Using PS3 Controllers with ESP32 | Build Custom Remote Controls

Control the world (or anything you can hook up to an ESP32) using a PS3 controller! I’ll show you how to control motors, LEDs, and more.

Article with code: https://dronebotworkshop.com/ps3-esp32
More articles and tutorials: https://dronebotworkshop.com
Join the conversation on the forum: https://forum.dronebotworkshop.com
Subscribe to the newsletter and stay in touch: https://dronebotworkshop.com/subscribe/

If you’re looking for an easy to use and yet sophisticated remote control for your next ESP32 project, why not try a PS3 controller? Priced at around 10 dollars on Amazon, these little gems feature many controls and features, including an accelerometer, two joysticks, and a rechargeable battery.

I’ll show you how to use the ESP32-PS3 Library to simplify interfacing with the controller. This amazing library covers every controller event and even lets you “rumble” the controllers’ motors!

I’ll also show you my “robot car experimenters platform,” which is a long-winded way of saying a two-wheeled car base with a power supply, motor driver, and solderless breadboard. I’ll use it to demonstrate control of some LEDs and motors. You’ll see how easy it is to adapt the library to your own special needs.

When we are done, we’ll have the basis of a robot car controlled by a PS3 remote control!

Here is the Table of Contents of today’s video:

00:00 – Introduction
01:29 – PS3 Controllers
07:03 – Controller MAC Address
09:02 – ESP32-PS3 Library
10:53 – ESP32-PS3 Library – PS3Demo
16:22 – ESP32-PS3 Library – PS3Accelerrometer
17:46 – ESP32-PS3 Library – PS3Rumble
20:04 – My Robot Car Test Base
26:01 – Controlling LEDs
33:39 – Controlling an RGB LED
40:35 – Controlling a Servo Motor
46:34 – Responding to TOF Sensor
52:52 – Controlling DC Motors
1:02:46 – Final Robot Car Code & Demo
1:06:03 – Conclusion

You may have a few of these remote controls kicking around the house, dust them off and use them as unique remote controls!

Hope you enjoy the video.

Bill