Beginner
10 min

Add precise two-axis joystick control with tactile feedback using the THB001P, VZ43FC1B5640007L, and PIC18F46K22

Joystick control with haptic feedback for intuitive user interfaces

Thumbstick 2 Click with EasyPIC v8

Published Oct 20, 2025

Click board™

Thumbstick 2 Click

Dev. board

EasyPIC v8

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

PIC18F46K22

Two-axis joystick control with an integrated push button and haptic feedback perfect for intuitive user interfaces

A

A

Hardware Overview

How does it work?

Thumbstick 2 Click is based on the THB001P, a high-quality two-axis joystick with an integrated push button from C&K Components, combined with additional circuitry to deliver advanced input and haptic feedback capabilities for embedded applications. The joystick provides smooth and precise motion control across both the X and Y axes, while its angular displacement and positional data are converted into digital form through the MCP3202, a 12-bit A/D converter from Microchip that communicates via an SPI serial interface. This allows reliable acquisition of raw analog values that represent the joystick’s movements, ensuring

accurate control in a wide range of applications including human–machine interfaces, handheld control units, industrial equipment, assistive devices, and gaming controllers where precise positioning and tactile confirmation are essential. In addition to directional input, the built-in push button expands the input functionality by enabling discrete command execution when pressed, and this button is also linked to control the onboard vibration motor. The vibration motor used on the back of the board, the VZ43FC1B5640007L, delivers strong tactile feedback with a force of 0.91G and operates at a rated speed of 10,000 rpm, creating a

responsive haptic signal that can be used to enhance user interaction in real time. Its operation is managed through the VB pin using PWM control, making it possible to fine-tune vibration intensity and duration according to application requirements. This Click board™ can operate with either 3.3V or 5V logic voltage levels selected via the VCC SEL jumper. This way, both 3.3V and 5V capable MCUs can use the communication lines properly. Also, this Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing easy-to-use functions and an example code that can be used as a reference for further development.

Thumbstick 2 Click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

EasyPIC v8 is a development board specially designed for the needs of rapid development of embedded applications. It supports many high pin count 8-bit PIC microcontrollers from Microchip, regardless of their number of pins, and a broad set of unique functions, such as the first-ever embedded debugger/programmer. The development board is well organized and designed so that the end-user has all the necessary elements, such as switches, buttons, indicators, connectors, and others, in one place. Thanks to innovative manufacturing technology, EasyPIC v8 provides a fluid and immersive working experience, allowing access anywhere and under any

circumstances at any time. Each part of the EasyPIC v8 development board contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. In addition to the advanced integrated CODEGRIP programmer/debugger module, which offers many valuable programming/debugging options and seamless integration with the Mikroe software environment, the board also includes a clean and regulated power supply module for the development board. It can use a wide range of external power sources, including a battery, an external 12V power supply, and a power source via the USB Type-C (USB-C) connector.

Communication options such as USB-UART, USB DEVICE, and CAN are also included, including the well-established mikroBUS™ standard, two display options (graphical and character-based LCD), and several different DIP sockets. These sockets cover a wide range of 8-bit PIC MCUs, from the smallest PIC MCU devices with only eight up to forty pins. EasyPIC v8 is an integral part of the Mikroe ecosystem for rapid development. Natively supported by Mikroe software tools, it covers many aspects of prototyping and development thanks to a considerable number of different Click boards™ (over a thousand boards), the number of which is growing every day.

EasyPIC v8 horizontal image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

PIC18F46K22

Architecture

PIC

MCU Memory (KB)

64

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

40

RAM (Bytes)

3896

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

NC
NC
AN
ID SEL
RE1
RST
SPI Select / ID COMM
RE0
CS
SPI Clock
RC3
SCK
SPI Data OUT
RC4
MISO
SPI Data IN
RC5
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
Vibro Motor Control
RC0
PWM
Push-Button Status
RB0
INT
NC
NC
TX
NC
NC
RX
NC
NC
SCL
NC
NC
SDA
Power Supply
5V
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

Thumbstick 2 Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

EasyPIC v8 front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the EasyPIC v8 as your development board.

EasyPIC v8 front image hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click front image hardware assembly
MCU DIP 40 hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly
EasyPIC v8 Access DIPMB 1 - upright/background hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
NECTO Compiler Selection Step Image hardware assembly
NECTO Output Selection Step Image hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Necto DIP image step 7 hardware assembly
Necto image step 8 hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Necto PreFlash Image hardware assembly

Software Support

Library Description

Thumbstick 2 Click demo application is developed using the NECTO Studio, ensuring compatibility with mikroSDK's open-source libraries and tools. Designed for plug-and-play implementation and testing, the demo is fully compatible with all development, starter, and mikromedia boards featuring a mikroBUS™ socket.

Example Description
This example demonstrates the use of the Thumbstick 2 Click board which features a 2-axis joystick with push button and vibration feedback. The joystick's angle and position are calculated based on raw ADC values, while the push button status controls the vibration motor through PWM output.

Key functions:

  • thumbstick2_cfg_setup - This function initializes Click configuration structure to initial values.

  • thumbstick2_init - This function initializes all necessary pins and peripherals used for this Click board.

  • thumbstick2_read_raw_adc - This function reads the raw ADC for X and Y axis by using SPI serial interface.

  • thumbstick2_get_angle - This function calculates and returns joystick angle in degrees from raw ADC values for X and Y axis.

  • thumbstick2_get_position - This function calculates and returns joystick position flag from raw ADC values for X and Y axis.

Application Init
Initializes the logger and the Click driver.

Application Task
Continuously reads the raw ADC values from the joystick axes, calculates the joystick's position and angle, and logs the results. It also checks the state of the joystick push button and activates vibration feedback accordingly.

Open Source

Code example

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.

/*!
 * @file main.c
 * @brief Thumbstick 2 Click example
 *
 * # Description
 * This example demonstrates the use of the Thumbstick 2 Click board which 
 * features a 2-axis joystick with push button and vibration feedback. 
 * The joystick's angle and position are calculated based on raw ADC values, 
 * while the push button status controls the vibration motor through PWM output.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initializes the logger and the Click driver.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * Continuously reads the raw ADC values from the joystick axes, calculates the 
 * joystick's position and angle, and logs the results. It also checks the state 
 * of the joystick push button and activates vibration feedback accordingly.
 *
 * @author Stefan Filipovic
 *
 */

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "thumbstick2.h"

static thumbstick2_t thumbstick2;
static log_t logger;

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;  /**< Logger config object. */
    thumbstick2_cfg_t thumbstick2_cfg;  /**< Click config object. */

    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info( &logger, " Application Init " );

    // Click initialization.
    thumbstick2_cfg_setup( &thumbstick2_cfg );
    THUMBSTICK2_MAP_MIKROBUS( thumbstick2_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    if ( THUMBSTICK2_OK != thumbstick2_init( &thumbstick2, &thumbstick2_cfg ) )
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}

void application_task ( void )
{
    float angle = 0;
    uint16_t raw_x = 0;
    uint16_t raw_y = 0;
    uint8_t position = 0;
    if ( THUMBSTICK2_OK == thumbstick2_read_raw_adc ( &thumbstick2, &raw_x, &raw_y ) )
    {
        angle = thumbstick2_get_angle ( raw_x, raw_y );
        position = thumbstick2_get_position ( raw_x, raw_y );
        log_printf ( &logger, " RAW X: %u\r\n RAW Y: %u\r\n", raw_x, raw_y );
        log_printf ( &logger, " Joystick angle: %.1f degrees\r\n", angle );
        log_printf ( &logger, " Joystick position: " );
        switch ( position )
        {
            case THUMBSTICK2_POSITION_NEUTRAL:
            {
                log_printf ( &logger, "NEUTRAL" );
                break;
            }
            case THUMBSTICK2_POSITION_UP:
            {
                log_printf ( &logger, "UP" );
                break;
            }
            case THUMBSTICK2_POSITION_UPPER_LEFT:
            {
                log_printf ( &logger, "UPPER-LEFT" );
                break;
            }
            case THUMBSTICK2_POSITION_LEFT:
            {
                log_printf ( &logger, "LEFT" );
                break;
            }
            case THUMBSTICK2_POSITION_LOWER_LEFT:
            {
                log_printf ( &logger, "LOWER-LEFT" );
                break;
            }
            case THUMBSTICK2_POSITION_DOWN:
            {
                log_printf ( &logger, "DOWN" );
                break;
            }
            case THUMBSTICK2_POSITION_LOWER_RIGHT:
            {
                log_printf ( &logger, "LOWER-RIGHT" );
                break;
            }
            case THUMBSTICK2_POSITION_RIGHT:
            {
                log_printf ( &logger, "RIGHT" );
                break;
            }
            case THUMBSTICK2_POSITION_UPPER_RIGHT:
            {
                log_printf ( &logger, "UPPER-RIGHT" );
                break;
            }
            default:
            {
                log_printf ( &logger, "UNKNOWN" );
                break;
            }
        }
        log_printf ( &logger, "\r\n" );
        if ( thumbstick2_get_sw_pin ( &thumbstick2 ) )
        {
            log_printf ( &logger, " Button: Idle\r\n" );
            log_printf ( &logger, " Vibro: Idle\r\n\n" );
            thumbstick2_set_duty_cycle ( &thumbstick2, THUMBSTICK2_PWM_MIN_DUTY );
        }
        else
        {
            log_printf ( &logger, " Button: Active\r\n" );
            log_printf ( &logger, " Vibro: Active\r\n\n" );
            thumbstick2_set_duty_cycle ( &thumbstick2, THUMBSTICK2_PWM_MAX_DUTY );
        }
        Delay_ms ( 100 );
    }
}

int main ( void ) 
{
    /* Do not remove this line or clock might not be set correctly. */
    #ifdef PREINIT_SUPPORTED
    preinit();
    #endif
    
    application_init( );
    
    for ( ; ; ) 
    {
        application_task( );
    }

    return 0;
}

// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END

Additional Support

Resources

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