Need Help Building PS3 Controller

CalebTGordan

I work in an assisted living home taking care of those with developmental disabilities. One of the clients is a good friend of mine and he love video games. The problem is, he doesn't have the physical ability to play most games. One hand and arm is pretty useless, the other can grip and move well enough to use joy sticks and buttons, but he lacks the find motor skills to play one-handed with a normal controller.

What I have been looking for is a controller he can use, but all of the large controllers I have found are either very expensive ($150+, outside of his budget,) or wouldn't fit his needs.

What I have found is a cool DIY project that I could easily do myself, but I want to change it a bit and I have no idea if it is possible.

This is the project that I found. It takes a Super Nintendo Super Advantage controller and makes it into a USB controller for the PS3.

I want to know how I can do the following:
- Make it possible to change what the joy stick controls. This way I can switch it from d-pad to right stick or left stick.
- Attach or connect a second controller that would be recognized as the same controller. For example, if the Super Advantage is controller 1, so would be the attached controller. This would allow me to play with him and cover anything he is able to do.

The idea is to have a controller that he can do a few things with, like move, aim, shoot, and jump, while I cover everything else and make up for anything he can't do.

Also, I have no idea if the Super Advantage would even be able to play normal PS3 games he likes like Borderlands or Mass Effect.

Can anyone help me find out if what he needs is possible? Your help would be greatly appreciated.

acidlacedpenguin

The madcatz fightsticks already come with a switch for dpad/leftstick/rightstick, so that might end up being a better starting point. I imagine if there's a teensy or arduino that has a bluetooth interface then you could probably "attach" a regular controller to it and wire it to simply repeat your buttonpress on the fightstick, but I've never actually played around with that kind of stuff before.

you'll probably get a better detailed brainstorm if you post this question in the tech talk subforum at shoryuken.com

CalebTGordan

Thank you for suggesting I visit shoryuken.com, I will check that out right away.

Also, I just had a friend offer to give me his madcatz. Looks like I will be using that one after all.

CuvisTheConqueror

You might also want to contact Ben Heck and see if he can provide any insight, or even build something for you. The guy has done some amazing work with console and controller mods, and has done a number of controllers for people with disabilities in the past.