GLYDR Accessible Feet Controller for Gaming and Computer Use
Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2023/10/25 - Updated: 2024/12/04
Publication Type: Product Release, Update
Topic: Accessible Games and Gaming - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: GLYDR is a foot-based controller designed to improve skill, reduce hand strain, and bring more fun to video games, seated VR, as well as extend existing control setups to add actions and reduce hand strain.
Why it matters: This product review article provides valuable information about GLYDR, an innovative foot-based controller designed to enhance gaming experiences and computer use for people with disabilities and those experiencing hand fatigue. This accessible device offers improved skill, reduced hand strain, and increased enjoyment for video games and seated VR experiences. The page details GLYDR's features, including its versatility in connecting via USB-C or Bluetooth, its unique bipedal design, and its ability to be configured with multiple profiles for various applications. Additionally, the article highlights the potential impact of GLYDR on the adaptive technology market, making it a useful resource for individuals seeking enhanced accessibility options in gaming and computer use - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
So What is GLYDR?
GLYDR (the company) was founded in 2023 by inventor & CTO Rick Tett, CEO Peter Bartnik, and CMO John Warren, in Plano, TX. Five patents have been granted worldwide for GLYDR's technology. GLYDR's CMO, John Warren, is a lifelong wheelchair user and believes adaptive devices should be easy to procure, easy to set up, and should be compare in price to premium retail controllers and devices.
Pronounced "glider", GLYDR is a foot-based controller designed to improve skill, reduce hand strain, and bring more fun to video games, seated VR, and designed to extend existing control setups to add actions and reduce hand strain.
GLYDR is designed to cater to a wide range of users, making it accessible to anyone who can benefit from its features. The company is thrilled to introduce this innovative device to the adaptive market, offering a robust solution for individuals seeking enhanced gaming experiences, virtual reality (VR) immersion, and seamless utilization of numerous programs on their personal computers. GLYDR serves as a dependable companion for people with disabilities and those who experience hand fatigue.
Main Item
GLYDR for VR Use
Great news for VR users with certain disabilities or fatigue. Though Apple & Meta are giving VR users more options to get off their feet locomotion hasn't been solved in many seated experiences until now. GLYDR allows you to use your feet to move in VR, providing the "best of both worlds" experience of body immersion without the risk, strain, or hassle of getting up and moving around.
GLYDR Features
- Connect with USB-C or Bluetooth.
- Bipedal/bidirectional design is first of its kind.
- Can be configured endlessly with new profiles.
- 16 different combinations can be mapped at once.
- Works out of the box with thousands of PC games.
- Can be used outside of games to boost other activities.
- Comes with pre-built configuration profiles for fast setup.
- Dead zones and sensitivity can be adjusted per footpad.
- GLYDR will be MacOS compatible as well as PC.
- GLYDR can configure multiple button presses to one action (Ctrl + C, etc.).
- GLYDR is opening up to full international shipping following more demand than expected.
The Glydr configurator comes with many presets for your favorite games and genres, but you can build an endless number of profiles of your own! For folks with different ranges of motion in their feet, Glydr allows custom dead zones and sensitivities directly in the app.
The GLYDR Controller Also Features The Ability To:
- Estus Flasks & Repair Kits are just a toe tap away without having to move your finger from your joysticks in FromSoft's action RPGs.
- Map full locomotion to games like Starfield, Cyberpunk 2077, and other first-person RPGs to fully immerse yourself in your character.
- Map up to 16 actions on GLYDR and move your Final Fantasy XIV gameplay to the couch without having to constantly use modifiers on your gamepad.
- Map vital actions like crouching, peeking, and reloading to GLYDR to reduce strain and improve reaction times over long gaming sessions in games like Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, and more.
Though GLYDR will launch in the shown dark gray, the plan is to eventually sell customizable foot pads. Foot pads will be lightly cushioned with built-in texture for tread, allowing for easy gaming whether wearing shoes or going barefoot.
GLYDR is currently in active talks to bring the device to consoles and is anticipated to ship in late Spring 2024. People who want to support can put $1 down to secure a huge discount on GLYDR when the Kickstarter goes live. Visit https://get.glydr.gg/ for more information on securing your discount of around 45%.
UPDATE: 4th December 2024
Glydr, the innovative foot controller for games and VR, is now available for preorder in the United States and Canada! With preorders expected to ship by the end of May 2025.
Glydr is an analog, dual-foot controller compatible with PC, Mac, and Linux. Official console compatibility is in the works. Any game or app that works with a mouse/keyboard is immediately compatible with Glydr. Glydr comes with a software configurator that allows custom profiles and individualized range of motion and sensitivity for each foot, and allows up to 16 different foot motion combinations.
Examples of ways to use Glydr:
- Scrubbing video or audio with your feet while marking things with your hands.
- Mapping design shortcuts to your feet to increase efficiency in photo editing software.
- Mapping abilities to your feet in an MMO, reducing finger stretching and strain during intense raids.
- Using all available foot motions to move in 3D space, requiring your hands only for other key actions.
- Mapping crouching, sprinting, and peeking in FPS games to give your hands more precision with aiming/shooting.
Preorders will be open to other regions internationally soon and we will update you when those are live.
UPDATE: 16th April 2024
GLYDR, the company behind the revolutionary foot-controlled device of the same name, has engaged global leader in design engineering CRE8 to complete the design and engineering of the first run of GLYDR devices. CRE8's decades of experience designing award-winning consumer hardware in the games space made the firm a wonderful fit for GLYDR's disruptive and forward-thinking qualities.
"CRE8 is thrilled to announce our collaboration with GLYDR on the development of their dual foot controller for gaming," begins CRE8 Executive Director Kris Verstockt. "Drawing from over 20 years of expertise in designing and engineering electronic gaming hardware, CRE8 brings a wealth of experience to the table. Our partnership promises to infuse innovative solutions into the project and, together with GLYDR, we are committed to delivering a cutting-edge product that sets the standard in the gaming industry."
Through this valuable collaboration, GLYDR gains a trusted ally that can bring a comfortable, intuitive, and exciting design to its existing consumer base as well as customers into the future. CRE8 gains a unique client among other gaming giants like Corsair and NZXT to enter an all-new submarket in game peripherals.
GLYDR will also soon launch a reservation page for the device.
NOTES:
All device features are subject to change. The images above are simply renderings of what GLYDR is most likely to be once it is manufactured and sent out to customers in 2024.
This article will be updated as the campaign and launch date become available.
Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, check out his bio.