Bridging the VR gap, a VR for universal PC gaming

⚠️This headset shown is not the final product⚠️

The reasoning for doing this project was to create an alternative way to interact with programs and games on your computer. Ever since I got my first VR headset, I noticed there were a lot of games that would be a lot of fun to play in VR. But there was a big problem, almost none of them had VR compatibility, so that's where the inspiration for a VR headset that could be used for non-VR games came from. When I started to work on this project, I wasn't sure if I could do something like this. After all, this was my first time doing a project that involved using more complex electronic components and wiring.

The two main types of people that would most likely benefit from this kind of product are gamers and game developers. If someone wants to play their favorite game in VR but it’s not VR-compatible, then this would benefit them because they can put it on and now play their game. For game developers, if they have a game and want to expand it into VR but don’t know if the game would be good in VR or don’t feel like adding VR compatibility, they can test it right away with this VR headset.

With a VR system like this, it can add a more fun way to play your favorite games, and it adds a faster way to test out if the game you're making will be good in VR.

Mostly all of my research was done by watching videos on YouTube and looking through websites linked in the videos. The way I found a video reliable is I would always look for someone that was well known and lots of comments validating what they did worked, and for the websites I only used websites that were linked in one of the videos. How I came up with my idea for my original design was a 3d print model that I printed off with my school 3d printer, but for my new model I took apart an old Oculus Go and used the old case that housed the old components and replaced them with my own. Most of the outer pieces were custom made from extra materials that I found or had from previous designs. Most of the materials I used were 3D printed parts, electrical components, cables, jumper wires. The things that made it all come together were the lenses, a screen, and the computer. So far, I have had two models (not including the one your looking at now), with each one being a learning experience for me. For my first prototype, I had people at my school tell me what I can improve on, and for my second one, I had my family test it out. With their help I was able to make a working model, and with the one I have now, all testing was done on family, friends, and teachers.

The main idea of my project was to make a VR headset that can create a more immersive experience for gaming on a PC. How my prototype works: my prototype works by taking the computer screen and splitting it into two separate images on the same screen. Then, there are two lenses placed in front of the screen, so when you look into the lenses, the images will be merged together into one. In the VR, I have an accelerometer for tracking head movement. When the accelerometer senses that there has been movement, it will send an input to the computer telling it to move the mouse cursor in whichever direction the accelerometer senses it is being moved. The controller uses several buttons for controlling the mouse buttons and a joystick for controlling WASD on the keyboard. These keys were selected because they are the most common movement keys in computer games. Although the headset does work, there are some limitations, such as delays in inputs. Also, if a game has complex controls, the headset may not be compatible. Since it is taking a 2D image and projecting it onto a screen that you are then looking at, the experience is not the best. This is because you would be playing a game meant to be played on a monitor using a keyboard and mouse.

Based on the results of my project, I can conclude that my idea was successful because I was able to successfully make a VR headset that can be used on a computer to control programs and games. While doing this project, I gained a better understanding of many things, like how coding works, how to use an Arduino, and how to wire electrical components. I also learned a lot about the key components in a VR headset, as well as what works and what does not, and why some things are used while others are not.

There are a few things that I could have done differently, such as using a Raspberry Pi to program all the pieces. I could have used a different case for my controller, and I could have soldered everything instead of using a breadboard. Some major improvements would be using a different display screen, better motion tracking for the head, and having minimal wires. The next steps I want to take are to make the experience as immersive as I possibly can.

The people who helped me with my project were Danyon Arseneault, my science teacher; Kalhey Flanagan, my father; Andy Flanagan, my grandfather; and Luke Hickey, my cousin. My teacher helped me with testing, telling me what to improve on and provided materials. My father helped me with testing, design, what to improve on and provided materials. My grandfather provided materials and testing. My cousin provided me with most of my electrical components. With that said I would like to say thank you all to the people who helped shape my project to to way it is now.

all website url's and other stuff that helped me create my project are listed below

Videos

Chilli's Projects. (2025, August 7). Hoplite - A high resolution DIY VR headset. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOXTDEoCDV0

YouTube. (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved April 29, 2026, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbNyW5GsUQc

FloV3R VR Controller. (2024). Printables.com. https://www.printables.com/model/954628-flov3r-vr-controller

Driver4VR. (2018, November 8). Wii Remote and Nunchuck in Virtual Reality Steam VR (Tutorial). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMSPY9DBsSU

(2026). Youtu.be. https://youtu.be/IAVZa1hO60w

(2026). Youtu.be. https://youtu.be/6JaBOukshD8

webpages

Thingiverse.com. (n.d.). 3D printable VR Headset for smartphones by AZ360VR. Thingiverse. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:729029

Thingiverse.com. (2020). Nintendo Switch VR Adaptor (Customizable). Thingiverse - the Community for Open Hardware. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4495027

Content Manager. (2023, April 28). ElectronicsHacks. ElectronicsHacks. https://electronicshacks.com/arduino-accelerometer-projects/

AI

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT. ChatGPT; OpenAI. https://chatgpt.com/

OpenAI Codex. (2015). Openai.com. https://openai.com/codex/