The Universal Serial Bus interface specification includes various fields to specify what kind of device is plugged into a computer, and what numbers correspond to what buttons, lights and so on on the device. All these are documented in the Human Interface Device Usage Tables. When I discovered this, it provided me with some amusement as alongside the normal mice, keyboards, scanners there are some more exotic devices. Section 5, which describes "Simulation Controls" (i.e. standardized controllers for operating various simulators). As well as the ones you'd expect like a steering wheel (Usage ID C8) and a flight yoke (Usage ID 24) there are such controls as "Standard spaceship controls" (Usage ID 04).
I had no idea that spaceship controls were standardized. I suppose it makes sense, so that once you learn how to fly one sort of spaceship you could (in principle, in some sort of emergency situation) have some chance of operaing an unfamiliar craft. Of course, if that emergency situation is being kidnapped by aliens you're probably out of luck as I doubt any alien spaceship designers have read the USB specification documents.
What's even funnier is the "Standard magic carpet controls" (Usage ID 0B). Being a magical (not to mention fictional) mode of transportation, it seems quite amazing that magic carpets have standardized control mechanisms. You'd think the interface would be something as indistinguishable-from-sufficiently-advanced-technology as "just think about where you want it to go", but the USB documents go into quite some detail about how to fly a magic carpet:
Allows a device to be generally classified as one that uses the standard control of a magic carpet. This control is a bar, grasped by both hands, that controls the Yaw, Pitch and Roll of the carpet.
The bar, at which the pilot sits, may be pushed forward or pulled back to cause the carpet to dive or rise, respectively. In the zero position, the carpet is in level flight. Pushing forward on the bar causes the carpet to nose down and generates negative values. Pulling back on the bar causes the carpet to nose up and generates positive values.
Turning the bar turns the carpet. In the zero position, the carpet travels straight ahead. Pulling back on the right side turns the carpet to the right and generates positive values. Pulling back on the left side turns the carpet to the left and generates negative values.
Rotating the bar rolls the carpet. In the zero position, the carpet travels level. Rotating the bar in a clockwise direction rolls the carpet to the right and generates positive values. Rotating the bar in the counterclockwise direction rolls the carpet to the left and generates negative values.
So there you go - now if you find yourself in a Persian golden-age fairy tale, you know how to get around.