This controller prioritizes ease of access. Its responsive joysticks require minimal force to use and automatically return to their neutral position after use. Additionally, the joystick heads are customizable, including an attachment to use them with your feet. These features make the controller user-friendly and adaptable, catering to a wide range of users.

Supplies

Included links are examples of the material that can be used. It's completely fine if there is another brand or similar material that you want to use

Foam Core - can also be found at arts/crafts store or Dollar Tree

Plastic Straws - can also be found at arts/crafts store or Dollar Tree

Hot Glue - can be found at arts/crafts store or Dollar Tree

Conductive Tape

Duct Tape - can also be found at arts/crafts store or Dollar Tree

Alligator Clips

Exacto Knife

Pool Noodles - can also be found at arts/crafts store or Dollar Tree

Rubber Bands - can be bought in bulk at arts/crafts store or Dollar Tree. Small rubber bands are recommended

Bubble Wrap

Thin Wire

Makey Makey

Links

Scratch Controller Test Interface

Makey Makey Remap Website

CAD Joystick Mechanism:

joystick holder

Step 1: Creating Boxes

Cut four identical rectangles and two identical squares from the foam core. The length of the rectangles should match both the length and width of the squares. Using a hot glue gun, attach each rectangle to one of the squares, ensuring that all four rectangles are glued to the sides of one square. Leave the other square unglued for the time being. Repeat the entire process to make a second box in the same manner.

Step 2: Creating the Lids

To prepare the two squares that were previously unglued for the upcoming joystick construction, you'll need to make adjustments to them. Start by cutting large T shapes out of the middle of each square, as shown in the picture above. Ensure you perform this modification on both squares.

Step 3: Constructing Joystick Heads

Begin by cutting a cylinder that is 1.75 inches long from one of your pool noodles. Next, take a strip of bubble wrap and wrap it around the head of a straw. Insert the bubble-wrapped straw into the segment of the pool noodle. Secure everything in place by covering the top with duct tape. Repeat these steps to create another joystick using the same materials and method.

Step 4: Implementing the Joystick Mechanism

Begin by taking the 3D printed CAD component and securely glue it into the center of the box. Next, take the straws that you prepared in the previous step for making the joystick heads and insert one into each mechanism. Use hot glue to firmly attach the straws inside the mechanism. Once the straws are in place, attach a rubber band to each side of the box. Ensure that the sides you select for this coincide with the T-shaped cutouts on the lids. After hot gluing the rubber bands to the walls of the box, stretch each rubber band over and around the straw. This provides the tension needed for the joystick to return to the center position. Now, cover the straw with conductive tape and place the lid on top of the box. Before securing the lid with hot glue, ensure that the joystick is positioned in the middle of the T-shaped cutout on the lid, and that it can move smoothly to all three parts of the T shape. If the joystick is misaligned, you can trim the lid to accommodate it. Once you have the proper alignment and proportions, glue the lid securely to the top of the box. Lastly, apply conductive tape to each end of the T shape on the lid. Apply this entire procedure for both boxes. To test the joystick, make sure the straw can come into contact with the conductive tape on all three sides to ensure proper functionality.

Step 5: Foot Attachment

Start by cutting a small strip from a pool noodle and semi-hollow it out. Embed a wire of equal length into the hollowed area and secure it in place with hot glue. Wrap the pool noodle strip into a circle and use hot glue to hold it together, ensuring it stays in place until the glue is completely dried. Repeat this process using a smaller strip of pool noodle and a smaller wire to create a second circle. Once you have both circles, glue them together by their sides. Next, cut a 2.5-inch pool noodle cylinder and create a thinner cylinder out of its center. Wrap this thinner cylinder with duct tape. To attach this cylinder to the circular structure, fold a strip of bubble wrap and glue it to the top of the cylinder. Then glue the top of the cylinder to the bottom of the two circles so that they sit atop the cylinder. Stuff the cylinder about halfway full with bubble wrap to create an interface for the straw joysticks. This attachment is interchangeable with the joystick heads. You can easily remove the joystick head and replace it with this foot attachment, or vice versa, as needed.

Step 6: Attaching the Makey Makey

Gather 8 alligator clips. Attach 2 of these clips to the "earth" part of the Makey Makey. Attach one clip to each of the 2 straw joysticks, ensuring that the clips come into contact with the conductive tape on the straws. Attach one clip to each of the 6 inputs on the Makey Makey. These inputs typically include up, down, left, right, space, and click. Finally, attach the loose ends of the 6 alligator clips onto each end of the two Ts that are covered with conductive tape. For improved wire management, you can enhance the organization by either securing the excess wire via taping them together or affixing it to the box itself.

Step 7: Creating Input Labels

To clearly label the sides corresponding to each input after attaching alligator clips, you can use various methods. I found the easiest approach to be creating arrow labels from duct tape using an exacto knife. Then, you can tape these arrows next to each input, aligning each arrow to represent a specific directional input. For the space and click inputs, a straightforward way is to write the respective words on appropriately sized pieces of duct tape and attach them next to the corresponding input they represent.