Powered Up Remote - Ergonomy improvement (big thumbs trick)

[Pentomind]

Hello,

Context :

I bought the 76112 remote controlled and the last update made it impossible to control with a smartphone because of Bluetooth issues, so I bough a Powered up remote control.
The problem is : I have big thumbs and because of the stop button located between the (+) and the (-) buttons, I kept stopping one of the motor all the time by pressing the (+) or (-) button, making the play much less fun.

I tried to find a solution to be able to press the power buttons easily without touching the central button, to get a feeling similar to the power function remotes and I came with the following solution. It's not as comfortable as the "old" power function remotes but it does the trick and I no longer accidentally press the stop button when playing with my Batmobile.

I hope it will be useful to my fellow big-thumbed remote control vehicles-lovers Lego enthusiasts !

If you have any idea to improve the control (three studs long is a little short), please share it here !

[Toastie]

Hi @Pentomind,

this is a really nice solution! I never thought about such issues - but this is how it is, when the stuff they make simply works for me.

Thank you very much for sharing!

All the best,
Thorsten 

 

[dr_spock]

Nice solution.  How did you get the remote to work with the Batmobile since it doesn't use the PU train motor?

[Pentomind]

6 hours ago, dr_spock said:

Nice solution.  How did you get the remote to work with the Batmobile since it doesn't use the PU train motor?

It was easy since the remote is designed to be 100% compatible with the powered up hub used in the batmobile. It paired up without any issue. 

I just had to switch the motor connectors from left to right to have It match the buttons side on the remote. 

[Lok24]

Hi @Pentomind,

thanks, now I know I'm not alone always stopping the engines with my thumbs!

Here's my first attempt:

With right black knobs I accelerate/decelerate the loco, button below is "stop" or, if v=0, change direction, which is reflected by the color of the LED.
Left 3  knobs are used for 3 switches, each one toggles a single switch

Blue is PowerOff / Disconnect all/ Switch to second level (2.Train and 3 other switches)

 

 

Edited February 23, 2019 by Lok24

[technic70s]

Its fantastic to see others solutions.

Our RLUG does a lot of hands on play with kids.

We also discovered that most children hold down the buttons rather then push them the required times to make the train move. They also press the stop button a lot as well.

I am very surprised that this was not observed in the testing of the controllers with children when LEGO would have tested them in the design stage.

We ended up brick building controls that covered the stuff we weren't using (the other channel) and to stop the children pressing the on off button and twisting the dial. (for children driving our trains)

We learnt to say to the children, "Press the green ball 3 times to start the train" 

Another interesting thing someone else discovered, if you place a dummy cell in the battery compartment, the Hub still works but the train wont derail from running a full speed so much as having 6 full battery's. 

42627955_163523851247073_7349235715483369472_n.jpg.8cfc3da5028b438fd3921e8e783708fd by Stephen, on Flickr

 

[Pentomind]

Woah it's really interesting to see how you guys came up to different designs to the same problem. 

Thanks for sharing!