A USB joystick for industrial use is a control element that can be used, for example, to control machines. A control grip or other control elements can be used to add additional functions to a USB joystick. Find out more about the general functionality of such peripheral devices in our article on joysticks.

The difference between a conventional joystick and a USB joystick lies in the form of the electrical connection, which accordingly makes use of the USB interface. This makes it possible to quickly establish a connection between the system and peripherals, even during operation (hot-plugging). The USB interface also means that no additional power supply is required to operate the joystick. Modern variants of the connection can provide an output of up to 100 watts.

In most cases, the USB version of a joystick is offered as an optional version, in addition to other connection types such as micro plugs, cables or strands. In many cases these devices have a USB 1.1 HID compatible interface. This means that the USB joystick can be used on many Windows or Linux systems without additional drivers. In the system, the periphery is then recognized as a “game controller”. Application software can then be used to configure the joystick functions.