If there’s one thing the microelectronics world can do, it’s bring what seems like magic to the real world. Today that’s the case with this amazing Harry Potter-themed project by YouTube channel maker Mo. That’s So Mo. I used an Arduino Pro Micro to convert a Nimbus 2000 broom prop into a controller that allows for more realistic flying in Hogwarts Legacy without the need for spells.
He started by borrowing a Nimbus 2000 replica broom made by CineReplica. For those of you who don’t know, this is the classic broom used by Harry in the original series. With the addition of some sensors and a little patience, he turned the broom into his motion controller.
At the moment this only works on PC, so I can’t replicate this on console using the instructions and code he provided. The PC recognizes the broomstick as a wired Xbox 360 or Xbox One controller. Input signals from some sensors are translated as directional pad/joystick input, which allows motion controls to be registered in-game.
In this demo, Mo uses an $800 Nimbus 2000 prop, but you could replace it with something like a broom. If Filch had magical powers, he could fly away on a mop. The controller is powered by his Arduino Pro Micro connected to an Adafruit LSM6DS3TR-C accelerometer and HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor. You can also use a Raspberry Pi Pico instead of the Arduino Pro Micro if you have one on hand. The hardware is attached to the broom using carefully cut Styrofoam pieces and popsicle sticks.
Mo has kindly shared a detailed breakdown of the code used in this project in the demo video and at the URL below. Github. If you want to reproduce this project, I recommend reading this article by Dave Madison. Emulate Xbox controller input Using Arduino and this tutorial, ada fruit Regarding the use of the accelerometer module.
This is one project you don’t want to miss while running. Check out the demo video of the final project shared by Mo over. YouTube. There’s also an excellent explanation of how it works, which is sure to inspire your inner magician, or at least the maker.
