One-handed Wii controller is a feel-good mod

by Candace Savino { Feb 18th 2008 at 5:00PM }

While we love gaming, it's often easy to overlook the fact that people with certain handicaps tend to get left out of the hobby. That's why reader Ryan Culy recently modded the Wiimote and Nunchuck into a controller that can be used with one hand.

Designed for a friend who lost most of his left arm, Ryan moved the "Z" and "C" buttons from the Nunchuck to the Wiimote. The joystick was separated and can be put on a table, knee, or foot, allowing the player to control it with his or her elbow.

Although Ryan makes his creation look and sound easy, we know the process wasn't simple. Everyone's favorite mod genius, Ben Heck, was so impressed that he featured it as his "Pick of the Wii-k."

To read about the creation of the one-handed Wii controller in detail, hit up Ryan's site and check out the "projects" section.

Gallery: One-handed Wii controller

Tags: mod, nunchuck, one-handed, ryan-culy, wiimote

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Just_a_guy @ Feb 18th 2008 5:42PM

how would you do the spin attack?

Razor @ Feb 18th 2008 6:09PM

Nice job. I hope Nintendo will do something similar in the near future for handicapped gamers.

Matt @ Feb 19th 2008 6:02AM

Same here Razor

Great job! :)

Wedge @ Feb 18th 2008 6:14PM

As a guy with one and a half arms myself, this is intriguing to me.

Tom @ Feb 18th 2008 6:25PM

Wow. That's really cool. Although it wouldn't work of rsome games (TP's spin attack wouldn't work, for example. Still, at least it opens some doors for all the handicapped people out there!

Cyan09 @ Feb 18th 2008 6:31PM

Just_a_guy - the motion sensing portion straps to my friend's arm just below the elbow on his arm missing a hand, that way he can still shake it for motion sensing, such as the spin attack in Zelda. The motion sensing even works well with games requiring tilting in conjunction with moving the joystick, such as SSX Blur.

Also, my last name is Culy, not Curly. Just so you know Wiifanboy ;)

Candace Savino @ Feb 18th 2008 6:42PM

Fixed! Sorry about that, Ryan! :)

Ev @ Feb 18th 2008 7:09PM

That is very awesome! It's nice to hear about somebody who uses his modding talent to help a friend in need!

Lanceh @ Feb 18th 2008 7:39PM

That's pretty awesome. I know a guy with only one hand (he has most of his left arm, it just stops around the elbow area; been like that since birth, apparently) and although he can use a normal controller just fine as the main thing of interest on the left is the joystick and he can use that with his elbow, I imagine the Wii is more tricky. On a slightly irrelevant note, he's amazing at Smash Bros; fortunate that the GC controller's an option so I can continue to get owned. XD

Nice job, Ryan!