I'm a video game programmer by day, and I love playing with custom input peripherals. I decided to mod a Nintendo Power Glove to work with some of the games I've worked on. It replaces the original Power Glove's ultrasonic sensors with an accelerometer, the microcontroller with an open-source Arduino, and the wired connection with Bluetooth. I'll show you how to mod your own Power Glove, so you can make it into something more than just a crappy controller for your NES!
Make the future you remember from your childhood, and recycle that glove that was just gathering dust!
I encourage you to do three things before starting:
1) Download the schematic, Arduino code, and sample reader code.
2) Download (or have on hand) the video I've made to go along with this Instructable. I explain some steps in more detail and there are additional visuals that complement the pictures here.
3) Watch the entire video and read this entire Instructable before starting! If there's conflicting information, this guide takes precedence.
For all download links to the video, code, etc, check my website.
Make the future you remember from your childhood, and recycle that glove that was just gathering dust!
I encourage you to do three things before starting:
1) Download the schematic, Arduino code, and sample reader code.
2) Download (or have on hand) the video I've made to go along with this Instructable. I explain some steps in more detail and there are additional visuals that complement the pictures here.
3) Watch the entire video and read this entire Instructable before starting! If there's conflicting information, this guide takes precedence.
For all download links to the video, code, etc, check my website.
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Signing UpStep 1: Design and Parts
I'll start with the goals I had in mind when designing the project and picking parts:
1) Retain as much functionality from the original glove as possible. Sure, you could just plug in the guts from a wiimote, but those bend sensors are so fun!
2) Fit everything in the existing housings. Part of the Power Glove's awesomeness is its ludicrous, sleek, retro-futuristic look. I didn't want to spoil that with wires and gubbins sticking all out.
3) Make it wireless, and robust. No one wants to fake-punch if they're afraid of ripping their computer off their desk or breaking the device.
4) Reduce power consumption as much as possible. I hate wasting and/or constantly recharging batteries, so I picked components (like the accelerometer) that advertised low power consumption.
5) Reduce cost as much as possible, while retaining ease of creation. I've opted to use components sold with breakout boards instead of making a custom board, and I've cannibalized parts from either the original Power Glove or commonplace items (like old computers) where I can.
Here's the full list of parts I used to mod my Power Glove:
Original Nintendo Power Glove -- $40 (ebay)
Arduino Pro Mini 3.3V (8MHz) -- $18.95 (Sparkfun)
ADXL330 3-axis accelerometer with breakout board -- $34.95 (Sparkfun)
CD74HC4067 Analog/Digital MUX with breakout board -- $4.95 (Sparkfun)
BlueSMiRF Silver Bluetooth communications module -- $49.95 (Sparkfun)
Battery clip and battery. I used a rechargeable 3.7V 1100mAh battery (Sparkfun), but anything over 3.3V should work. 2x AA is insufficient.
100k ohm resistor (Brown-Black-Yellow-Gold)
Old computer ribbon cables (optional) for creating your own custom ribbon cables
Berg-style connectors (optional) for making removable sensor connectors (cannibalize these from an old PC)
Right-angle pin headers (optional) for making removable sensor connectors
You'll also need the following tools:
Soldering iron
Sidecuts
Utility knife
Wire strippers
Jeweler's saw (or any other tool capable of making precision circuit board cuts)
Prototyping breadboard
Programming interface for the Arduino Pro Mini (such as Sparkfun's USB to Serial Breakout Board)
Dremel rotary tool (optional, but very useful)
1) Retain as much functionality from the original glove as possible. Sure, you could just plug in the guts from a wiimote, but those bend sensors are so fun!
2) Fit everything in the existing housings. Part of the Power Glove's awesomeness is its ludicrous, sleek, retro-futuristic look. I didn't want to spoil that with wires and gubbins sticking all out.
3) Make it wireless, and robust. No one wants to fake-punch if they're afraid of ripping their computer off their desk or breaking the device.
4) Reduce power consumption as much as possible. I hate wasting and/or constantly recharging batteries, so I picked components (like the accelerometer) that advertised low power consumption.
5) Reduce cost as much as possible, while retaining ease of creation. I've opted to use components sold with breakout boards instead of making a custom board, and I've cannibalized parts from either the original Power Glove or commonplace items (like old computers) where I can.
Here's the full list of parts I used to mod my Power Glove:
Original Nintendo Power Glove -- $40 (ebay)
Arduino Pro Mini 3.3V (8MHz) -- $18.95 (Sparkfun)
ADXL330 3-axis accelerometer with breakout board -- $34.95 (Sparkfun)
CD74HC4067 Analog/Digital MUX with breakout board -- $4.95 (Sparkfun)
BlueSMiRF Silver Bluetooth communications module -- $49.95 (Sparkfun)
Battery clip and battery. I used a rechargeable 3.7V 1100mAh battery (Sparkfun), but anything over 3.3V should work. 2x AA is insufficient.
100k ohm resistor (Brown-Black-Yellow-Gold)
Old computer ribbon cables (optional) for creating your own custom ribbon cables
Berg-style connectors (optional) for making removable sensor connectors (cannibalize these from an old PC)
Right-angle pin headers (optional) for making removable sensor connectors
You'll also need the following tools:
Soldering iron
Sidecuts
Utility knife
Wire strippers
Jeweler's saw (or any other tool capable of making precision circuit board cuts)
Prototyping breadboard
Programming interface for the Arduino Pro Mini (such as Sparkfun's USB to Serial Breakout Board)
Dremel rotary tool (optional, but very useful)
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I love the power glove! it is SO BAD.
I've got pics of mine on my site: http://www.clydeshaffer.com/clydeshaffer/glove.htm
As for interfacing with games, check out PPJoy! I used it to feed the bend sensor data to the joystick axis through the serial data. My Arduino code sent each of the bend values as a single byte, in the protocol on the PPJoy site!
I haven't done much else with my Powerglove since, but when I install PPJoy and the Arduino stuff on my new laptop I'll play around with it some more now!