University Archives

This project explores a tactile way to play digital sports by building a baseball simulator that uses a controller for a physical bat. Using a Raspberry Pi and an IMU sensor, we developed a system that tracks real-world motion and translates it into a Python-based game. Instead of just pressing a button to swing, the player physically mimics a batting motion; the sensor captures the acceleration, angular velocity, and rotational coordinates, which the software then processes to determine if the hit was a home run or a foul ball. The core challenge was smoothing out the noise from the sensor to ensure the game felt responsive rather than laggy. By mapping the speed of a physical swing to the physics of a virtual ball, the project demonstrates how low-cost hardware like the Raspberry Pi can be used to create an immersive, kinesthetic experience. It is a hands-on look at how we can bridge the gap between writing code and moving our bodies, making the gaming experience feel much more real.