From video game controller to a possible clinical tool.
Tactile bilateral stimulation through a PS5 DualSense or Xbox Wireless Controller — paired in the browser, rumble following the ball side for side. No buzzers to ship, no app to install, no hardware to set up.
How it works
Modern web browsers expose connected game controllers through the Gamepad API. Psy180 listens for a paired controller, watches the ball’s position, and dispatches a 120-millisecond pulse to the correct grip on each pass. The pulse uses the controller’s heavy motor for the left edge and the light motor for the right — a single-motor directional approach that reads as crisp left … right … left … right rather than a continuous rumble. We tried a dual-motor blend; a clinical field test reported it muddied the L/R distinction because the controller body transmits vibration between grips. We reverted.
What works
PS5 DualSense (USB or Bluetooth)
Most consistent rumble strength.
Xbox Wireless Controller (One, Series S/X)
Slightly lighter pulse — bump intensity to 100%.
PS4 DualShock 4
Works; older drivers occasionally need a re-pair.
Any browser-recognized gamepad with dual-rumble support
Stadia, generic USB controllers, etc.
Doesn’t work: controllers without a vibration actuator (rare), Joy-Cons in single-half pairing mode, and any controller that hasn’t had a button pressed since pairing — browsers hide gamepads from the page until the user interacts with them.
Bilateral stimulation still works, fully.
The visual ball and stereo-audio panning (left ear ↔ right ear, frame-for-frame with the ball) work without any hardware. The haptic layer is additive — useful, not required. For clients who want the tactile dimension, a refurbished DualSense runs around $40 used; proprietary clinical buzzers run $130 and up.
Common questions
Which controllers work?
PS5 DualSense, PS4 DualShock 4, and Xbox Wireless Controllers (Xbox One, Series S, Series X). They pair over USB or Bluetooth and run in the browser via the Gamepad API — no app to install.
Does the client need a controller?
No. Visual and stereo-audio bilateral stimulation still work without one. The controller adds a tactile layer for clients who already own one or who want to try a refurbished DualSense (around $40 used) instead of a $130+ proprietary buzzer.
Which side rumbles when?
The left grip pulses when the ball is at the left edge and the right grip pulses when it’s at the right edge. Psy180 uses the controller’s heavy motor for the left side and the light motor for the right — a clinical field test confirmed the asymmetry reads as crisp directionality on both DualSense and Xbox families.
Why didn’t my controller appear?
Browsers don’t expose paired controllers to a webpage until the user presses a button on them — a security default. Press any button to make the controller visible to Psy180, then the haptics toggle activates.
Is this a medical device?
No. Psy180 is independent clinical software, not a medical device, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by EMDRIA, the EMDR Institute, IS-ART, LLC, or ART International. It’s a tool for licensed clinicians who are trained in their modality.
Try it with your own controller, in your own browser.
No card. No expiration. Sign a click-wrap BAA at signup — available on every tier, including free.