diff --git a/drivers/expander.cpp b/drivers/expander.cpp
index 990caca..06b001b 100644
--- a/drivers/expander.cpp
+++ b/drivers/expander.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,24 @@ const static uint8_t REG_HALL_SENSITIVITY = 0x31;
 const static uint8_t REG_CLOSE_SENSITIVITY = 0x32;
 const static uint8_t REG_SWITCH_TOUCH_EVENT = 0x33;
 
+/// The global data for the expander peripheral.
+class ExpanderPeripheral {
+    // TODO: change these to private
+    // or even make this class hidden
+    public: 
+    SemaphoreHandle_t state_mutex;
+    ExpanderState state;
+
+    // channels
+    QueueHandle_t button_press_events;
+    QueueHandle_t button_release_events;
+    QueueHandle_t switch_flip_events;
+    QueueHandle_t switch_touch_events;
+    QueueHandle_t touch_events;
+    QueueHandle_t keypad_press_events;
+    QueueHandle_t keypad_release_events;
+};
+
 ExpanderPeripheral expander_peripheral_singleton;
 
 // forward declarations
@@ -308,3 +326,174 @@ static void handle_close_hal_event(uint8_t event) {
     (void)event;
 }
 
+// InputsController implementations
+
+/// Clears all events waiting in the queues.
+void InputsController::clear_all_events() {
+    xQueueReset(expander_peripheral_singleton.button_press_events);
+    xQueueReset(expander_peripheral_singleton.button_release_events);
+    xQueueReset(expander_peripheral_singleton.switch_flip_events);
+    xQueueReset(expander_peripheral_singleton.switch_touch_events);
+    xQueueReset(expander_peripheral_singleton.touch_events);
+    xQueueReset(expander_peripheral_singleton.keypad_press_events);
+    xQueueReset(expander_peripheral_singleton.keypad_release_events);
+}
+
+/// Returns `true` iff there is a button press event waiting.
+bool InputsController::has_button_press() const {
+    return uxQueueMessagesWaiting(expander_peripheral_singleton.button_press_events) > 0;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next button press event (if any).
+std::optional<Button> InputsController::get_button_press() {
+    Button b;
+    if (xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.button_press_events, &b, 0) == pdTRUE) {
+        return b;
+    }
+    return std::nullopt;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next button press event, waiting if neccesary.
+Button InputsController::wait_button_press() {
+    Button b;
+    xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.button_press_events, &b, portMAX_DELAY);
+    return b;
+}
+
+/// Gets the current state of the buttons.
+uint8_t InputsController::button_state() {
+    xSemaphoreTake(expander_peripheral_singleton.state_mutex, portMAX_DELAY);
+    uint8_t value = expander_peripheral_singleton.state.button_state;
+    xSemaphoreGive(expander_peripheral_singleton.state_mutex);
+    return value;
+}
+
+/// Returns `true` iff there is a button release event waiting.
+bool InputsController::has_button_release() const {
+    return uxQueueMessagesWaiting(expander_peripheral_singleton.button_release_events) > 0;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next button release event (if any).
+std::optional<Button> InputsController::get_button_release() {
+    Button b;
+    if (xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.button_release_events, &b, 0) == pdTRUE) {
+        return b;
+    }
+    return std::nullopt;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next button release event, waiting if neccesary.
+Button InputsController::wait_button_release() {
+    Button b;
+    xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.button_release_events, &b, portMAX_DELAY);
+    return b;
+}
+
+/// Returns `true` iff there is a switch flip event waiting.
+bool InputsController::has_switch_flip() const {
+    return uxQueueMessagesWaiting(expander_peripheral_singleton.switch_flip_events) > 0;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next switch flip event (if any).
+std::optional<SwitchFlip> InputsController::get_switch_flip() {
+    SwitchFlip s;
+    if (xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.switch_flip_events, &s, 0) == pdTRUE) {
+        return s;
+    }
+    return std::nullopt;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next switch flip event, waiting if neccesary.
+SwitchFlip InputsController::wait_switch_flip() {
+    SwitchFlip s;
+    xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.switch_flip_events, &s, portMAX_DELAY);
+    return s;
+}
+
+/// Gets the current state of the switches.
+uint8_t InputsController::switch_state() {
+    xSemaphoreTake(expander_peripheral_singleton.state_mutex, portMAX_DELAY);
+    uint8_t value = expander_peripheral_singleton.state.switch_state;
+    xSemaphoreGive(expander_peripheral_singleton.state_mutex);
+    return value;
+}
+
+/// Returns `true` iff there is a switch touch event waiting.
+bool InputsController::has_switch_touch() const {
+    return uxQueueMessagesWaiting(expander_peripheral_singleton.switch_touch_events) > 0;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next switch touch event (if any).
+std::optional<SwitchTouch> InputsController::get_switch_touch() {
+    SwitchTouch s;
+    if (xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.switch_touch_events, &s, 0) == pdTRUE) {
+        return s;
+    }
+    return std::nullopt;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next switch touch event, waiting if neccesary.
+SwitchTouch InputsController::wait_switch_touch() {
+    SwitchTouch s;
+    xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.switch_touch_events, &s, portMAX_DELAY);
+    return s;
+}
+
+/// Gets the current state of the touch sensors.
+uint8_t InputsController::switch_touch_state() {
+    xSemaphoreTake(expander_peripheral_singleton.state_mutex, portMAX_DELAY);
+    uint8_t value = expander_peripheral_singleton.state.touch_state;
+    xSemaphoreGive(expander_peripheral_singleton.state_mutex);
+    return value;
+}
+
+/// Returns `true` iff there is a keypad press event waiting.
+bool InputsController::has_keypad_press() const {
+    return uxQueueMessagesWaiting(expander_peripheral_singleton.keypad_press_events) > 0;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next keypad press event (if any).
+std::optional<KeypadKey> InputsController::get_keypad_press() {
+    KeypadKey k;
+    if (xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.keypad_press_events, &k, 0) == pdTRUE) {
+        return k;
+    }
+    return std::nullopt;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next keypad press event, waiting if neccesary.
+KeypadKey InputsController::wait_keypad_press() {
+    KeypadKey k;
+    xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.keypad_press_events, &k, portMAX_DELAY);
+    return k;
+}
+
+/// Returns `true` iff there is a keypad release event waiting.
+bool InputsController::has_keypad_release() const {
+    return uxQueueMessagesWaiting(expander_peripheral_singleton.keypad_release_events) > 0;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next keypad release event (if any).
+std::optional<KeypadKey> InputsController::get_keypad_release() {
+    KeypadKey k;
+    if (xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.keypad_release_events, &k, 0) == pdTRUE) {
+        return k;
+    }
+    return std::nullopt;
+}
+
+/// Gets the next keypad release event, waiting if neccesary.
+KeypadKey InputsController::wait_keypad_release() {
+    KeypadKey k;
+    xQueueReceive(expander_peripheral_singleton.keypad_release_events, &k, portMAX_DELAY);
+    return k;
+}
+
+/// Gets the current state of the keypad.
+uint16_t InputsController::keypad_state() {
+    xSemaphoreTake(expander_peripheral_singleton.state_mutex, portMAX_DELAY);
+    uint16_t value = expander_peripheral_singleton.state.keypad_state;
+    xSemaphoreGive(expander_peripheral_singleton.state_mutex);
+    return value;
+}
+
diff --git a/include/blk_box_drivers/expander.hpp b/include/blk_box_drivers/expander.hpp
index 47c1844..7de9211 100644
--- a/include/blk_box_drivers/expander.hpp
+++ b/include/blk_box_drivers/expander.hpp
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 
 #include "blk_box_drivers/i2c.h"
 #include <freertos/FreeRTOS.h>
+#include <freertos/queue.h>
 #include <freertos/semphr.h>
+#include <optional>
 
 #define EXPANDER_I2C_ADDR (0x7E)
 #define EXPANDER_I2C_SPEED (400000)
@@ -195,23 +197,37 @@ struct ExpanderState {
     ExpanderState() : touch_state(0), button_state(0), switch_state(0), keypad_state(0), hal_sense(0), close_hal_sense(0), hal(0), close_hal(0), rfid_state(0) {}
 };
 
-/// The global data for the expander peripheral.
-class ExpanderPeripheral {
-    // TODO: change these to private
-    public: 
-    SemaphoreHandle_t state_mutex;
-    ExpanderState state;
+class InputsController {
+public:
+    void clear_all_events();
 
-    // channels
-    QueueHandle_t button_press_events;
-    QueueHandle_t button_release_events;
-    QueueHandle_t switch_flip_events;
-    QueueHandle_t switch_touch_events;
-    QueueHandle_t touch_events;
-    QueueHandle_t keypad_press_events;
-    QueueHandle_t keypad_release_events;
+    bool has_button_press() const;
+    std::optional<Button> get_button_press();
+    Button wait_button_press();
+    uint8_t button_state();
 
-    
+    bool has_button_release() const;
+    std::optional<Button> get_button_release();
+    Button wait_button_release();
+
+    bool has_switch_flip() const;
+    std::optional<SwitchFlip> get_switch_flip();
+    SwitchFlip wait_switch_flip();
+    uint8_t switch_state();
+
+    bool has_switch_touch() const;
+    std::optional<SwitchTouch> get_switch_touch();
+    SwitchTouch wait_switch_touch();
+    uint8_t switch_touch_state();
+
+    bool has_keypad_press() const;
+    std::optional<KeypadKey> get_keypad_press();
+    KeypadKey wait_keypad_press();
+
+    bool has_keypad_release() const;
+    std::optional<KeypadKey> get_keypad_release();
+    KeypadKey wait_keypad_release();
+    uint16_t keypad_state();
 };
 
 #endif // EXPANDER_H
\ No newline at end of file