I love my FW13, but i find it was missing a Joystick for some reason so i made one as an expansion card which utilizes a psp joystick you readily find on ebay etc.
The “initial” version works (its actually v4 lol, started this thinking it is going to be a quick filler project), except the IMU for which I did not finish modifying the official driver from TDK for the ch32v003 MCU which powers the card.
Absolutely beautiful. I see you’ve added 2 little feet to the bottom to prevent the joystick from rubbing on tables but I’m wondering if there’s possibly enough space for the joystick to be recessed into the module (gonna guess no).
Thouse are 2 buttons!
The Joystick is not rubbing on the table (if it is a flat surface). The feet of the laptop (long rubber thing) gives enough clearance, even if the Joystick is in the front EC slots . This is why i startet this project as it fit so perfectly to the Millimeter.
An idea for the next iteration:
Make it fit the other side of the laptop. Something like a Π shape, perhaps, or a retractable (may be hard with 3D prints) construction that flips after you plug it in, in a way that the stick (and buttons) are on the same side as the keyboard, so you can actually use the laptop while this module is attached.
It’ll probably cover some keys, but it might be worth it for the improved experience.
Especially on smaller laptops that can actually fit in your hands (like FW13 and/or 12)
Probably wouldn’t fit due to size constraints. But while we’re pitching ideas that are physically infeasible, it’d be really cool if the joystick card was a bluetooth controller that charges when inserted and you can pull out to use wirelessly (though I doubt a battery would fit in it).
A small LiPo (of e.g. an in-ear headphone) would fit for sure. And the bottom pcb is unpopulated (except the buttons). A non-wroom ESP32{C,S3} could proabably fit somehow as well. I think wireless can be done
… if I ever have a usecase for a wireless controller in an ultra portable laptop i’ll think about it (probably not lol)