Ghetto positional tracking.

Previous chapters of “How I hacked Google Daydream controller”:

(Part I) Reversing and making it compatible with Apple iOS devices.

(Part II) Developing compatibility across multiple platforms.

(Part III) What about using two controllers at same time?

(Part IV) Doing things even more serious.

FOREWORD

Ever since I was a kid I’ve always loved to disassemble toys. I enjoyed browsing what was hidden by the plastic, to the discover the magic that gave life to everything. When I found circuits instead of gears, I was marveled: it was how I met the electronics for the first time.

Soon, I found myself surrounded by a lot of disassembled toys. Back then, I realised that I had to do something to save them, otherwise someone would have thrown them all. I started early practicing the art of “tinkering” to create some compositions. I wanted to create better toys, with some extra-functions: something unique to show to my friends.

Time has passed, but my attitude has not changed, rather, I have just changed my toys: this is what happened when I discovered the Google Daydream controller.

What could I ever craft just with a ping-pong ball and some hardware tools? A DIY positional tracking.

Google Daydream controller hack with a positional tracking light.

HARDWARE

I started with a robust guitar pick to separate the two bodies of the Daydream controller passing it into the gap around the outer edges. The upper part (the one hosting the touchpad) is attached to the bottom shell with two clips; the lower halves of both parts are glued: I had to slightly force the hand to get them detached.

I had to be careful not to tear the white flat that connects the body parts electrically. Later, I unscrewed the 5 screws that hold the main PCB in place and then I disconnected the battery.

Google Daydream controller teardown.

I picked a ping-pong ball, I pierced it with a hand-drill and I glued a white LED inside it.

A ping-pong ball with a LED inside the hole.

Following, I drilled both the lower shell of the Daydream controller (to allow the housing of a off-the-shelf button) and the upper part (to allow the pins of the LED to access the inside circuit).