diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index e14068d..3ecc14f 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ require('./reaction_components/drag-droppable.js')
 require('./reaction_components/draggable.js')
 require('./reaction_components/droppable.js')
 require('./reaction_components/clickable.js')
+require('./reaction_components/activatable.js')
 
 /**
  * Super Hands component for A-Frame.
@@ -58,6 +59,18 @@ AFRAME.registerComponent('super-hands', {
         'pointdown', 'thumbdown', 'pointingend', 'pistolend',
         'thumbstickup', 'mouseup', 'touchend']
     },
+    activateStartButtons: {
+      default: ['gripdown', 'trackpaddown', 'triggerdown', 'gripclose',
+        'abuttondown', 'bbuttondown', 'xbuttondown', 'ybuttondown',
+        'pointup', 'thumbup', 'pointingstart', 'pistolstart',
+        'thumbstickdown', 'mousedown', 'touchstart']
+    },
+    activateEndButtons: {
+      default: ['gripup', 'trackpadup', 'triggerup', 'gripopen',
+        'abuttonup', 'bbuttonup', 'xbuttonup', 'ybuttonup',
+        'pointdown', 'thumbdown', 'pointingend', 'pistolend',
+        'thumbstickup', 'mouseup', 'touchend']
+    },
     interval: { default: 0 }
   },
 
@@ -82,6 +95,8 @@ AFRAME.registerComponent('super-hands', {
     this.DRAGOVER_EVENT = 'dragover-start'
     this.UNDRAGOVER_EVENT = 'dragover-end'
     this.DRAGDROP_EVENT = 'drag-drop'
+    this.ACTIVATE_EVENT = 'activate-start'
+    this.DEACTIVATE_EVENT = 'activate-end'
 
     // links to other systems/components
     this.otherSuperHand = null
@@ -106,6 +121,8 @@ AFRAME.registerComponent('super-hands', {
     this.onStretchEndButton = this.onStretchEndButton.bind(this)
     this.onDragDropStartButton = this.onDragDropStartButton.bind(this)
     this.onDragDropEndButton = this.onDragDropEndButton.bind(this)
+    this.onActivateStartButton = this.onActivateStartButton.bind(this)
+    this.onActivateEndButton = this.onActivateEndButton.bind(this)
     this.system.registerMe(this)
   },
 
@@ -281,6 +298,18 @@ AFRAME.registerComponent('super-hands', {
       }
     }
   },
+  onActivateStartButton: function (evt) {
+    const target = this.state.get(this.GRAB_EVENT) || this.state.get(this.HOVER_EVENT)
+    if (target && !this.emitCancelable(target, this.ACTIVATE_EVENT, {hand: this.el, buttonEvent: evt})) {
+      this.state.set(this.ACTIVATE_EVENT, target)
+    }
+  },
+  onActivateEndButton: function (evt) {
+    const target = this.state.get(this.GRAB_EVENT) || this.state.get(this.HOVER_EVENT)
+    if (target && !this.emitCancelable(target, this.DEACTIVATE_EVENT, {hand: this.el, buttonEvent: evt})) {
+      this.state.delete(this.ACTIVATE_EVENT)
+    }
+  },
   processHitEl: function (hitEl, intersection) {
     const dist = intersection && intersection.distance
     const sects = this.hoverElsIntersections
@@ -434,6 +463,9 @@ AFRAME.registerComponent('super-hands', {
     this.data.dragDropStartButtons.forEach(b => {
       this.el.addEventListener(b, this.onDragDropStartButton)
     })
+    this.data.activateStartButtons.forEach(b => {
+      this.el.addEventListener(b, this.onActivateStartButton)
+    })
     this.data.dragDropEndButtons.forEach(b => {
       this.el.addEventListener(b, this.onDragDropEndButton)
     })
@@ -443,6 +475,9 @@ AFRAME.registerComponent('super-hands', {
     this.data.grabEndButtons.forEach(b => {
       this.el.addEventListener(b, this.onGrabEndButton)
     })
+    this.data.activateEndButtons.forEach(b => {
+      this.el.addEventListener(b, this.onActivateEndButton)
+    })
   },
   unRegisterListeners: function (data) {
     data = data || this.data
@@ -463,6 +498,9 @@ AFRAME.registerComponent('super-hands', {
     data.stretchStartButtons.forEach(b => {
       this.el.removeEventListener(b, this.onStretchStartButton)
     })
+    data.activateStartButtons.forEach(b => {
+      this.el.removeEventListener(b, this.onActivateStartButton)
+    })
     data.stretchEndButtons.forEach(b => {
       this.el.removeEventListener(b, this.onStretchEndButton)
     })
@@ -472,6 +510,9 @@ AFRAME.registerComponent('super-hands', {
     data.dragDropEndButtons.forEach(b => {
       this.el.removeEventListener(b, this.onDragDropEndButton)
     })
+    data.activateEndButtons.forEach(b => {
+      this.el.removeEventListener(b, this.onActivateEndButton)
+    })
   },
   emitCancelable: function (target, name, detail) {
     var data, evt
diff --git a/reaction_components/activatable.js b/reaction_components/activatable.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..04a2db3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/reaction_components/activatable.js
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/* global AFRAME */
+const inherit = AFRAME.utils.extendDeep
+const buttonCore = require('./prototypes/buttons-proto.js')
+
+AFRAME.registerComponent('activatable', inherit({}, buttonCore, {
+  multiple: true,
+  schema: {
+    buttonStartEvents: {default: []},
+    buttonEndEvents: {default: []},
+    activatedState: {default: 'activated'}
+  },
+  init: function () {
+    this.ACTIVATE_EVENT = 'activate-start'
+    this.DEACTIVATE_EVENT = 'activate-end'
+
+    this.activateStart = this.activateStart.bind(this)
+    this.activateEnd = this.activateEnd.bind(this)
+
+    this.el.addEventListener(this.ACTIVATE_EVENT, this.activateStart)
+    this.el.addEventListener(this.DEACTIVATE_EVENT, this.activateEnd)
+  },
+  remove: function () {
+    this.el.removeEventListener(this.ACTIVATE_EVENT, this.activateStart)
+    this.el.removeEventListener(this.DEACTIVATE_EVENT, this.activateEnd)
+  },
+  activateStart: function (evt) {
+    if (evt.defaultPrevented || !this.startButtonOk(evt)) { return }
+    if (this.data.buttonStartEvents.indexOf(evt.detail.buttonEvent.type) === -1) { return }
+    this.el.addState(this.data.activatedState)
+    if (evt.preventDefault) { evt.preventDefault() }
+  },
+  activateEnd: function (evt) {
+    if (evt.defaultPrevented || !this.endButtonOk(evt)) { return }
+    if (this.data.buttonEndEvents.indexOf(evt.detail.buttonEvent.type) === -1 || !this.el.is(this.data.activatedState)) { return }
+    this.el.removeState(this.data.activatedState)
+    if (evt.preventDefault) { evt.preventDefault() }
+  }
+}))