Each controller has a circuit board with conductive strips. The buttons are made with metal at the bottom, so when a player presses the button, it touches 2 of the conductive strips and completes a circuit. The controller now sends data to the CPU of the device or console that you are using. (For example, PS4, Xbox One. a computer, etc.) This causes the CPU to analyze that data and compare the data to the game data. If this is not an instant action this is called input lag.
Most controllers today have analog or joysticks. These are made a little differently. When using the joystick, you can tilt the stick a little bit in one direction or tilt it all the way. In some controllers, you can push it down as well. Underneath these joysticks, there are variable resistors placed at right angles. These variable resistors are called potentiometers. The actions mentioned above changes the resistance thus changing the amount of current in the potentiometers. This data is sent to the CPU which causes the direction movement in the game.
Data is sent either wired or wireless. Infrared or Bluetooth is used for wireless controllers. Some controllers are even the console like the 3DS or the PSP Vita.
There are some controllers with motion controls that uses accelerometers. The inside of the controller have wafers that are kept in place with tiny chips. When the controllers are moved wafers press on springs. The purpose of the accelerometer is to measure each wafer's movement in relation to the other wafers and the data is interpreted into movement on the screen.
A lot of controllers today have vibrations that goes off when a certain event, actions or task completion happens in the game. This occurs from motors, which are inside the handles or grips. When the motors are powered, an unbalanced weight, that is held by the motors, spins. In turn, the motors tries to stabilize the uneven weight thus making vibrations.
What Are Controllers Made Out Of?
Now you know how they work but what are they made out of? To put it simply, metal, rubber, and plastic. Joysticks are plastic with rubber grips. Case is plastic. Inside there are electronic components like circuit.
Now it is a good idea to recycle video game controllers because they can harm the environment once thrown away. If you need to know how to recycle them read,
Circuit boards and some plastic casings have brominated flame retardants. This is harmful to the environment. They do not break down easy and long time exposure can cause problems with learning, memory, thyroid, estrogen hormone and behavior.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a plastic that is used in some electronic products, like controllers. Toxic fumes are given off when PVC is created and when it is incinerated. These chemicals are toxic even in very low levels of exposure.
I hope this answered the question, How Do Video Game Controllers Work? Please leave a comment if you have more insight!
Sources:
(2012). Hazardous chemicals in electronic devices. Retrieved from https://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/campaigns/toxics/science/chemicals-electronics/.
(2019). How Game Controllers are Made. Retrieved from https://www.tomorrowsworldtoday.com/news/2018/12/21/how-game-controllers-are-made/.
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