Joysticks angle or direction to the device it is controlling.

1. A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling
2. Joysticks are also used for controlling machines such as cranes, trucks, underwater unmanned vehicles, wheelchairs, surveillance cameras and zero turning radius lawn mowers
3. The joystick has been the principal flight control in the cockpit of many aircraft, particularly military fast jets, either as a center stick.
4. A joystick is generally configured so that moving the stick left or right signals movement along the X axis, and moving it forward (up) or back (down) signals movement along the Y axis
5. Specialist joysticks, classed as an assisted technology pointing device, are used to replace the computer mouse for people with fairly severe physical disabilities
6. Some joysticks have hap tic feedback capability. These are thus active devices, not just input devices. The computer can return a signal to the joystick
7. An arcade stick is a large-format controller for use with home consoles or computers. They use the stick-and-button configuration of some arcade cabinets
8. More recently, analog sticks  have become standard on video game consoles and have the ability to indicate the stick's displacement from its neutral position.
9. Joysticks were present in early planes, though their mechanical origins are uncertain
10. joysticks often have one or more fire buttons, used to trigger some kind of action. These are simple on/off switches