NATHAN pcb

NATHAN Console

How it began

The NATHAN console was born from a desire to create something meaningful for an incredible person: Nathan Therrien.

I met Nathan in high school. He was one of those rare people who naturally brighten the world around them. Always smiling, always the first to say hello, to crack a joke, to make everyone around him feel good. We shared the same class in our final year, and even then, I was amazed by his radiant energy.

After high school, life took us in different directions. But I kept following Nathan online, especially through his Facebook page, where he shares videos of his musical explorations. Because yes, on top of everything else, Nathan is an outstanding musician and a passionate synthesizer enthusiast.

One morning in year 2022, Nathan made a post looking for help with 3D printing and soldering. At that time, I was just diving into the world of programming, microcontrollers, and digital fabrication. I was eager to learn and build something real. The moment I saw his message, I knew: this was the project I had been waiting for.

Working with Nathan, someone I had admired for years, gave me the perfect opportunity to grow my skills while collaborating with someone truly inspiring. He would be part of the process: designing the sounds, shaping the ideas, and even learning to code. From the start, the goal was clear: build something together that he could one day fully own.

Since 2022, this journey has become a shared adventure. Today, I’m proud to present the first version of the console: NATHAN — Narrative Audio Terminal for Humans with Alternative Navigation.

As time becomes more limited for me, my hope is to pass the torch. I want the community to take this project further, to make it bigger, better, and even more inclusive.

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What is NATHAN?

NATHAN is an open source game console powered by a Raspberry Pi Pico, specifically designed for blind or visually impaired players.

Inspired by the form of an Xbox controller, the device includes:

• 5 tactile buttons
• 5 LED indicators
• An integrated audio output Together, these features enable an immersive and fully accessible gaming experience.

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Features

• 🎮 Ergonomic form – Inspired by the Xbox controller for comfortable use
• 🔘 5 physical buttons – Easily distinguishable for gameplay
• 💡 5 LED indicators – Optional visual feedback
• 🔊 Audio output – For immersive, sound-based gameplay
• ♿ Inclusive game design – Every game is made for accessibility

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Game Concept

Each game on the NATHAN console features a blind protagonist named Nathan.

The current flagship game, NATHAN: Glassbreaker, puts you in the role of Nathan, a hero who fights and navigates only through sound. It's a game where your ears become your eyes, and audio becomes your primary interface with the world. A game felt instead of seen.

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Open Source & Community

NATHAN is proudly open source.

This project is a call to creators, developers, makers, and dreamers: Let’s build accessible games together.

Whether you want to:

• Design new games tailored for blind players
• Improve the hardware or firmware
• Suggest ideas to enhance the console Your contribution is welcome.

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Name Meaning

NATHAN = Narrative Audio Terminal for Humans with Alternative Navigation

A console built around sound, for a hero and a community that navigates the world differently.

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🎙️ Together, let’s make gaming accessible to everyone.

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📚 Documentation & gouvernance

Toute la documentation projet vit dans docs/ :

• docs/README.md — commencez ici (parcours de lecture).
• Journal des décisions — ADR — pourquoi le projet est ainsi, et son évolution dans le temps.
• Specs · Planification & GANTT · Architecture.
• CONTRIBUTING.md — comment contribuer et tracer une décision.

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