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Esp32 Ble Gamepad

Made by ElectroPoint / Games & Gaming / Sensors / IoT

About the project

A DIY handheld Gamepad using ESP32 and Communicates over BLE

Project info

Difficulty: Moderate

Platforms: Android, Windows

Estimated time: 1 hour

License: MIT license (MIT)

Items used in this project

Hardware components

	MT3608 boost converter Capacitors / Tantalum Electrolytic	x 1
	TP4056 battery charging circuit with protection	x 1
	3 way toggle switch	x 1
	18560 battery and Battery holder	x 2
	Push button	x 8
	Angle Push Button	x 2
	Joystick	x 2
	ws2812b	x 6
	esp32	x 1

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Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Soldering iron (generic)

x 1

Story

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Description

This is a DIY handheld gamepad, made using ESP32 microcontroller. You might have seen such game controllers before. But most of them use Arduino. Or more specifically Arduino pro micro or Leonardo board. Because these boards support HID, or human interface devices over USB. but esp32 doesn't have such feature. So how do we do it? Well, esp32 does have BLE, or Bluetooth low energy, which we can use to communicate wirelessly, over Bluetooth.

DETAILS

So we have ESP32 module, as the central controller, then we have the USB type-C port, and a 3.3v regulator to convert 5v to 3.3v. Then we have the programming circuit, using ch340c usb to serial converter with auto programming mode and auto reset circuitry using duel transistors. We also have a battery charging circuit, along with overcharge, and over discharge protection. Which then boost up to 5v, using the boost converter ic. Next we have the joysticks, D-Pad buttons, trigger buttons, Neopixel LEDs, i2c port. And finally a 3way switch, to toggle between USB power and battery power.

The gamepad has

2 analog joysticks
2 trigger buttons
2 D-Pads
6 addressable RGB LEDs
and a i2c port

It can run using 2 18650 Li ion cells, which can be changed using the USB type-C port. And it can also be used to program the microcontroller. The design is inspired by the new ps5 controller, to give it a better look. The GPIO4 is connected to the battery using a voltage divider. So that we can measure the battery voltage. the NeoPixel LEDs will indicates if the controller is connected to a device or battery voltage is low.

The code is based on BLE Gamepad library by lemmingDev. In the code I have defined all the GPIO pins for different inputs. Then in the setup there are some initial led animations. And as soon as the board is connected to the device, all LEDs will turn Green. And it will check battery voltage, in a time interval, which is defined earlier. Then we get the button states, and set the gamepad buttons accordingly. Then we take the analog inputs, and map it to suitable values. And finally set the axis according to the values we received. After uploading the code open Bluetooth menu on your Smartphone or PC and you will see a new device pops up. click on that to connect it and you are ready to play.

Schematics, diagrams and documents

Schematic

Code

Source Code

#include <BleGamepad.h>
#include <FastLED.h>

CRGB leds[6];
BleGamepad bleGamepad("ESP Controller", "ElectroPoint4u", 100);

// TRIGGER BUTTONS
#define LT 2
#define RT 23

// LEFT-JOYSTICK
#define LH 34
#define LV 35
#define LS 15

// RIGHT-JOYSTICK
#define RH 39
#define RV 36
#define RS 19

// D-PAD
#define L1 32
#define L2 33
#define L3 27
#define L4 14

#define R1 18
#define R2 5
#define R3 17
#define R4 16

// BATTERY VOLTAGE
#define ADC 4

// NEOPIXEL
#define DATA_PIN 13

// PERIFERALS
//  #define MIC 25
//  #define SPEAKER 26

int buttons[8] = {32, 33, 27, 14, 18, 5, 17, 16};

int period = 1000;
unsigned long time_now = 0;

const int numberOfPotSamples = 5;     // Number of pot samples to take (to smooth the values)
const int delayBetweenSamples = 2;    // Delay in milliseconds between pot samples
const int delayBetweenHIDReports = 5; // Additional delay in milliseconds between HID reports
const int debounceDelay = 10;        // Delay in milliseconds between button press

int previousButton1State = HIGH;
int previousButton2State = HIGH;
int previousButton3State = HIGH;
int previousButton4State = HIGH;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  FastLED.addLeds<NEOPIXEL, DATA_PIN>(leds, 6);
  FastLED.setBrightness(64);
  for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
    pinMode(buttons[i], INPUT_PULLUP);
  }
  pinMode(LT, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(RT, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(LS, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(RS, INPUT_PULLUP);
  bleGamepad.begin();
  Serial.println("Starting BLE work!");

  leds[0] = CRGB::Blue;
  leds[5] = CRGB::Blue;
  FastLED.show();
  delay(200);
  leds[1] = CRGB::Blue;
  leds[4] = CRGB::Blue;
  FastLED.show();
  delay(300);
  leds[2] = CRGB::Blue;
  leds[3] = CRGB::Blue;
  FastLED.show();
  delay(1000);
  FastLED.clear();
  FastLED.show();
}

void loop() {
  if (bleGamepad.isConnected()) {
    for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
      leds[i] = CHSV( HUE_GREEN, 255, 64);
    }
    FastLED.show();
    while (millis() > time_now + period) {
      Serial.println("Checking Battery Level");
      batteryLevel();
      time_now = millis();
    }
    int currentButton1State = digitalRead(R1);
    int currentButton2State = digitalRead(R2);
    int currentButton3State = digitalRead(R3);
    int currentButton4State = digitalRead(R4);

    if (currentButton1State != previousButton1State) {
      if (currentButton1State == LOW)
        bleGamepad.press(BUTTON_5);
      else
        bleGamepad.release(BUTTON_5);
    }
    previousButton1State = currentButton1State;

    if (currentButton2State != previousButton2State) {
      if (currentButton2State == LOW)
        bleGamepad.press(BUTTON_2);
      else
        bleGamepad.release(BUTTON_2);
    }
    previousButton2State = currentButton2State;

    if (currentButton3State != previousButton3State) {
      if (currentButton3State == LOW)
        bleGamepad.press(BUTTON_1);
      else
        bleGamepad.release(BUTTON_1);
    }
    previousButton3State = currentButton3State;

    if (currentButton4State != previousButton4State) {
      if (currentButton4State == LOW)
        bleGamepad.press(BUTTON_4);
      else
        bleGamepad.release(BUTTON_4);
    }
    previousButton4State = currentButton4State;

    if (digitalRead(LS) == LOW) {
      Serial.println("Left Joystick");
      bleGamepad.press(BUTTON_6);
      delay(debounceDelay);
      bleGamepad.release(BUTTON_6);
    }
    if (digitalRead(RS) == LOW) {
      Serial.println("Right Joystick");
      bleGamepad.press(BUTTON_3);
      delay(debounceDelay);
      bleGamepad.release(BUTTON_3);
    }

    if (digitalRead(LT) == LOW) {
      Serial.println("Left trigger");
      bleGamepad.press(BUTTON_7);
      delay(debounceDelay);
      bleGamepad.release(BUTTON_7);
    }
    if (digitalRead(RT) == LOW) {
      Serial.println("Right trigger");
      bleGamepad.press(BUTTON_8);
      delay(debounceDelay);
      bleGamepad.release(BUTTON_8);
    }

    int potValues[numberOfPotSamples];
    for (int i = 0 ; i < numberOfPotSamples ; i++) {
      potValues[i] = analogRead(LH);
      delay(delayBetweenSamples);
    }
    int potValue = 0;
    for (int i = 0 ; i < numberOfPotSamples ; i++) {
      potValue += potValues[i];
    }
    potValue = potValue / numberOfPotSamples;
    int adjustedValue = map(potValue, 0, 4095, 127, -127);


    int potValues2[numberOfPotSamples];
    for (int i = 0 ; i < numberOfPotSamples ; i++) {
      potValues2[i] = analogRead(LV);
      delay(delayBetweenSamples);
    }
    int potValue2 = 0;
    for (int i = 0 ; i < numberOfPotSamples ; i++) {
      potValue2 += potValues2[i];
    }
    potValue2 = potValue2 / numberOfPotSamples;
    int adjustedValue2 = map(potValue2, 0, 4095, 127, -127);


    int potValues3[numberOfPotSamples];
    for (int i = 0 ; i < numberOfPotSamples ; i++) {
      potValues3[i] = analogRead(RH);
      delay(delayBetweenSamples);
    }
    int potValue3 = 0;
    for (int i = 0 ; i < numberOfPotSamples ; i++) {
      potValue3 += potValues3[i];
    }
    potValue3 = potValue3 / numberOfPotSamples;
    int adjustedValue3 = map(potValue3, 0, 4095, 255, 0);


    int potValues4[numberOfPotSamples];
    for (int i = 0 ; i < numberOfPotSamples ; i++) {
      potValues4[i] = analogRead(RV);
      delay(delayBetweenSamples);
    }
    int potValue4 = 0;
    for (int i = 0 ; i < numberOfPotSamples ; i++) {
      potValue4 += potValues4[i];
    }
    potValue4 = potValue4 / numberOfPotSamples;
    int adjustedValue4 = map(potValue4, 0, 4095, 255, 0);
    /*
      Serial.print(adjustedValue);
      Serial.print(" || ");
      Serial.print(adjustedValue2);
      Serial.print(" || ");
      Serial.print(adjustedValue3);
      Serial.print(" || ");
      Serial.println(adjustedValue4);
    */
    bleGamepad.setAxes(adjustedValue, adjustedValue2, 0, 0, adjustedValue3, adjustedValue4, DPAD_CENTERED);
    delay(delayBetweenHIDReports);

    if (digitalRead(L1) == LOW)
      bleGamepad.setAxes(adjustedValue, adjustedValue2, 0, 0, adjustedValue3, adjustedValue4, DPAD_UP);
    if (digitalRead(L2) == LOW)
      bleGamepad.setAxes(adjustedValue, adjustedValue2, 0, 0, adjustedValue3, adjustedValue4, DPAD_LEFT);
    if (digitalRead(L3) == LOW)
      bleGamepad.setAxes(adjustedValue, adjustedValue2, 0, 0, adjustedValue3, adjustedValue4, DPAD_DOWN);
    if (digitalRead(L4) == LOW)
      bleGamepad.setAxes(adjustedValue, adjustedValue2, 0, 0, adjustedValue3, adjustedValue4, DPAD_RIGHT);
  }
}

void batteryLevel() {
  int sensorValue = analogRead(ADC);
  float voltage = sensorValue * (5.12 / 4095.0);
  Serial.print(voltage);
  Serial.print("V ||");
  int percentage = (voltage / 4.2) * 100;
  Serial.print(percentage);
  Serial.println("%");
  bleGamepad.setBatteryLevel(percentage);
  if (percentage < 60) {
    Serial.println("LOW battery");
    for (uint8_t i = 30; i < 220; i++) {
      for (int j = 0; j < 6; j++) {
        leds[j] = CHSV( HUE_RED, 255, i);
      }
      FastLED.show();
      delay(15);
    }
    for (uint8_t i = 220; i > 30; i--) {
      for (int j = 0; j < 6; j++) {
        leds[j] = CHSV( HUE_RED, 255, i);
      }
      FastLED.show();
      delay(15);
    }
  }
}

Credits

ElectroPoint

Electronics Engineer, Maker, YouTuber

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