Use your Nintendo Wii Nunchuk as a USB controller with ANAVI Handle open-source hardware adapter (Crowdfunding)

Leon ANAVI has launched another open-source hardware project with the ANAVI Handle that transforms the Nintendo Wii Nunchuck into a USB controller meaning the Wii controller can now be used with any common hardware such as computers, laptops, single board computers, retro-gaming consoles, and so on.

The ANAVI Handle is built around the Seeed Studio XIAO RP2040 module based on Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller and converts the Wii Nunchuck with a custom port carrying I2C signals into a standard USB HID device that works without any extra drivers.

ANAVI Handle specifications:

• MCU module – XIAO RP2040
  • MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Cortex-M0 processor at 133MHz and 264kB RAM.
  • Storage – 2MB SPI flash
  • USB – 1x USB type C port for power and data
  • Misc – Reset button, boot button, some LEDs
• PCB Nunchuck connector with I2C signal
• Dimensions – 35.0 x 33.3 mm
• OSHWA certification – BG000134

ANAVI Handle is an entirely open-source hardware project with the KiCad hardware design files and CircuitPython accessible on GitHub along with some documentation.  The firmware currently supports three modes: mouse, joystick/gamepad, and keyboard. The latter is mostly useful for retro gaming. You can see what it is capable of in the video embedded below.

The ANAVI Handle is not the first Wii Nunchuck USB adapter as Raphnet Classic controller to USB adapter – V3 and Ivy-Nunchuck-Joystick-Adapter are also mentioned on the project’s crowdfunding page. The former is easy to buy, but not open-source hardware, and the latter is open-source hardware, but you’d have to build it yourself. ANAVI Handle is both open-source hardware and easy to buy.  Adafruit also did an I2C to I2C adapter with Qwiic/STEMMA QT connectors to connect the Nunchuck to standard microcontroller boards.

Leon has launched the ANAVI Handle on Crowd Supply with a symbolic $1 funding target. Rewards start at $19 for the ANAVI Handle with acrylic enclosure, screws, and nuts, but you can also get a $26 kit that adds a black or white Nunchuck controller. Shipping adds $8 to the US, and $18 to the rest of the world with deliveries scheduled to start by mid-July 2024.

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