Trombone Video Game Controller

Inspiration

Inspired by the "GOTY contender" video game Trombone Champ, as well as my personal experience playing trombone in the UMass Marching Band, I decided to combine these passions.

What it does

Similar to the simplified controllers of games like Guitar Hero, my controller takes the position of an actual trombone slide, and converts that to in-game input. Additionally, it measures the sound produced by the trombone to register clicks.

How we built it

This controller was built with a highly scuffed combination of microcontrollers and sensor modules, linked together.

Challenges I ran into

Brief Summary: Trombone Champ doesn't natively run on my computer, Mouse driver incompatibility, Power supply issues, Wireless issues, Various bandwidth issues

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Despite these numerous setbacks, I was able to produce something that somewhat delivers on the original goal. Additionally, I'm really happy with how the 3D printed parts I designed turned out, as they fit perfectly.

What's next for Trombone Video Game Controller

Going on, I plan on improving the overall packaging of the controller, as well as ordering more tailored parts that are compatible, instead of having to implement workarounds.