, is it Minecraft?

[papercrafter408]

yes, it is minecraft! same here with the running around! you can literally do anything you want... until a creeper comes by and messes it all up...

[karalalala]

Simple & totally genius!

[ChrysN]

Thanks!

[GASHLYCRUMBTINY]

omg I wish i had seen this a loooooong time ago! U R AMAZING!!! =(^..^)= purrrrrrrrrrr!

[ChrysN]

Thanks! I like your ASCII cat

[GASHLYCRUMBTINY]

Awwww ty! n I voted 4 ya! =D

[n-2-stuff]

This is one of those things you go why didn't I think of that. Awesome. You got my vote.

[ChrysN]

Thanks!

[neil1701]

back in the 80s,you used to get a thingiemajig for sinclair computers like the zx81/TS1000 or ZX Spectrum 48k/TS2000 which was like your creation but it stuck on over the 5,6,7,8 and possibly 9 key for fire.I never had one myself,i had a C64 with 2 x Konix Navigator joysticks,but i think this was called a Sinclir Cursor Joystick,probably made by datel or Dk'Tronics or Fuller or CDS microsystems.You could probably find a picture of it on a Sinclair computers retro-computing website....

[xenobiologista]

Another option besides Sugru for silicone rubber is EasyMold. It's a 2-part mix (as in it comes in 2 jars and you have to mix equal amounts of each) so it doesn't start setting once you open the container, so it can last longer. Only drawback is that the only colour option is purple. http://eti-usa.com/easymold-silicone-putty/

[ChrysN]

That looks really good, coincidentally I was looking for something to use for a food safe mold for another project, thanks for the link.

[xenobiologista]

It's fun stuff, I've made a bouncy case of it for my ebook reader, which is an unusual brand and needed a slot to keep its stylus in. My only other complaint is that the working time, once mixed, is a bit short (3 minutes).

[blueaxe]

I'd be willing to bet a similar device could be fabricated using wooden dowels and a small plywood disc. Very clever though, I always applaud creativity. Kudos!!

[ChrysN]

Yes, wood can be used for this too.

[Matheus98bp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE0AXDOQHIA&feature=plcp

[Manny B]

I'm soiling myself on how clever this is.

[13blue]

Frik-in Gene-yus!

[xanxor]

GOTTA GRIP DAT KEY BATTER!!!

[handyhippie65]

this is cool! i say patent it, and try to market it. you could sell millions of them. all hail the keystick!

[Treknology]

It's nice to see a home-made one, but it can't be patented.

The original "Keystick" was released in the 80s. It had a small flat pad that adhered to the number [Keypadfive] and the Keystick slipped into it operating the 2, 4, 6, and 8 arrows on the numeric pad. It tempted me back then, but as a typist, I didn't want to lose the touch on [Keypadfive], and I didn't (and still don't) play enough games to justify it.

I can state with full knowledge that it existed, because I did try one on someone else's keyboard.

An image search does not turn it up, probably because it died out before the www got started, but I did find this which could probably also be modified to do the "WASD" thing:

http://media.eventhubs.com/images/2011/04/24_keystick.jpg

[handyhippie65]

and that is why most new patents are not new ideas, but improvements of others ideas. as they say in writing, there are no new stories, just new characters. it is still a really neat idea.

[Treknology]

I'm not knocking the project, I think it's a fine example of "parallel thinking".

[Treknology]

Some addition searching turned up this which is as close to the original as I can find:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_BQjC9aTBcYk/S99E4G6AC2I/AAAAAAAAATY/i2L3mYWUMg0/s144/stickrender_thumb_large.jpg

[ChrysN]

Keystick, that is a great name for it, thanks!

[handyhippie65]

your welcome. when i saw it, and read about what it does, it just popped into my head.

[Kiteman]

What a cracking idea!

Well done that man!

_{(Now you need to persuade HQ to 3d print one for you...)}

[ChrysN]

Yes, perhaps they will run another 3D print giveaway.

[randofo]

Just make a 3D model and let me know...

[ChrysN]

I created a 3d model by cloning the joystick with 123catch. I added it to the instructable.

[Kiteman]

I saw a colleague playing with 123D Sculpt on his iPad today - you could use that to smooth off the rough edges.

When you get the printed version, you might still want to add a dot of Sugru to the feet, to prevent slippage (or maybe those adhesive rubber feet you can buy).

[ChrysN]

I imagine 123D Sculpt would work well, but sadly I don't have an Ipad. It is a shame they don't have a PC version of the program, it looks really cool. Putting feet on it is a good idea.

[onlylooklikepackrat]

Though I havn't tried myself, 123D Sculpt reminds me of a free application for PC's....123D, a CAD program that can take the catch input. Maybe it would do what it is you are looking to do.

[splinteredtriplet]

You should try sculptris (sculpting tool and awesome) or blender (3d modeling and sculpting and a bunch of stuff) on the pc. they're both free, look up the videos of people sculpting on youtube.

[ChrysN]

Cool, I'll check them out.

[mitch and sean]

Hey, I saw this instructable and thought I would try it. But I modified it, a lot.

Instead of using sugru and all those wires, all I used is plasticine that I had some where.

It was really hard to mold and shape so I just took my pocket knife and cut off what I needed

After I molded it it looked great and I don't think it will melt, :)

Here are a few pics that I took

[ChrysN]

Cool, I'm glad to hear that it works with other material than just Sugru, since not everyone has that lying around there home.

[trgz]

Love it. It reminds me of a very budget ZX Spectrum clip-on keyboard joystick - link here: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=YourSpectrum/Issue01/Pages/YourSpectrum0100027.jpg

[AntzyP]

That's pure genius!

[sitearm]

@ChrysN; Hi! Agree with all the other comments it's so simple it's brilliant. Now... did it help you beat the game more? Cheers! : ) Site

[he who crashes often]

AWESOME! i had been thinking about doing this for a long time, but all my protorypes didn't work. by the way, i know exactly what you mean about the wasd fingers getting sore.

[lordzamiel]

Made one out of sculpey, worked great. I added some small (1cm) rubber dot feet to the legs to make it stay put better, the sculpey was slipping around quite a bit without it.

[Dowaine]

awesome do you think you could make it with Crayola air dry clay instead of sugru

[ChrysN]

I am sure that would work. Sugru is a bit rubbery so it can grip the keys a little better, but if you put something on the bottom like those adhesive rubber feet it should work fine.

[Thrasym]

Interesting idea but it seems counter productive. I'm curious if you've used it much since you finished making it?

What do you do when you have to hit a key that isn't WASD? I don't know many games that don't use at least a few other keys regularly.

And don't you have to lift it up to push a key without depressing the other keys? Particularly the two closest to the one being pushed down.

I'm thinking, your arm must get tired, holding your hand up in the air like that. Doesn't it?

[ChrysN]

I had the same concerns before I made it but thought I wouldn't know until I try. I've have used it a fair bit now and it isn't too bad with regards to using the other keys, I can still reach them. With the game I'm using it with mostly uses the WAXD and the mouse and mouse buttons.

As for ergonomics, I can rest my wrist on the desk. (In the video it looks a bit awkward because I am holding the camera in my other hand and trying to hold it back far enough to get the keyboard and screen in focus).

[woodstockbirdy]

....Minecraft....

[sherrycayheyhey]

exactly what I was thinking

[bull660]

I am a gamer and this honestly, seems like a brilliant idea for having quick reactions and saving your self in a game. and it's cheap and fun as you make it your self. so customizable. Epic!!! thanks for this simple idea, which i for some reason could not come up with on my own. thank you. :D

[caarntedd]

Brilliant.

[Treasure Tabby]

What a clever idea and it looks like an alien hand or foot. :D

[dreamberry]

Buddy! Too Cool!

[dimdiode]

Inspirational, innovative, and downright smart. Outstanding idea, well executed. As other say, it's the idea which is brilliant, though other materials may also work. For one, and it's only my opinion, but I reckon Sugru is way expensive. Though I am yet to try to make the Sugru alternative which is in here: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-Your-Own-Sugru-Substitute/

it seems like it should work, and it's a lot cheaper.


But that's not the point here, you've made a very clever little gizmo and it deserves all the plaudits it's getting. And it fits in your pocket (rats!) Well done.

[ChrysN]

Thanks. Good point about the Sugru, I was lucky that I had a pack lying around, but if you don't you can certainly make some. I'll add that link above.

[sherrycayheyhey]

I was going to make something like this for the screen shot command out of some LEGO. I really like your way a lot better and the key sequence and I happen to have some extra Sugru...

[DTaco]

Awesome idea!
This is so unique! Nice Job :-)

[NightHawkInLight]

This is a brilliant idea, but there's got to be a better way to implement it. Perhaps if it were permanently affixed to the num pad and had swiveling joints above each key for a smoother action.

[ravenking]

This is very clever. You probably could also make it with polymer clay like sculpey, or even a carved eraser. Do you think this design could be made for smaller keyboards like cell phones?

[ChrysN]

I'm sure you can make it fit smaller devices.

[depotdevoid]

Cool idea!

[mikeasaurus]

This is very clever..perfect for those times I push ESDF instead of WASD!

[ChrysN]

I hate when that happens!

[jrg3ni0us]

Dafuq is sugru?

[ChrysN]

http://sugru.com/about/

[Mimikry]

Such a good idea!

[ilpug]

So going to do this...

[hilldomain]

you should patent it.

[sunshiine]

This is so adorable! Thanks for sharing! You always amaze me!
Sunshiine

[ChrysN]

Thanks!

[CaseyCase]

Clever!

[randofo]

Ha! Fantastic.

[Jason Bedard]

Ha! Brilliant idea.