Single-Arm Autonomy

The User Reality: Users without full mobility in both arms are often blocked from VR experiences. If an app fails to provide genuine single-controller support, it is unplayable for anyone with hemiplegia or limited limb use.

Research:

The Openality Standard

The foundational barrier in many VR experiences is the presumption of physical symmetry - the idea that a user possesses two functioning hands operating independently. By allowing complete input remapping, or mirroring functionality across both controllers, developers can ensure that a user playing with just one standard controller retains the same agency as a user with two.

• Constraint: The system must not require the simultaneous use of two hands or controllers to progress.
• Requirement: All core gameplay and navigation must be fully functional using a single controller or input source.

Core Behaviours

• Input Mirroring - The system should mirror interactions across both controllers, allowing users to perform the same actions with either hand, ensuring that a user playing with just one standard controller retains the same agency as a user with two.
• Input Remapping - Allow users to customise controls to fit their specific abilities and preferences, such as remapping a complex gesture to a single button press.

Primary Interaction Patterns

• The One-Handed Navigator - A navigation system that allows users to move, teleport, and interact with the environment using only one controller, ensuring full functionality without requiring bimanual input.
• The Magic Slingshot - A thumbstick-based input method that remaps complex physical gestures (e.g., pulling back to throw) to simple thumbstick movements, enabling users with limited mobility to perform the same actions without physical strain.