Peripheral apparatus and method of construction

1. A method of producing a handheld videogame controller, comprising the steps of:

providing a circuit board of a predetermined fixed size, the circuit board comprising a plurality of switches at predetermined positions;

obtaining measurements of at least a first hand of a user for whom the handheld videogame controller is to be produced;

modifying a design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller responsive to the measurements; and

3D printing one or more modified parts of the handheld videogame controller using the modified design;

wherein each of the plurality of switches is arranged to mechanically couple with a corresponding button on the handheld videogame controller; and

wherein the circuit board is provided as part of a module comprising a pre-defined facia.

2. The method of claim 1 , in which the step of modifying the design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller comprises adapting the modified design to maintain functional co-operation with the switches of the circuit board.

3. The method of claim 1 , in which at least one of the one or more modified parts is 3D printed directly onto at least one pre-defined part of the controller.

4. The method of claim 1 , in which at least one of the one or more modified parts is further modified to comprise an attachment means to complement an attachment means located on a pre-defined part of the controller.

5. The method claim 1 , in which the step of obtaining measurements of at least a first hand of a user comprises obtaining one or more measurements selected from the list consisting of:

i. a length of the user's index finger on the first hand;

ii. a combined length of the first two joints of the index finger;

iii. a length between a lowest joint of the index finger and a rotational base of a thumb of the first hand;

iv. a diametric length across a palm of the first hand;

v. a length of the thumb; and

vi. an arcuate range of the thumb.

6. The method of claim 5 , in which in which the step of modifying a design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller comprises as applicable one or more selected from the list consisting of:

i. modifying a position of a shoulder button of the controller responsive to the length of the user's index finger;

ii. modifying a position of the shoulder button of the controller responsive to the combined length of the first two joints of the user's index finger;

iii. modifying a length of a handle portion of the controller responsive to the length between the lowest joint of the index finger and the rotational base of the thumb;

iv. modifying a length of the handle portion of the controller responsive to the diametric length across the palm of the user's hand;

v. modifying a width of the handle portion of the controller responsive to the length of the user's thumb; and

vi. modifying an angle of the handle portion of the controller relative to a central portion of the controller responsive to the arcuate range of the user's thumb.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the step of modifying the design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller comprises repositioning a button that should mechanically couple to a switch on the circuit board, the design is further modified to adapt a mechanical linkage between the repositioned button and the switch in order to maintain the mechanical coupling.

8. A method of producing a handheld videogame controller, comprising the steps of:

providing a circuit board of a predetermined fixed size, the circuit board comprising a plurality of switches at predetermined positions;

obtaining measurements of at least a first hand of a user for whom the handheld videogame controller is to be produced;

modifying a design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller responsive to the measurements; and

3D printing one or more modified parts of the handheld videogame controller using the modified design,

wherein when the step of modifying the design of at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller comprises repositioning a button that should mechanically couple to a switch on the circuit board by more than a predetermined extent, then one of a predetermined number of alternative circuit boards each of a respective predetermined fixed size is selected that most reduces a relative change in position between the respective switch on the circuit board and the respective button.

9. A handheld videogame controller, comprising:

a circuit board of a predetermined fixed size, comprising a plurality of switches at predetermined positions, the circuit board being provided as part of a module comprising a pre-defined facia; and

at least a first part of the handheld videogame controller, in which a default design of the handheld videogame controller has been modified responsive to measurements of at least a first hand of a user, and has been formed by 3D printing;

wherein each of the plurality of switches is arranged to mechanically couple with a corresponding button on the handheld videogame controller.

10. A handheld videogame controller according to claim 9 , in which at least a first 3D printed element of the handheld videogame controller has been modified in dependence upon a modification responsive to measurements of at least a first hand of a user, to maintain functional co-operation with a switch of the circuit board.

11. A handheld videogame controller according to claim 10 , in which when the handheld videogame controller has been modified to reposition a button that should couple to a switch on the circuit board, the handheld videogame controller comprises a modified mechanical linkage between the repositioned button and the switch in order to maintain a mechanical coupling.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein adapting the mechanical linkage between the repositioned button and the switch in order to maintain the mechanical coupling includes repositioning a protrusion extending along a portion of the button to maintain a relative position of the protrusion with the switch.