diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index 8163614..2306eeb 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -324,6 +324,14 @@ pub const Component = struct {
         };
     }
 
+    pub fn getInput(self: *Component, idx: usize) ?*Signal {
+        return self.inputs.items[idx].signal;
+    }
+
+    pub fn getOutput(self: *Component, idx: usize) *Signal {
+        return &self.outputs.items[idx].signal;
+    }
+
     fn connect(self: *Component, allocator: std.mem.Allocator, self_idx: usize, to: *Component, to_idx: usize) !void {
         const input = &to.inputs.items[to_idx];
         input.signal = &self.outputs.items[self_idx].signal;
@@ -424,7 +432,7 @@ pub const Battery = struct {
 
     pub fn update(component: *Component) AllocatorError!void {
         const self: *Battery = @fieldParentPtr("component", component);
-        const output = &component.outputs.items[0].signal;
+        const output = component.getOutput(0);
         output.digital = @intFromFloat(std.math.sign(self.value));
         output.analog = self.value;
     }
@@ -450,8 +458,8 @@ pub const Not = struct {
 
     pub fn update(component: *Component) AllocatorError!void {
         const self: *Not = @fieldParentPtr("component", component);
-        const output = &component.outputs.items[0].signal;
-        const input = if (component.inputs.items[0].signal) |s| s else &Signal{};
+        const output = component.getOutput(0);
+        const input = if (component.getInput(0)) |s| s else &Signal{};
         if (self.invert_output) {
             output.digital = 1 - @as(i2, @intCast(@abs(input.digital)));
             output.analog = 1.0 - @abs(input.analog);
@@ -486,8 +494,8 @@ pub const And = struct {
     // TODO check implementation
     pub fn update(component: *Component) AllocatorError!void {
         const self: *And = @fieldParentPtr("component", component);
-        const output = &component.outputs.items[0].signal;
-        const input0 = if (component.inputs.items[0].signal) |s| s else &Signal{};
+        const output = component.getOutput(0);
+        const input0 = if (component.getInput(0)) |s| s else &Signal{};
         if (self.arithmetic_mode) {
             output.digital = input0.digital;
             output.analog = input0.analog;
@@ -554,8 +562,8 @@ pub const Or = struct {
     // TODO check implementation
     pub fn update(component: *Component) AllocatorError!void {
         const self: *Or = @fieldParentPtr("component", component);
-        const output = &component.outputs.items[0].signal;
-        const input0 = if (component.inputs.items[0].signal) |s| s else &Signal{};
+        const output = component.getOutput(0);
+        const input0 = if (component.getInput(0)) |s| s else &Signal{};
         if (self.arithmetic_mode) {
             output.digital = input0.digital;
             output.analog = input0.analog;
@@ -591,12 +599,12 @@ test "max" {
     or1.component.inputs.items[1].signal = &b;
 
     try or1.component.update();
-    try std.testing.expectEqual(1.0, or1.component.outputs.items[0].signal.analog);
+    try std.testing.expectEqual(1.0, or1.component.getOutput(0).analog);
 
     a.analog = -0.5;
     b.analog = -0.2;
     try or1.component.update();
-    try std.testing.expectEqual(-0.5, or1.component.outputs.items[0].signal.analog);
+    try std.testing.expectEqual(-0.5, or1.component.getOutput(0).analog);
 }
 
 const AllocatorError = std.mem.Allocator.Error;