"Switch adapting” is a process where electronic tools and toys can be made more accessible by adding a much larger button or switch to operate them. This supports children and adults with disabilities in participating in meaningful experiences that might otherwise be inaccessible, such as play, cooking, or controlling their environment. Switch adapting is something that anyone can do with a couple of tools and some guidance.
For example, the small "position button" that operates this spin art machine might be inaccessible due to its small size and location on the machine.
A product photo of a spin art machine that highlights different features like the card spinner, easy carry handle, and most relevant to this post, the position button. The position button is a small (smaller than a dime) sized button located at the top of the machine.
Modifying this toy so that you can plug in a larger button/switch (like the green and red buttons in the image below) makes it more accessible.
A spin art machine on a table. Two medium sized (about the size of the palm of an adult's hand) are on the table near the machine. A hand is pressing down on one of the buttons.
The "Jelly Bean" switch from AbleNet is one of the most popular and reliable assistive switches commonly used with switch-adapted devices. But I really like this DIY version uploaded to the Makers Making Change website:
This version is affordable, and highly customizable. Because I often have free or low cost 3D printer access through local makerspaces like the ones found in our public libraries nearby, it's easy to print the pieces needed to make these switches. Here are some I printed when I was learning how to create these switches.
Obtaining a switch, whether it's DIY or purchased from elsewhere, is only one part of switch adapting a toy or tool. Most devices are not designed to work with assistive switches and it takes a little bit of electronics and tinkering know-how to understand how to adapt something to work with an assistive switch. There are lots of great resources out there that show people how to adapt different toys and tools like this site:
YouTube is also a great resource for these tutorials:
Sometimes, there's not a tutorial for the thing you want adapt. That was the case for this handheld mini massager. While collaborating with a wonderful Occupational Therapist partner in a local school district, I adapted several of these massagers so that they could be used by teachers and students with assistive switches. The massager provides some sensory input that can be used by teachers/students in a variety of activities like incorporating tactile sensations into reading or storytelling.
Here's a tutorial for switch-adapting a handheld mini massager:
A soldering station and soldering supplies (solder, helping hands or stick tack, ventilation, etc.)
A small phillips head screwdriver
Wire snips and strippers
A drill with a 1/8" drill bit
An audio cable like this one (having a couple extra is helpful in case something goes wrong)
3 AAA batteries
A working assistive switch (to test your device when you're done)
Step-by-Step
Remove the top of the massager
Remove the screws from the black plastic disc located in the top portion of the massager and remove the plastic disc. Keep the screws somewhere safe! There will be a loose spring underneath the power button. Make sure to keep track of that too.
Gently pull the button on the black plastic disc out of place. Each of the wires coming from the button are soldered to a little metal pad. One at a time, heat the pads and wires with your soldering iron until the solder liquifies and you can gently tug the wire off of the pad.
Important note: If you want to be able to use the original power button to operate this device, do not remove this button. But keep in mind that keeping the original power button makes adapting this device more challenging, especially if you are newer to soldering electronics.
Place the disc to the side and grab the white plastic top to the massager. Decide where you want the cable for the assistive switch to come out of the device. Mark it with a permanent marker if you need to. Then, carefully drill through that spot with your 1/8" drill bit. This should create a hole that your cable will snugly fit through.
Feed the audio cable through this hole so that the end that your switch plugs into is on the outside of the lid, and the end with the exposed wires is on the inside of your lid.
If you need to, you can use some wire strippers to remove some of the plastic coating the red and black wires at the end of the cable.
Time to solder! Use your favorite helping tool whether its helping hands, sticky tack, tape, or something else to position the wires so that they're easy to solder to the two metal pads that you previously removed the button from. It doesn't matter which way the red and black wires are soldered to the pads. Take a close look at the images to make sure you're soldering to the correct set of metal pads.
Tip: Sometimes, you can add a little bit of solder to the metal pads before you solder the wires, and then heat up the solder as you move the wire into place. When you remove the heat, as long as the wire is in the right place, it will cool and solidify and create a solid joint.
Note: If you want to preserve the ability to use the power button, you will need to solder these wires on top of the wires coming from the original button. For me, this is challenging! I found it tricky to do this without making a little bit of a (functional) mess and melting some of the surrounding plastic.
Once you're done soldering, reassemble the mini massager. You might need to squish down the new wires so that they fit between the black plastic disc and the lid top. Make sure to insert batteries into the massager before you close the lid.
Time to test! Grab your assistive switch and plug it into your device. Tap the switch and make sure that the massager turns on when you tap the switch. If it doesn't work, double check that your soldering looks good, your batteries are fresh, and your switch works with other devices.
Note: a lot of assistive switches like this operate such that they only turn on the device when the switch is pressed, when you let go the device stops. If you want to keep the ability to press one button to turn the device on continuously (and to turn it off), you'll want to follow the instructions above for keeping the original on/off switch.
Finally, some words of common sense – this is the method that I found worked for me and although I tinker quite a bit with electronics, I am not an expert. If there is an easier, smarter, safer, or wiser way to approach this please do so, and let me know what you learn!
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