Thumb Joystick

Add arcade-style control to your project with this analogue thumb joystick. If you have ever used a PlayStation 2 controller, you already know exactly how this feels. This joystick features a spring-return mechanism that snaps back to centre when released, making it perfect for navigating menus, driving robots, or building custom game controllers.

How It Works

Don't let the mechanical complexity fool you! Electrically, this is a straightforward controller component. Inside the plastic housing are two 10kΩ potentiometers, one for the X-axis and one for the Y-axis.

• Analogue Precision: As you move the stick, the resistance changes, allowing you to read the precise position using any microcontroller with an analogue input (like an Arduino).
• Integrated Button: The stick also serves as a push button. Pressing down on the cap actuates a tactile switch, perfect for "Select" or "Fire" commands.

Easy Integration

Because it uses standard potentiometers, interfacing is straightforward. However, the pins can be a bit tricky to breadboard directly. With that knowledge, we highly recommend pairing this with our Breakout Board, which breaks the connections out to a standard 0.1" spacing for easy wiring.

• Hookup Guide
• Eagle Library