Ever since they announced they would be making customized 3D printed chairs for gamers, IKEA has been slowly entering the gaming peripheral market. Now, in collaboration with UNYQ, a worldwide prosthetic company, and Swedish e-sports company, Area Academy, they are finally working on products which aren’t just meant for setting your bottom on.
Announced by both IKEA and UNYQ, UPPKOPPLA is a 3D printed line of gaming accessories which are custom-made for the players using them. Using a body scan technique developed by UNYQ, the accessories are better-fitted for their users and cause less strain when playing games for hours on end. While this works just fine for normal folks, UNYQ is paying special attention to players with mobility problems and those who experience physical strain from sitting down on a chair all day.
Three products are currently being developed for the UPPKOPPLA line: a couple of textured WASD keyboard keys for comfort and ease of use, a wrist brace for your mouse-using hand, and a mouse bungee which keeps wired mouse cords away when you’re shooting some kid in Fortnite (though there doesn’t seem to be a need for body scan technology for the last item).
You may have noticed all these peripherals are made specifically for PC players. While IKEA hasn’t announced anything specific to aid console users, they are working on more general products like chairs, tables, and desk supports – all of which will use UNYQ’s body scanning technology to craft personalized accessories. Based on what they learn from this venture, IKEA, UNYQ, and Area Academy plan on creating more accessible products for disabled gamers (we’re wishing for an untenthered VR headset which doesn’t require you to run around a 5′ x 5′ area like a fool).
The first line of UPPKOPPLA products is set to launch sometime in 2020, hopefully around the same time as their 3D printed gaming bottom chairs.
