Notes

Hello.
My Name is Brett Bradford, and in this presentation I am going to be explaining the functions and composition of *pick up & show controllers* a pair of Nintendo Switch controllers, also called Joy-Cons. These devices are actually pretty impressive, there is a lot of technology fit into each of these cases.

Starting with the basics, each controller is capable of being used while attached to the Switch itself, but they can also be detached and used independently or as a pair, though with some games this is not an option. While detached they run on a battery that lasts for an average of 15-20 hours, and they can be charged by attaching them to the Switch or a charging controller sold separately by Nintendo, though I apologize as I do not have one on hand to show you.
Each joy-con has an analog joystick that tracks movement across an axis, the farther it is pushed the stronger the input will be. In most games the left joystick is typically used for movement and the right to move the players view, though functions change from game-to-game.

Each controller also features four face buttons that use digital input. What that means is these buttons only have two states, active or inactive, unlike the joysticks which have a range of motion. The function of each of these is entirely depending on the game being played, but the general rule most games follow is "A" is yes/accept/ or interact, "B" is No/decline/ or back out of a menu, "X" tends to be used to open inventories or personal menus, with "Y" being a sort of wildcard, doing whatever the game needs it to. These four buttons on the left joycon tend not to be used at all, and if they are they are normally an alternative to the joystick for movement, or some gimmick within the game.

Each controller also features a "bumper" and a trigger. The bumpers also use digital input, and in games their use is mostly up in the air. Many games don't use them at all, the only common use that comes to mind is to switch between menus. There are two buttons on the inner side of each Joy-con as you can see here, these function the same as the bumpers when you use a single joy-con rather than the pair, the only notable thing about these is that they can be very annoying to press.

As for the triggers, these are rather unique as far as controller triggers go, these also use digital input. Most controller triggers, like say a PlayStation 4 controller's triggers, utilize a range of motion, whereas these are purely on/off.

The more interesting mechanics of these devices are actually hidden within them. Each joy-con features a gyroscope, which allows the controllers to communicate with the Switch itself, translating real-world movement into an in-game input. And thanks to a built in accelerometer, they are able to translate speed of movement as well, though this can be a bit unreliable at higher speeds. The function of this is rarely used outside of Official Nintendo games, and even then it is often relegated to little more than a gimmick. Some games function entirely off of this motion, though that is usually a selling point of said game.

The final noteworthy feature of these devices is the haptic feedback engine within them. This small engine allows the joycons to rumble based off of in-game events. This is normally used to give a player a tangible sense of weight to an action or event, like something big smashing to the ground of a hard-hitting impact. Though some games use it to notify players that something is off a timer or just to refocus players when something is occurring.

All of this is crammed into these tiny cases, and works up to a reported 37 feet when unobstructed. All in all, they are an impressive feat of engineering, and for being so complex they are very easy to pick up and use.

With that, I will bring my presentation to an end, thank you for your time and I hope you enjoyed. Have a wonderful day.