Published December 2, 2016 © CC BY-NC-SA

Hack Skateboard for Virtual Reality with Arduino

Hack your existing skateboard with Arduino to create a responsive VR controller for a truly immersive experience in your living room!

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Hack Skateboard for Virtual Reality with Arduino

Things used in this project

Hardware components

GY-521 MPU-6050 3 Axis Gyroscope + Accelerometer Module For Arduino

SparkFun Bluetooth Modem - BlueSMiRF Silver

Arduino Leonardo

9V battery (generic)

9V Battery Clip

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Soldering iron (generic)

Story

This is a really fun and easy project that can be done in about an hour. On the bottom of the skateboard is an accelerometer/gyro with an Arduino board that transmits the angular motion of the board via Bluetooth to a little virtual reality game I made for Android phones. I attempted to model El Toro which is a famous skateboard spot in California. So, when you turn on your Arduino and the Bluetooth connects with your phone, you start moving forward. Lean left and you go left, lean right and you go right. Lift up the front wheels and your character will jump. This only works for Android phones and your phone must be compatible with Google Cardboard. This project is the culmination of everything I am passionate about (skateboarding, VR, and Arduino). Hope you like it!

The Android app is called "Arduino VR Skateboard" can be downloaded here.

Code

Arduino Code for Leonardo and Uno

#include "I2Cdev.h"
#include "MPU6050_6Axis_MotionApps20.h"
#if I2CDEV_IMPLEMENTATION == I2CDEV_ARDUINO_WIRE
    #include "Wire.h"
#endif

MPU6050 mpu;

   bool sendLeft = true;
   bool sendRight = true;
   bool sendJump = true;
   bool sendCenter = true;

bool dmpReady = false;  
uint8_t mpuIntStatus;   
uint8_t devStatus;     
uint16_t packetSize;    
uint16_t fifoCount;     
uint8_t fifoBuffer[64]; 


Quaternion q;           
VectorInt16 aa;        
VectorInt16 aaReal;     
VectorInt16 aaWorld;    
VectorFloat gravity;    
float euler[3];         
float ypr[3];           
volatile bool mpuInterrupt = false;  

void setup() 
{
 
    #if I2CDEV_IMPLEMENTATION == I2CDEV_ARDUINO_WIRE
        Wire.begin();
        TWBR = 24; 
    #elif I2CDEV_IMPLEMENTATION == I2CDEV_BUILTIN_FASTWIRE
        Fastwire::setup(400, true);
    #endif

    Serial.begin(9600);  //For use with Arduino Uno
    Serial1.begin(9600); //For use with Leonardo

    Serial.println(F("Initializing I2C devices..."));
    mpu.initialize();

    Serial.println(F("Testing device connections..."));
    Serial.println(mpu.testConnection() ? F("MPU6050 connection successful") : F("MPU6050 connection failed"));
    Serial.println(F("Initializing DMP..."));
    devStatus = mpu.dmpInitialize();

    mpu.setXGyroOffset(220);
    mpu.setYGyroOffset(76);
    mpu.setZGyroOffset(-85);
    mpu.setZAccelOffset(1788); 
    if (devStatus == 0) {
        Serial.println(F("Enabling DMP..."));
        mpu.setDMPEnabled(true);
        Serial.println(F("Enabling interrupt detection (Arduino external interrupt 0)..."));
        attachInterrupt(0, dmpDataReady, RISING);
        mpuIntStatus = mpu.getIntStatus();
        Serial.println(F("DMP ready! Waiting for first interrupt..."));
        dmpReady = true;
        packetSize = mpu.dmpGetFIFOPacketSize();
    } else {
        Serial.print(F("DMP Initialization failed (code "));
        Serial.print(devStatus);
        Serial.println(F(")"));
    }
   
}


void loop() 
{
  
    if (!dmpReady) return;
    mpuInterrupt = false;
    mpuIntStatus = mpu.getIntStatus();
    fifoCount = mpu.getFIFOCount();
    if ((mpuIntStatus & 0x10) || fifoCount == 1024) {
        mpu.resetFIFO();
        Serial.println(F("FIFO Overflow"));

    } else if (mpuIntStatus & 0x02) {
        while (fifoCount < packetSize) {
          fifoCount = mpu.getFIFOCount();
        }
        mpu.getFIFOBytes(fifoBuffer, packetSize);        
        fifoCount -= packetSize;
        mpu.dmpGetQuaternion(&q, fifoBuffer);
        mpu.dmpGetGravity(&gravity, &q);
        mpu.dmpGetYawPitchRoll(ypr, &q, &gravity);
        
        int x = ypr[0] * 180/M_PI;
        int y = ypr[1] * 180/M_PI;
        int z = ypr[2] * 180/M_PI;
        
   if (z >= 0){
      //backward
      if (sendJump){
      Serial1.write("b");
      Serial1.write(10);
      Serial.write("b");
      Serial.write(10);
      sendJump = false;
      }
      sendLeft = true;
      sendRight = true;
      sendCenter = true;
      
    } else if (y > 4){   //To make more sensitive change value to 4 or less
      //right
      if (sendRight){
      Serial1.write("r");
      Serial1.write(10);
      Serial.write("r");
      Serial.write(10);
      sendRight = false;
      }
      sendJump = true;
      sendLeft = true;
      sendCenter = true;
    } else if (y < -4){  //To make more sensitive change to -4 or greater 
      //left
      if (sendLeft){
      Serial1.write("l");
      Serial1.write(10);
      Serial.write("l");
      Serial.write(10);
      sendLeft = false;
      }
      sendJump = true;
      sendRight = true;
      sendCenter = true;

    } else if (y >= -3 || y <= 3){
      //center
      if (sendCenter == true){
          Serial1.write("c");
          Serial1.write(10);
          Serial.write("c");
          Serial.write(10);
          sendCenter = false;
      }
      
      sendJump = true;
      sendLeft = true;
      sendRight = true;
    }   
        
       
    }
}

void dmpDataReady() 
{
    mpuInterrupt = true;
}