Wheelchair Enabled Arcade

[CoryBee]

My brother is a church-goer and was showing off the latest bartop I am building. A mother told him to ask me if it was possible to make a stand up arcade wheelchair accessible. Like build one from scratch.

I am thinking I could make it so the person wheels themselves into the control panel??? 



Anyways, just entertaining the idea. Any of you guys heard of a build like this? Or any ideas on enabling a kid in a disabled position to play a stand up arcade??

Thanks

[HaRuMaN]

Look up candy cabinets, their are a ton of Japanese sit down cabinets.

Also, the Taito Vewlix has reproduced by people, take a look at that.

[TopJimmyCooks]

I think user Konkeykong built an accessible cab at one point - not sure if he's active here lately.  You've got the right idea, seated height control panel with plenty of legroom underneath. 

[CoryBee]

I think user Konkeykong built an accessible cab at one point - not sure if he's active here lately.  You've got the right idea, seated height control panel with plenty of legroom underneath.

Konkeykong eh? I will do a search for the build. Don't suppose you have a link?

Candy cabs are nice but would that give enough room for a wheelchair?

[Nephasth]

I think user Konkeykong built an accessible cab at one point - not sure if he's active here lately.  You've got the right idea, seated height control panel with plenty of legroom underneath.

Konkeykong eh? I will do a search for the build. Don't suppose you have a link?

Here was his FS thread: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,90936

[leapinlew]

Couldn't you just put one of the bartops on the edge of a table he can wheel under?

[PL1]

Another consideration is some way to adjust height on either the legs or the CP since chairs will have different clearances and players may be comfortable with different elevations/angles.

Maybe two modded assemblies like these EightBySix uses in his Insert Coffee build.  Use one closer to the front and one in the back.  Move both at the same time to adjust height.  Move just one to adjust angle.  Use limit switches to keep the angle from being excessive.  A small joystick on the side of the cab within reach of the player allows them to adjust height and tilt.

Couldn't you just put one of the bartops on the edge of a table he can wheel under?

Bah! Why do it the easy way!   


Scott

[CoryBee]

Couldn't you just put one of the bartops on the edge of a table he can wheel under?

Not sure what to do yet, just had the call this morning. Going to have a talk with them and do some measurements. Just wanted to see what options were available beforehand.

I like what KonkeyKong did, I wouldn't need the drawer to come out though. It would be a low cost and permanent wheel chair accessible two player. Like konkeykong would need it to be able to be played alongside a standing person......

Once I talk to them I will have more of an idea of what they want and if they are going to want to pay the price I ask for the work.

[CoryBee]

Bah! Why do it the easy way!   

Scott

Damn you want it to be all complicated eh?
You would install a super complex mechanism when all you really needed was some reed switches  (inside joke)

[paigeoliver]

When you add in the design detail that it must be simultaneously playable by someone standing then you sabotage the project with conflicting goals.

[leapinlew]

Well, here is what I think. Build a wheelchair with hydraulic lifts that actually tilt him back about 15 degrees and secure the wheelchair in 5 points for safety So the idea is he wheels up to a spot and the lifts start to get to work. You'll want to use a camera and write some software which will do facial and voice recognition. He will speak "GAME START". Then use a motorized actuator arm that drops down a screen hidden in the ceiling drywall joists. Did I not mention the actuator arm yet? No, ok, well you need an arm cut into the ceiling to fit inside the joists, now this only works if the joists are 16" center joists, but you need a servo motor which detects when the hydraulics from the wheelchair are enabled. Once it detects the hydraulic lifts the actuator arm automatically deploys and drops down a monitor at the correct height and angle. To avoid the whole system overheating, I recommend a liquid nitrogen cooling system. Don't get one of the cheap chinese knockoffs either. Get a genuine Komatoko model to cool down both the servo monitor and hyrdaulics. Next you have to consider the controls. You could have them also attached to the actuator arm for the monitor but what fun is that? So, we really need to think of a good way to mount the controls.


OR.... you could move the bartop to the edge of the table.

[yotsuya]

I'm with lew. Build a nice bartop. That way you have some flexibility.

[PL1]

When you add in the design detail that it must be simultaneously playable by someone standing then you sabotage the project with conflicting goals.

Provide a stool for the player not in a chair and the conflict is resolved.   


Scott

[TopJimmyCooks]

When you add in the design detail that it must be simultaneously playable by someone standing then you sabotage the project with conflicting goals.

Provide a stool for the player not in a chair and the conflict is resolved.   


Scott

PaigeOliver made a very valid point and you provided a very wise solution.  I love it when a plan comes together. 

[PL1]

When you add in the design detail that it must be simultaneously playable by someone standing then you sabotage the project with conflicting goals.

Provide a stool for the player not in a chair and the conflict is resolved.   


Scott

PaigeOliver made a very valid point and you provided a very wise solution.  I love it when a plan comes together.

I figured I owed this thread at least ONE simple solution.   


Scott

[rCadeGaming]

Yeah a candy cab was my first thought.  An actual one would probably be too low to fit under, but one in that style would be great.

I also agree that making simultaneously a stand up cab is too much, provide a stool or chair for other people.

My current project is a candy-style cab meant to be played sitting down in a chair.  I got some slick rolling office-type chairs with no arms at staples.

[KonkeyKong]

Still active... Still going broke....stupid hobby.

Stand-up cabs look cool and have that nostalgic arcade-feel going for them, but no matter what I've built or converted, they never fit right with the wheelchair.  Bartops are kind of tricky too, depending on the type of wheelchair involved.  I use an electric powered chair which has armrests and it's own joystick that only allow me to get "so-close" to a table.  The bartop had to hang over the edge so I could reach the controls.  If designed with that in mind, no problem, otherwise a lap full of unbalanced bartop sucks.  Right now I'm working on a couple candy cabs that may just be what I've been trying to achieve all these years.  I'm building an open front platform for the cab to sit on.  The platform is just tall enough for my knees to get under the control panel and the open front let's my feet slip underneath.  The way candy caps are built, there is plenty of room for two players.  I have to build the platforms yet, so I don't have solid proof, but the measurements SEEM flawless.  If not keep an eye on Buy-Sell-Trade for a couple candy cabs.  I'll try to update this when I can, but things move kind of slowly at home project-wise.  Two teenagers seem to be a constant supply of drama.

[TopJimmyCooks]

Konk, would a narrower but deeper CP than typical be worthwhile?   Narrow, perhaps 16" wide, to fit between armrests and allow getting close, deeper for clearance underneath.  It becomes a one player cab, though. 

Getting the candy cab with an openable or always open front sounds like a good modification.  They're rare to nonexistent in the south so I've never seen one in person.  Looks like the CP area is very shallow for knee clearance on them.

[KonkeyKong]

Between the armrests would be ideal.  16" wide -yup, only stickler is my wheelbase is 26 inches wide.  From the tip off my shoes to my stomach is 22". So it would have to be a really deep control panel, or have to angle from 26 inches wide to 16 inches wide.  I'm currently wrestling with these dimensions for a Star Wars/Driving cab...

[paigeoliver]

Where do you like Konkey? If you don't live in California then I wouldn't hold my breath looking for a candy cabinet. The further you get from California the harder they are to come by. I live in the midwest and have only encountered two of them in 12 years of game collecting (bought one of them).

[KonkeyKong]

I live in small-town Iowa.  When I tell people I'm into vintage arcade games they get all nervous and itchy,  they just can't process the weirdness of the concept.  I had nothing short of a miracle happen a couple months ago though.  A guy 20 minutes from where I live listed two Namco Exceleena red cabinets for sale on Craigslist for a price so low I almost felt guilt.  Had to call in most of my favors to get them hauled home, with 29" monitors and metal cabinets they aren't light. But they're in excellent shape, bright monitors, zero burn-in, control panels need some work.  Both JAMMA cabs, one with a single slot Neo-Geo board.  Just need to build the platforms now.

[CoryBee]

You guys are awesome. Haven't got word back from her yet but this thread definitely helps get an idea going.

Something like the "Viewlix" stand ups are my best bet it seems. Would like to combine this with an older style cabinet look. A more retro-curved screen style side panel I mean.

[rCadeGaming]

Depends on the monitor.  I like the Viewlix look if you have to use a flat screen, but an Astro City with a big CRT is by far my favorite.



Either one would work.  For an Astro-style you'd have to do a little taller interpretation of it and bring up the panel a bit.  For my cab I'm going to bring it out so you sit a little further back from the monitor too.

[PL1]

Have you considered making a split panel so there's room for P1's right armrest/wheel and P2's left armrest/wheel in the gap?


Scott