Birch Sliding USB Joystick

The Birch Sliding USB Joystick is a small USB joystick that moves in a sliding motion instead of the typical pivoting motion of a joystick or thumbstick. It can be used for adapted gaming, either with the Xbox Adaptive Controller or used directly with a PC.

The PSP-style game controller sliding thumbstick joystick has a range of motion of ±2 mm and requires approximately 115 grams-force to fully deflect. A range of toppers are available for this joystick.

The analog version of the Birch Sliding USB Joystick is the Aspen Sliding Joystick.

To use the Birch Sliding USB Joystick, first position the joystick for the user, mounting if needed. Then, plug in the USB-C to USB-A cable to both the joystick and the host device, such as the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Wait for the joystick to initialize, then move the joystick like a thumbstick on a standard controller. If needed, there are 5 different toppers that can be used in place of the standard topper.

Detailed usage instructions are provided in the User Guide, which is available to logged-in users via the Project Link.

For joystick users who require a USB joystick with a very small range of motion for gaming.

This is a intermediate build requiring electronics, mechanics, 3D printing, and using the Arduino IDE.

This build consists of a number of off-the-shelf electronic components that are soldered into a protoboard and connected together using wires and solder bridges. The electronics are then assembled into a 3D printed enclosure and the firmware is flashed to the microcontroller using the Arduino IDE.

Detailed instructions are provided in the Maker Guide, which is available to logged-in users via the Project Link.

CERN Open Hardware License - Weakly Reciprocal (OHL-W)