SharesForBrekky
Regular
I just came across an interesting article which explains very well the importance of Nintendo now using Hall-effect joysticks for their upcoming Switch 2:Not sure if this is leading to anything but when I had a read through the Nintendo Switch 2 Wikipedia page, I came across something interesting:
"The new Joy-Con, besides being larger to match the larger console, attach to the console by snapping to the sides rather than using a rail system from the original Switch, and are removed using a small button on the Joy-Con that causes a cylinder in the Joy-Con to extend and push off from the main unit.[38] Industry rumors suggest the Joy-Con attachment to the main body is through magnetic attachment rather than a physical connector,[39] which had been desired in the original Switch design.[40][41] Reports state that the new Joy-Con will utilize Hall effect sensors for the joysticks rather than normal analog joysticks, which would address the drift issues that the original models had due to dust collecting within the analog system.[42] Journalists also noted the presence of an optical sensor on the Joy-Con, along with a re-designed wrist strap attachment that included a front button and pads, which the Joy-Con can slot into, believing this to indicate the Joy-Con could be used like a computer mouse.[39][43] The possible magnetic connections and mouse functionality were supported by multiple patents awarded to Nintendo in February 2025 for such functionalities in a game controller.[44][45]"
So I did a Google search on 'Hall sensor neuromorphic', and this came up:
"AI Overview
Hall sensors and Hall effect sensors can be used in neuromorphic computing, which is a brain-inspired approach to computing.
How Hall sensors are used:
Hall sensors can detect and measure magnetic fields.
Hall effect sensors can measure the magnitude and direction of magnetic fields.
Hall effect sensors can sense proximity, position, and speed.
How Hall sensors are used in neuromorphic computing:
Hall sensors can be used to create synapses, which are memory elements in neuromorphic computing.
Hall sensors can be used to create artificial neurons, which are computing elements in neuromorphic computing.
Hall sensors can be used to create neuromorphic spintronics, which are energy-efficient and scalable."
"Hall-effect sticks address the problem of drift by removing the wiper from the equation; there is no physical, mechanical contact that could degrade. In Hall-effect sticks, the wiper is replaced by a magnet, and the resistive contact strip is replaced by a flat conductor, called a Hall element, that is sensitive to magnetic fields. A sensor reads the effect of those magnetic fields on the conductor and translates them into in-game movements, without contact."
"So if Hall-effect sticks seem superior to their potentiometer-powered peers, why don’t all controllers use them? Some of it comes down to price, Mokhtari said, as potentiometers are produced at a scale that makes them more cost effective to use. Potentiometers are a time-tested, inexpensive option. Plus, if your controller fails, as it ultimately will with use, a company like Nintendo or PlayStation would certainly be happy to sell you a new one at full retail price.
But with Joy-Con stick drift being an albatross around the neck of the otherwise highly successful Switch — and the Nintendo footing the cost of repairing Joy-Cons with stick drift — Nintendo seems ready to move on to longer-lasting, slightly more expensive Hall-effect stick technology."
Who knows whether neuromorphic technology will be used to assist/work with the Hall-effect sensors, to help reduce any issues that may arise, such as the costs involved.