RumbleMouse

Do you love how your friend's Xbox controller vibrates every time he mercilessly shoots you in the face? If you wish you had this wonderful feedback feature on your PC, now you can!

This is a project that I did several years ago, but I photographed and documented it well enough that I can do a write-up here without any trouble. Excuse the photographer, he was young and reckless.

The simple idea behind this mouse mod is taking a small motor with an offset weight on its shaft, and mounting it in a PC mouse. These motors are easy to harvest from an old rumble-equipped Playstation or Xbox controller.

Step 1 Materials and Tools

You'll need some stuff for this project, but its all cheap, and the tools are simple.

Materials:
- USB optical mouse
- Off-center weighted motor ( 5V )
- Thin metal or plastic sheet
- Bondo or body filler
- Spray paint
- Spray primer
- Wire
- Switch
- Heat-shrink tubing
- Solder

Safety Equipment:
- Goggles
- Gloves
- Sanding mask

Tools:
- Drill
- Tin snips
- Hot glue gun
- Sandpaper (80, 120, 220)
- Soldering iron
- Needle File

Comments

[cheesebigot]

I used this mod a few months ago for April Fools' Day. I used an old cell phone vibrational motor and wired it to my girlfriend's mouse while she was gone. She came home, sat at her computer, double-clicked an icon and jumped sky high! Thanks for the project idea!

[The nerdling]

lol
:-D

[mattthegamer463]

Thats pretty great, man.

[zatek]

Nice edible!

I did this in a Logitech G500, hooked up all the connections in the mouse to two copper plates on the inside of the weight cartridge slot. Then I proceeded to make a rumble pak for it that would go in the weight cartridge slot!

Just a hint, those soldering connections (+5v to the mouse button) made it act weirdly so whenever my rumble pak is on my LMB also triggers the "browser back" button. However you could either map it off the mouse with Logitech Setopint or integrate a switch in it so it only is on when you're gaming.

[naruto the ninja13]

can you make it so when you like playing a game such as half life of halo and on console versions the controller rumbers when you fall, get hurt or are shooting could you make the mouse do that?

[mattthegamer463]

Well, no. 

You would need to develop software that would send a signal to a chip inside the mouse. It easily be 30 times more work than in this Instructable. This method is just using the mouse button as a triggering method for the motor, using only hardware piggybacking on the mouse.

[harigast]

i just got an idea from this! replace any normal rumbling controler motor and weight with something that electrocutes you. like a stun-gun to the palms. then you will really really not want to get shot. i guess you could even plug the leads to something even better like a jacket.

[beast_mode]

many other people agree that this is a good idea, ironically, they also support the death penalty and the electric chair... ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!

[harigast]

i guess you could make it out of those electroshock abdominal belts that were popular in around 2000AD. then its like working out when you play a game. now i just need to find the ones i was buying in thrift stores.

[H3xx]

just use one of those prank shock lighters, pens, condoms, etc. :)

[airecrist]

prank shock condom? ouch that sounds painful

[H3xx]

Then don't get shot! XD

[mattthegamer463]

I'll agree, it does sound dangerous. I'd be concerned about nerve damage over a long-term period.

[expidition]

I just made one these a few weeks ago it rocks!

[livesteamfan]

Does it have to be USB? Can I just use a PS/2 mouse instead or a maybe even a wireless mouse?

[H3xx]

a ps/2 mouse would work the same way, but a wireless mouse? that would probably pretty hard on the batteries. I have a logitech mx revolution mouse, and its batteries only last 2-3 days at the most. fortunately its rechargeable and charges in 3-4 hours, usually while i am asleep or at work.

[heathbar64]

I wanted a vibrate feature for an invention. I tried a hobby motor with a blob of jb weld cast onto the shaft off center, but it's not heavy enough. I would like to figure out how to mount a heavier weight securely. Also, I found that a cell phone has a vibrator which is only about the size and shape of a button battery, but has a pretty good buzz. one of those might work pretty good for your mouse.

[H3xx]

jb weld and a fishing weight might do the trick. but i'd go for an old ps2 controller, or if you have one lying around, an n64 rumble pack. that thing, as i remember, had a decent rumble to it.

[mattthegamer463]

Theres a big difference in the feel of a cell phone vibrate and a controller rumble. The weight is much more and the speed is much lower.

[dowd95]

Thanks man, I modified my xBox 360 controller recently and needed somewhere to put the rumbler i didnt have space for

[epeefencer]

How can you sync it to go off at the right time though?

[mattthegamer463]

It rumbles when you click the left mouse button. Thats it.

[epeefencer]

thats still really awesome :D

[marselsipod]

wait, so it rumbles non-stop? O.o

[squirrelMLM]

Marselsipod Well not exactly this instructable describes putting in a switch to turn it on and off. it will rumble when the switch is set to on and when you left click wait, right?

[mattthegamer463]

While your finger is pressed down, it rumbles.

[marselsipod]

oh thats a lot better

[JellyWoo]

Would a cell phone vibrator motor work?

[froggyman]

if it is rated for 5V and fits in the mouse, sure :)

[squirrelMLM]

well what if you would put a resistor? i have a 3v motor so cant i just put a resister in?

[Ktooms]

im kind of a noob with electronics i need uber help with the wiring, the picture makes perfect sense but the worded description messed me up. help?

[mattthegamer463]

Basically, the circuit is 3 components: Power Switch Motor In our case, the power comes from where the USB cable connects to the mouse board. The motor is obvious, and the switch is the mouse left-click button. We solder wires to the bottom of the mouse board, to the contacts for the mouse button. Then, when you click, it triggers the motor. Easy.

[coolacid]

There are smaller weighted motors, like the ones in the cellphones. Maybe one of those will fit perfectly into the mouse.

[KCLT]

@coolacid thats a good idea.... there can be however a different voltage for that one ... will try that :D

[twitch0601]

Hey This Was A great Tutorial. I Never thought of it. Tho i should of. I just got done making one for myself. I didnt have to cut a hole in the mouse luckily to fit the motor. I just had to mess around with the placement and found a good spot. If anyone Wants to se any pics or anything just email me. Thank you for the Instructable.

[QuiksilverRox]

I'm going to use the rumble motor I got from disassembling my WII remote.

[11richie21]

its cheaper if u use a cheap ps2 remote

[clark]

go to radioshack and buy the 3v rumble motor, its super small.

[QuiksilverRox]

i already opened my remote because it wasnt working.

[spockck]

same principal could be used 2 make a diy viberator