Beyond Gaming: 4 Surprising Uses for Your Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Controllers

A small device designed for play turns out to carry within it the quiet potential for much more. The original Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons, released in 2017 and now overshadowed by newer hardware, contain an infrared camera, sophisticated haptic feedback, and open Bluetooth connectivity that together allow these controllers to become security sensors, object locators, smartphone accessories, and programmable productivity tools. In an era when we are quick to discard the familiar for the new, these controllers remind us that ingenuity often lies dormant in what we already hold in our hands.