Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller is an achievement in tech design, making gaming accessible to those with severe disabilities. Once again, they're doing something great for a community that deserves to play games as much as anyone else.
This time, Halo developers 343 Industries is teaming up with Limbitless Solutions, a non-profit that creates prosthetic arms for children free of charge. In 2019, together they will make a Halo-themed arm prosthetic.
This prosthetic is a replica of Master Chief's Mjolnir armor. Two variants are available: one is Master Chief's iconic color scheme, and the second is a "multiplayer variant" that offers customized colors. Just like how you can customize your own color scheme on your armors in Halo multiplayer, so too can children do the same for this prosthetic arm.
These arms "are fully functional and capable of gripping objects and various gestures are created and fitted to children." The 343 Industries blog post said:
We’re infinitely honored to have been approached Limbitless Solutions to help further their ongoing mission to make heroes out of humanity and look forward to delivering hope and helping hands beginning early next year.Limbitless has other connections to video games and pop culture. Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. personally delivered a child's Iron Man-themed prosthetic arm in 2015.
They also have a program called Games For Accessibility which combines education and gaming for everyone in one program:
Our UCF School of Visual Arts & Design (SVAD) game design students have been working under SVAD Professors Matt Dombrowski, Peter Smith, and Ryan Buyssens to create fun, creative, and immersive games tailored to train our Bionic Kids adapt to their 3D printed arms more efficiently.These games are tailored to help these children "learn various flex patterns for the arm" as they game. You yourself can even download them on the Games For Accessibility page.
The Halo prosthetic will be available in 2019, and it's always great to see gaming and charity intersecting.
What do you think of 343's collaboration with Limbitless to make this Halo Prosthetic? Are there any other great projects like this you know about? Let us know in the comments below!
