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Widget Ideas for Adaptive Platform 2

A brainstorm of widget types for the modular controller builder, with a focus on accessibility for users with physical disabilities.

Current Widgets

Widget Description Status
Joystick 2-axis analog stick with thumb indicator ✅ Implemented
Button Single press button (toggle or momentary) ✅ Implemented
Slider Single-axis analog control (horizontal) ✅ Implemented

Planned Widgets

Steering Wheel

  • Type: wheel
  • Description: Rotational input mapped to a single axis. Visual is a circular arc that the user drags around. Great for driving games.
  • Properties: mapping.axis, rotation_range (e.g. 270°), center_return (bool)
  • Accessibility benefit: Larger target area than a joystick for single-axis control; intuitive for users who understand steering but struggle with dual-axis sticks.

D-Pad (Digital Directional Pad)

  • Type: dpad
  • Description: 4-directional button cluster (Up/Down/Left/Right). Each direction maps to a separate button ID.
  • Properties: mapping.up, mapping.down, mapping.left, mapping.right (button IDs)
  • Accessibility benefit: Discrete directional input is easier for users with tremors than continuous analog control.

Centered Slider (Spring-to-Center)

  • Type: Slider with center_return: true
  • Description: Like a standard slider but returns to center when released, like a flight stick axis. Useful for steering, pitch, or any axis where center = neutral.
  • Accessibility benefit: Provides analog axis control without needing a full 2D joystick — simpler for single-axis tasks.

Brainstormed Accessibility Widgets

Dwell Button (Hover-to-Activate)

  • Type: dwell_button
  • Description: Activates when the mouse hovers over it for a configurable duration (e.g. 1 second). No click required.
  • Properties: dwell_time_ms, button_id, visual_countdown (bool)
  • Accessibility benefit: Critical for users who cannot click a mouse — common in users with severe motor impairments. Works with eye-tracking systems that simulate mouse hover.
  • Visual: Circular fill animation showing dwell progress.

Large Target Button

  • Type: big_button
  • Description: Extra-large button that takes up significant screen area. Designed to be an easy target for users with limited fine motor control.
  • Properties: Same as button but with enforced minimum size (e.g. 120×120px)
  • Accessibility benefit: Fitts's Law — larger targets are easier to hit. Essential for users with tremors or limited precision.

Scan Mode Strip

  • Type: scan_strip
  • Description: A row of buttons that highlights sequentially. User presses a single switch (or clicks anywhere) to select the currently highlighted button. Configurable scan speed.
  • Properties: buttons[] (array of button IDs), scan_speed_ms, auto_scan (bool)
  • Accessibility benefit: Single-switch access — the gold standard for users with severe motor limitations who can only operate one switch. Used extensively in AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices.

Pressure Pad (Hold-for-Value)

  • Type: pressure_pad
  • Description: A large area where holding longer increases the axis value (like pressing harder on a trigger). Release resets. Visual shows a fill level.
  • Properties: mapping.axis, ramp_time_ms (time to reach full value), max_value
  • Accessibility benefit: Converts a simple hold action into analog axis control. No precision dragging needed — just hold and wait.

Radial Menu

  • Type: radial_menu
  • Description: Circular menu with segments. Click/drag into a segment to activate that button. Good for grouping related actions.
  • Properties: segments[] (array of {button_id, label, color})
  • Accessibility benefit: Groups many buttons into one target area. User only needs to reach one spot, then select direction. Reduces total mouse travel distance.

Toggle Panel

  • Type: toggle_panel
  • Description: Grid of on/off toggle switches, like a cockpit switch panel. Each switch stays in its position until flipped again.
  • Properties: switches[] (array of {button_id, label}), columns
  • Accessibility benefit: Clear visual state — switches show ON/OFF position. Good for cockpit sims where many buttons need to maintain state.

Macro Button

  • Type: macro_button
  • Description: A button that fires a sequence of button presses/releases with configurable delays.
  • Properties: sequence[] (array of {button_id, pressed, delay_ms}), label
  • Accessibility benefit: Reduces complex multi-button inputs to a single action. Critical for users who cannot perform rapid sequential inputs (e.g. fighting game combos, QTE sequences).

✅ Macro Joystick Mode (IMPLEMENTED v1.3.0)

  • Type: Enhancement to existing joystick widget
  • Description: Converts a joystick into a directional macro input. Each of 8 zones (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW) + center can trigger buttons, multiple buttons, axis values, or turbo (auto-fire).
  • Properties: macro_mode (bool), macro_config (zones object with action configs)
  • Action types: none, button, multi_button, axis, turbo
  • Accessibility benefit: Users who can only control one joystick can now access ABXY buttons, D-pad, triggers, shoulders, and turbo functions — all from directional input. Inspired by the GCM (Game Controller Mixer) joystick modes.
  • Implementation: MacroEditorDialog.qml (visual zone editor), DraggableWidget.qml (zone detection + execution)

Mouse Lock Joystick (Triple-Click Lock)

  • Type: Enhancement to existing joystick
  • Description: Triple-click on a joystick to lock the mouse to it — the mouse is captured and all movement controls the joystick until triple-click again. Eliminates the need to stay within the joystick circle.
  • Accessibility benefit: Users don't need to maintain mouse position within a small target. Once locked, the entire mouse range becomes the joystick range. Essential for flight simulators where continuous joystick control is needed.

Sticky Axis (Click-to-Set)

  • Type: Enhancement to slider/joystick
  • Description: Click to set a value, and it stays there without holding. Click again to change. Like a "click and release" throttle.
  • Properties: sticky: true on any axis widget
  • Accessibility benefit: Removes the need to hold the mouse down continuously. Users can set a throttle value and release the mouse.

Eye-Gaze Zone

  • Type: gaze_zone
  • Description: Very large colored zones on screen. When the mouse (or eye tracker cursor) enters a zone, it activates. Can be configured as buttons or axis regions.
  • Properties: activation_method ("enter" or "dwell"), mapping
  • Accessibility benefit: Designed for eye-tracking input. Zones should be large enough (200×200+) for reliable gaze detection.

Tilt Indicator (Accelerometer Input)

  • Type: tilt_display
  • Description: If the device has an accelerometer (tablet, phone via companion app), display tilt angle and map to axes.
  • Accessibility benefit: Some users can tilt a device more easily than move a mouse. Could work via WebSocket from a phone companion app.

Widget Sizing Guidelines for Accessibility

User Need Recommended Minimum Size
Standard mouse user 40×40px
Limited fine motor control 80×80px
Significant tremor 120×120px
Eye-tracking / head mouse 150×150px
Single-switch scanning Full-width strip

Priority Order for Implementation

  1. Centered Slider (quick addition — center_return property on existing slider)
  2. D-Pad (common need, straightforward 4-button widget)
  3. Steering Wheel (unique value for driving games)
  4. Triple-Click Mouse Lock (high value for flight sim users)
  5. Dwell Button (critical accessibility feature)
  6. Scan Mode Strip (single-switch access)
  7. Macro Button (complex input simplification)
  8. Pressure Pad (analog from hold duration)
  9. Radial Menu (efficient button grouping)
  10. Toggle Panel (cockpit sim use case)