Button Switch
Button Switch
Purpose
Button Switches are the most common type of accessible switch because they are easy to use, highly responsive, and versatile. They require direct physical contact to activate, making them ideal for users who have controlled hand or finger movement. They can also be placed in various locations, allowing users to potentially activate them with different parts of their bodies, such as their head, elbow, or foot, depending on their mobility needs.
Purchasing and Price
Common button switches available on the market are:
Big button switches:
- AbleNet Big Red Switch, $75
- Enabling Devices Bright Red Switch, $125
Smaller button switches:
- AbleNet Buddy Button, $75
- Adaptabilities Adaptive Accessibility Switch, $40
- Enabling Devices Compact Switches - Set of 3, $78
Cheaper alternatives:
- Etsy - Switched Shop 3D Printed Switch Button, $20
- Etsy Adaptive Switch Button, $24
- Makers Making Change Interact Switch
- You can request a maker to make the adaptive switches for you. You would only need to pay for the materials required to build it.
DIYs
DIY 1: Sanwa Switch
Expertise Required
- Soldering
- Using a drill
Materials Required
Materials Required
- 3.5mm Headphone Jack Socket (pack of 4), $7
- Sanwa button (pack of 6) (pack of 6), $18
- Casing 1 or Casing 2, $7.5*
- *A square or rectangular plastic enclosure could be 3D printed instead; but these instructions pushcase a casing
- Drill including stepper drill bit
- Soldering tools; Soldering iron, solder wire, fan
Instructions
- Follow along on the creator’s page!
Results from our team’s recreation of DIY
When recreating this DIY project, we encountered several challenges. Based on the instructions provided by the creator, two holes –one small and one big– needed to be drilled into the switch box. Using the tools we had available to us, we opted for a power drill. However, because the box was made of a hard plastic, drilling a hole big enough to fit the button took considerable time and effort. If someone were to attempt this at home, they may find it difficult to create the hole with a large enough diameter without the proper tools. In contrast, drilling the smaller hole posed less of a challenge, as standard drill bits are sufficient to create it in a single pass.
Another issue we faced was ensuring the holes were centered on the box. Although minor imperfections aren’t a major concern, significant misalignment could interfere with the internal components during assembly. Fortunately, this wasn’t a problem in our case.
To secure the internal components of the switch, we used hot glue to fix the socket in place and a soldering kit for the electrical connections. While soldering wasn’t mentioned in the original instructions, it offers a more secure and stable setup by preventing the components from shifting during further assembly. That said, soldering might be a difficult step for at-home users without prior experience or access to a soldering kit.
DIY 2: Jelly Bean Button
Expertise Required
- Soldering
- Using a drill
Materials Required
- Existing Learning Resources Answer Buzzers (pack of 4), $23
- 3.5mm Audio Cables, (pack of 4) $9, or 3.5mm Jack Cables (pack of 10), $12
- Zip Ties
- Exacto knife
- Soldering tools; Soldering iron, solder wire, fan
Instructions
- Follow along on the creator’s page!
Results from our team’s recreation of DIY
This switch took us around 1 hour to make for the first time. One challenge we encountered was that the circuit board from the Learning Resources button we received differed slightly from the one in the original guide (likely due to a newer version of the answer buzzer), which initially caused some confusion. However, by carefully examining the connections and adjusting our approach, we were able to troubleshoot and complete the build successfully rather quickly. The result is functional and responsive, that meets our expectations in terms of durability and performance. We particularly liked this switch as it has one of the most finished looks, since it is already commercially built, and we solely have to make some modifications for the DIY. Below shows our DIY Jelly Bean Switch.
DIY 3: 3D Printed Mini Button Switch
Expertise Required
- 3D printing (or can buy parts directly from the Switched Toys Shop, linked below)
- Soldering
Materials Required
- CAD File (require sign up for access)
- 3D printing filament, $1-2 worth of filament
- Keyboard Switch
- 3.5mm Jack connecter (pack of 4), $9, or 3.5mm Jack Cables (pack of 10), $12
- Alternatively, you can buy the complete components through the creators using this link and assemble them on your own.
Instructions
- Follow along on the creator’s video!
Results from our team’s recreation of the DIY
The 3D printing process for the outer casing took approximately 1 hour, while assembling and soldering the components took an additional 20 minutes. The build process was straightforward—connecting the wires and soldering the necessary connections before following the video tutorial to complete the assembly. Our print was not perfect, and there are some rough edges on the inside and base of the switch, but the final product still functions well, providing a very responsive press and durable button switch.
Below, shows our assembled 3D Printed Mini Button Switch.
