Android ADK - Working on a gamepad

Question

I am working on a new idea and the code is going very well, but I am facing some issues and need your help.

I have recently bought an old and broken gaming station at a ridicoulous price (I don't know the exact English word), and, as it is very old and broken, I had the idea to replace it with an Android OS (I have seen many Android USB sticks or Raspberry Pi) and a TFT screen.

The Arduino and buttons wiring is working fine, and I can read the output when I press a button.

So, my next step will be to buy a USB Host shield similar to this one: http://www.circuitsathome.com/products-page/arduino-shields/usb-host-shield-2-0-for-arduino.

But now, I really would like to know how I can tell Android that this future device will act like a keyboard.

I will need to bind some buttons to the up/down/left/right arrow...

I also would like to bind some buttons to "home" or "back".

So, what are the practice to achieve that?

Will I need to create a custom keyboard?

All I can find is in USB Accessory, but there is not much information.

Wheeler

Could you clarify what you're expecting the Android device to do? What inputs will you send to the device, what outputs will it generate? – Nitroglycerin

I just want to send keystrokes to the Android device. – Wheeler

Answer 1

Will answer myself, Q&A style, after a whole night of search!

The only solution I have found is to turn my Arduino into a USB keyboard and that seems rather simple: http://hunt.net.nz/users/darran/weblog/b3029/

You have to flash an alternative firmware that will turn your arduuino into a USB keyboard.

hex file to flash and demo project on the link.

That means that I can programmatically send keystrokes to an Android via USB.

The only problem I am facing is the debounche that I need write myself and seems quite complicated.

Wheeler