Easily Add Head Tracking for Any Modern Game

Head tracking is, of course, essential to VR gaming. As shown by the qeMotion project, however, this can be a handy addition to almost any video game. This is especially helpful for shooters like PUBG and Rainbow Six Siege where you’re able to lean around corners. Instead of interfering with the commonly used Q and E keys, the setup allows the user to just move his head back and forth to have the character follow suit with its body.

While this might seem like an involved hack, it’s actually quite simple hardware-wise, requiring an Arduino Pro Micro, an MPU-6050, and wire to hook components up. A perfboard substrate is also implemented for connections and to hold everything together. The IMU attaches to a standard gaming headset’s earpiece and interfaces with a computer over USB via the Arduino.

Code is available in the project write-up, and if you want to get really fancy, you can add 3D-printed enclosures for the sensor and Arduino sections, as well as mode select buttons and indicator LEDs.

The concept is adaptable to a wide range of situations and hardware, so hopefully it will inspire other projects. If you do want the same thing, the device's creator plans to design a custom downloadable PCB for the project, and he may even offer it for sale. For now, perhaps you can hack your own together for motion-sensitive gaming fun!