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Arduino-Based Accelerometer Pinball Controller

This project uses an Arduino Leonardo (or compatible ATmega32U4-based board) and an MPU-6050 accelerometer to create a USB joystick controller for virtual pinball software like Visual Pinball X (VPX) and Future Pinball. The accelerometer translates the tilt of the device into joystick X and Y axis movements, providing a realistic way to nudge and control the virtual pinball table.

Features

  • Tilt Control: Accurately maps accelerometer readings to joystick X and Y axes for controlling the tilt/nudge mechanism in pinball simulations.
  • Adjustable Sensitivity: Easily fine-tune the sensitivity of the tilt control using the ACCEL_TILT_SENSITIVITY constant in the code, allowing you to customize the responsiveness to your preference.
  • Customizable Mapping: Employs a custom mapping function (customMap()) with a cubic curve for finer control over the joystick output, especially for subtle movements.
  • Joystick Scaling: Includes a JOYSTICK_SCALING_FACTOR constant, to provide an additional layer of control over the joystick output, independent of the sensitivity.
  • Calibration: Includes a calibration routine to compensate for sensor offsets, ensuring the joystick is centered when the device is level.
  • VPX/Future Pinball Compatibility: Designed to work seamlessly with virtual pinball software that supports joystick input for tilt/nudge.

Hardware Requirements

  • Arduino Board: An Arduino Leonardo, Pro Micro, or any other ATmega32U4-based board is required. These boards have built-in USB HID capabilities, allowing them to act as a joystick.
  • Accelerometer: An MPU-6050 6-axis accelerometer and gyroscope module. The code is specifically written for the MPU-6050 but could be adapted for other accelerometers.
  • GY-87 Module (Optional): The GY-87 module is a convenient breakout board that includes the MPU-6050, HMC5883L magnetometer, and BMP180 barometer. While the magnetometer is not used in this code, the GY-87 can still be used as a carrier for the MPU-6050.

Software Requirements

  • Arduino IDE: To compile and upload the code to your Arduino.
  • Joystick Library: The Arduino Joystick library by Matthew Heironimus. Install it through the Arduino IDE Library Manager (Sketch -> Include Library -> Manage Libraries...).
  • Adafruit MPU6050 Library: Install it through the Arduino IDE Library Manager.
  • Adafruit Sensor Library: Install it through the Arduino IDE Library Manager.
  • Virtual Pinball Software: VPX, Future Pinball, or any other pinball software that supports joystick input for tilt/nudge.

Code Description

The code is written in C++ for the Arduino platform. Here's a breakdown of the main sections:

Includes

#include <Joystick.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_MPU6050.h>
#include <Adafruit_Sensor.h>