Using the right joystick allows Korneel to play interactive games again
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disease characterized by progressive muscle degeneration. Korneel, who loves gaming, wants to get the maximum out of his limited muscle strength. In this story, he explains how he uses the HID Joystick and other technologies to enjoy gaming and to live independently.
“The biggest change for me is that I can play interactive games again, alone or together with other people, like my niece.”
- Korneel from Dordrecht, the Netherlands
Finding the right gaming joystick
Korneel, currently thirty-eight years old, always enjoyed gaming. “From the age of sixteen, I could solely game via my computer mouse. When this was no longer an option, I switched to the Mini Joystick from Permobil to control the computer”, Korneel explains. He also tried the Adaptive Controller from Xbox. When Korneel comes to a point where he can only move a few fingers, he decides to look into other solutions.
Ruud van der Wel, therapist at Rijndam Revalidatie and the founder of My Breath My Music, assists Korneel in his search. This is how he discovers the HID Joystick. A sensitive joystick suitable for people with limited muscle strength. Via USB you connect this joystick to another device. In this way, you can work in mouse, joystick or keyboard mode on different devices. “This joystick is ideal for interactive gaming”, Korneel adds.
Ready for interactive gaming
He has been using the joystick for about two years now. “Before I used this joystick, I often had to fall back on simple games like Candy Crush. Now I can play more interactive games again,” Korneel says. The switches linked to the joystick allow Korneel to hand over control to another player. When he is alone he uses his puff switch in addition to the HID Joystick - to move through a game menu, for example.
“With this joystick I have much more control and besides that, it’s very convenient that other players can take over control when needed because of the additional switches.”
- Korneel from Dordrecht, the Netherlands
“With this joystick I have much more control and can steer more precisely during, for example, racing games,” says Korneel. Putting cushions underneath his hands, help him to get into the right position. In this way, his hands are at the correct height and he can use a few fingers optimally.
Living live to the fullest
Korneel lives by himself in an apartment. Besides his gaming joystick, he uses a lot of other technologies in order to maximize his possibilities. His Roltec Viper wheelchair has a Permobil Mini Joystick. This allows him to control his Housemate. “I use Housemate to control the doors, lights, TV and intercom in the house and can call for care if needed,” Korneel says. He also uses a robot arm to drink, to grab (small) objects or to manually press buttons.
Korneel, thanks for sharing your story. All HID Joystick users can join our Google Group to share information about their experience and configuration. Are you someone with limited muscle strength or do you know someone with limited muscle strength who wants to use technology in an optimal way to enjoy work, hobbies, etc.? Contact us for case-specific advice.
