Joystick

Joystick is a device used by many video games today. However, they may also be used to control aircrafts, trucks, cranes etc. It is a stick that is mounted on top of a base that contains a circuit board of printed wires. It has got multiple push buttons. The miniature version of the joystick can be controlled by our fingers and is used with low profile equipment such as smartphones.

Working principle of device:

Joysticks transform the movement of the physical world into digital signal that can be interpreted by the computer. That exact movement is then replicated by the virtual characters/objects inside of the computer game. The sensors on the joystick detect the movement. A plastic button is present under the stick which houses a metal disc. After a movement is detected the plastic button is pushed which presses the metal disc against the circuit board. This completes the circuit. The completion of the circuit produces motion in the virtual counterpart. If the stick is in neutral position the circuit remains broken and no current flows.

Device installation: Joysticks are not natively supported by windows and therefore one needs to install the software that can allow the system to run joysticks. The device usually comes with an installation CD. It can alternatively be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website. Most joysticks today come with a USB interface.

Manufacturer of device, its models and prices:

1.     Logitech – Gamepad F310 (Rs. 1,299), Extreme 3D Pro (Rs. 2,838), Attack 3 (Rs. 16,263) etc

2.     Saitek – Pro X-56 Rhino HOTAS (Rs. 38,317), Cyborg Graphite USB (Rs. 7,650),  Aviator Dual Throttle (Rs. 19,917) etc

3.     Thrustmaster – USB Joystick (Rs. 1,249), T Flight Hotas X Flight Stick  (Rs. 10,184), T-16000M Flight Stick (Rs. 8,486)  etc

4.     Microsoft – Sidewinder Precision Pro (Rs. 15,480), Xbox Wired Controller Remote (Rs. 1,449) etc.

5.      Sony –  PS3 Dual Shock (Rs. 2,199), PS3 Dual Shock (Rs. 3,990) etc

Standard Configuration of device: Joysticks can be moved in the four basic directions and can detect movement about x, y or z axes. It can also detect acceleration. Touch too is transmitted to the computer via the joystick. These are the basic motions that are supported by all kinds of joysticks. Other sophisticated gestures that are required by high end games can be found in select models only. These game controllers can be designed so as to work with Microsoft windows and/or Macintosh. Standard joysticks come in the form of a stick mounted on a base whereas others are flat pads that can be held by both the hands. Both of them possess several buttons.

Cost: Basic USB joysticks cost somewhere about Rs. 1,200 whereas highly specialized and high end joysticks can cost as high as Rs. 40,000. The wireless variants of the joysticks are costlier and would cost around Rs. 2,500.

Market share of different models (Standard companies only):

l  Logitech

l  Saitek

l  Thrustmaster

l  Microsoft

l  Sony