March
2005, Issue 176
Joystick
Technology
An analog joystick would be a great
addition to some designs' but space limitations could
present a problem. Fortunately' new devices like the
JS1100AQ five-position joystick navigation switch
can help you solve the space problem.
by
Jeff Bachiochi
If
you've watched an adventure movie featuring aircraft'
you've probably encountered someone yelling, "Pull up!
Pull up! You're gonna crash!" A huge explosion in which
one of the good guys dies in a ball of flames usually
occurs a few moments later. The mechanical stick aviators
hold so dearly in such situations allows them to control
the ailerons and elevators used for adjusting a plane’s
roll and pitch. Control is maintained so long as there
isn't a malfunction in the hydraulics or components
that connect the control stick to the movable flaps.
Ejection seats come into play when a malfunction occurs.
To
those of you with your feet planted more permanently
on the ground, a joystick may be more familiar as a
video game input device. Without ever having to leave
the safety of your comfy chair, you can operate a plane'
boat' tank' or car. You also can run through the PC's
virtual environment of your choice. If you're an RC
hobbyist, you can eliminate the virtual environment
by using a joystick to maneuver your vehicle through
the real world.
In
the late '70s' Atari introduced the digital joystick
on the 2600 gaming system. I use the term "digital"
because the 2600 used five switches: up, down, left,
right, and fire. IBM adopted the analog joystick for
its PC in 1981. Let's take a look at each one.
