Short answer: the nRF54 is a promising controller for a custom wireless gaming mouse, but the documented project is a working proof of concept, not a turnkey open-hardware design. Juskim’s prototype combined an optical sensor, an nRF52 development board, a LiPo charging circuit and a second nRF52 receiver using Nordic’s proprietary 2.4-GHz ShockBurst protocol. The mouse controller was later changed to an unspecified nRF54 and installed in a 3D-printed shell. The missing schematic, firmware, PCB files and exact nRF54 part number mean you can reproduce the architecture, not copy the finished product exactly.
What the prototype actually built
The project evolved in stages rather than appearing as a complete production mouse.
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- A mouse sensor was connected to a breakout board.
- An nRF52 development kit initially acted as the mouse-side controller.
- A LiPo charging circuit enabled untethered use.
- A second nRF52 received packets over Nordic ShockBurst.
- The receiver converted those packets into USB HID input for the computer.
- The controller was later replaced with an nRF54.
- The electronics were soldered together and fitted into a custom 3D-printed shell.
- A later revision was planned around a proper PCB and better button usability.
The source confirms a functioning demonstration, but not a reproducible commercial-grade reference design. It does not publish a complete bill of materials, schematic, packet format, firmware repository, PCB layout or enclosure files. The original Hackster report is therefore best treated as project documentation and architecture evidence.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsSystem block diagram
Optical sensor ── SPI/interrupt ──> nRF54 mouse controller
│
proprietary 2.4-GHz packets
▼
nRF52 receiver ── USB HID ──> PC
Buttons, a quadrature scroll encoder, battery, charger, regulators and an antenna complete the mouse-side hardware. The receiver is a separate embedded product, not merely an accessory.
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- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY: Supports both Bluetooth
- And IEEE 802.15.4 protocols (Thread, Zigbee) for comprehensive wireless development capabilities
- DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM: Complete development kit for nRF5340 System-on-Chip applications with integrated debugging and programming capabilities
- DUAL-CORE ARCHITECTURE: Features both application and network processing cores for enhanced wireless development flexibility
- WIRELESS PROTOCOLS: Designed for 2.4GHz wireless applications including Bluetooth Low Energy and 802.15.4-based protocols
“nRF54” is a family, not one specification
The exact device used in the project is not identified in the available article text. Do not automatically apply the article’s quoted 320-MHz multicore processor and 1 MB of RAM to every nRF54 device or to the nRF54L15.
For a concrete current reference, Nordic’s nRF54L15 product page lists a 128-MHz Arm Cortex-M33, 1.5 MB of nonvolatile memory and 256 KB of RAM. It supports Bluetooth Low Energy and proprietary 2.4-GHz modes up to 4 Mbps, with a 1.7–3.6 V supply range. The device provides a high-speed SPI/UART interface plus four additional SPI/TWI/UART peripherals, along with ADC, PWM, QDEC, NFC, I2S and PDM.
Nordic lists maximum transmit power of +8 dBm in CSP and +7 dBm in QFN, while sleep-current specifications are intended for battery-powered designs. These capabilities make the part attractive for a mouse, but they do not prove that this particular project used an nRF54L15 or that a finished mouse will beat a commercial product.
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Why the MCU is useful
- A multiprotocol radio can support BLE during development and a dedicated 2.4-GHz link in the gaming design.
- SPI and interrupt-capable peripherals suit a high-performance optical sensor.
- Memory headroom allows profiles, battery reporting, diagnostics and firmware-update features.
- Low-power modes can improve runtime without adding a larger, heavier cell.
These are design advantages, not automatic guarantees of lower latency or longer battery life.
The sensor matters more than the headline MCU
The project’s major reported efficiency change was a PixArt PAW3395 sensor module. Hackster reports approximately 2.5 mW sensor power, up to 8,000 Hz polling and 26,000 DPI, compared with an earlier sensor consuming about 40 mW and producing slightly more than 10 hours of runtime for the earlier configuration. Those figures are reported claims, not independently documented measurements. The article gives no test surface, CPI setting, motion speed, illumination mode, equipment, battery capacity or runtime procedure. It also does not establish whether “8,000 Hz” describes sensor sampling, USB reports, radio packets or end-to-end host reports.
Optical tracking depends on the complete mechanical and electrical stack:
- Lens height, retention and alignment.
- PCB flatness and resistance to shell flex.
- Surface compatibility and contamination near the aperture.
- Illumination and sensor power-rail noise.
- SPI timing and motion-interrupt handling.
- Delta accumulation when transport is temporarily busy.
- Lift-off-distance configuration and consistent mouse-foot thickness.
A high DPI number describes sensor capability, not necessarily useful tracking quality.
BLE HID or a dedicated 2.4-GHz receiver?
| Architecture | Strengths | Costs and risks |
|---|---|---|
| BLE HID | No dedicated receiver is strictly required; broad operating-system compatibility; standard profile and simpler hardware. | Connection intervals, host Bluetooth stacks and reconnection behavior add variables; consistently high report rates are harder to guarantee. |
| Proprietary 2.4-GHz receiver | The receiver controls packet scheduling; USB HID presents a conventional mouse to the host; current motion can be prioritized over stale retransmissions. | Requires two programmed devices, pairing or binding, packet integrity, loss recovery and a USB-capable receiver. |
The demonstrated design chose the second approach: the mouse transmitted to an nRF52 receiver, which appeared to the computer as USB HID. Nordic lists proprietary 2.4-GHz operation on the nRF54L15, but that does not prove that the exact ShockBurst implementation is directly portable to every nRF54 device or SDK release. The radio, receiver firmware, USB scheduling and recovery policy determine the result together.
Rank #2
- Transmission: Significantly enhanced transmission rates for faster, more convenient operation
- Processing: Robust onboard storage and processing capabilities support integration with dedicated sensors and devices, with minimal operational load
- Reliability: Dependable performance scalable across diverse application scenarios
- Materials: Manufactured using eco-friendly production techniques and materials, with functional, voltage, and current testing completed prior to packaging
- Applications: Ideal for home, building, and industrial automation sectors
Hardware required for a serious build
- Controller: an nRF54 SoC, module or development board for the mouse.
- Motion system: a gaming optical sensor, matching lens and mechanically controlled sensor height.
- Controls: primary and side switches, a quadrature wheel encoder and middle-click switch.
- Power: a protected single-cell LiPo, USB-C charger/power-management IC, clean regulators and battery measurement.
- RF: a correctly laid-out antenna, with clearance from the battery, screws and copper.
- Debug: SWD or equivalent programming pads.
- Receiver: an nRF52 or nRF54 radio device with USB support and its own firmware.
- Mechanics: lower chassis, upper shell, lens retainer and consistent mouse feet.
The nRF54L15 DK includes the SoC, 2.4-GHz and NFC antennas, SEGGER J-Link debugging, external flash, buttons, LEDs, power-measurement connections and USB. It is excellent for firmware and radio experiments but too large and development-oriented to become a practical final mouse PCB.
A firmware architecture that can grow
Keep input capture independent from the transport. That lets the same report engine feed USB, BLE or a proprietary receiver.
Input layer
- Read sensor registers and motion deltas over SPI.
- Use the sensor’s motion interrupt where available.
- Capture button transitions with bounded debounce.
- Decode wheel quadrature signals and detect direction.
- Track battery voltage and power-state conditions.
Report layer
Use one internal structure containing a button bitfield, signed X/Y movement, wheel movement and optional auxiliary fields. Keep sequence numbers and timestamps internal even if the host HID report does not expose them.
Transport and control layers
- Transport: USB HID, BLE HID and proprietary 2.4-GHz packets.
- Control: receiver binding, CPI profiles, sleep/wake, battery reporting, LEDs, update mode and factory reset.
- Recovery: explicit link-loss states, sequence checking and a policy that favors current motion over replaying obsolete deltas.
Nordic’s nRF54L15 DK getting-started material documents nRF Connect SDK support. Nordic also provides a bare-metal option for nRF54L-series Bluetooth LE applications when a smaller software stack is appropriate.
Build in stages instead of debugging everything at once
1. Prove tracking
- Connect the sensor to a development controller over SPI.
- Verify identification, register access and motion interrupts.
- Test several surfaces and establish lens height.
- Measure current in active, idle and sleep modes.
Reliable X/Y deltas with no unexplained dropouts are the gate to the next phase.
2. Prove local inputs
- Add left, right, middle and side switches.
- Add the wheel encoder and bounded debounce.
- Expose a standard USB HID mouse report.
- Test simultaneous motion, clicks and wheel activity.
If input is unreliable, remove wireless code and test each source over USB. This separates switch bounce, SPI errors and mechanical faults from RF faults.
3. Prove the radio
- Transmit buttons, X/Y deltas, wheel data and a sequence number.
- Implement acknowledgements or loss detection appropriate to the protocol.
- Receive on a second development board.
- Present the result as USB HID.
- Log interval, jitter, loss and retransmissions before installing the electronics in the shell.
4. Add battery management
- Use a protected single-cell LiPo and a proper USB-C charger.
- Validate regulator output during sensor activity and radio bursts.
- Measure active, idle, sleep and charging current.
- Add low-battery indication and safe shutdown.
Never connect a bare LiPo cell to an improvised charger.
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5. Design the shell around the sensor
- Fix the sensor, lens, switches, wheel, battery and antenna locations.
- Print and test the lower chassis before optimizing grip contours.
- Set button pre-travel and post-travel.
- Check wheel support, battery retention, USB-C access and serviceability.
- Install consistent feet and repeat tracking and latency tests after final assembly.
Mechanical design determines whether it feels like a mouse
The original project used a 3D-printed shell and acknowledged imperfect plastic buttons, with a PCB revision planned. A usable enclosure needs a rigid sensor mount, a controlled aperture, repeatable switch actuation and an axle that cannot flex under wheel use. Keep the battery from shifting the center of gravity and maintain antenna clearance from foil, fasteners and the user’s hand.
Rank #3
- DEVELOPMENT KIT: Nordic Semiconductor NRF5340-AUDIO-DK designed for audio application development with nRF5340 dual-core Bluetooth LE SOC
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY: Features multiple interface options including I2S, SPI, UART, and USB for comprehensive development capabilities
- POWER SPECIFICATIONS: Operates with flexible power supply range of 1.7V to 5V, suitable for various development scenarios
- TEMPERATURE RANGE: Capable of operating in environments up to +105°C, ensuring reliable performance across diverse conditions
- AI COMPATIBILITY: Supports Edge Impulse platform integration, enabling advanced machine learning and AI development capabilities
Prototype the base, sensor opening and click mechanism first. External grip geometry is easy to revise; incorrect sensor height or a flexing button interface can invalidate every firmware test.
How to measure latency honestly
Sensor sampling, radio packet rate, USB report rate and visible cursor response are different measurements. A meaningful test separates:
- Motion becoming available in the sensor.
- SPI transfer completion.
- Firmware report assembly.
- Mouse-side radio transmission.
- Receiver reception.
- USB HID submission.
- Host processing and visible response.
Record wired and wireless report intervals, mean and worst-case interval, jitter, packet loss, retransmission count, click-to-report latency and motion-to-report latency. Repeat with simultaneous motion and clicks, under 2.4-GHz interference, and at beginning and end of the battery test.
Hackster describes the prototype as fast and lightweight and says it weighed 10 grams less than a Logitech Pro X Superlight, but supplies no formal latency trace, packet-loss result, polling trace or repeatable comparison method. Treat that weight statement as a source-reported comparison, not a benchmark.
What remains undocumented
| Question | Current status |
|---|---|
| Exact nRF54 variant | Not identified in the available project description. |
| Complete schematic, BOM and PCB | Not published in the cited material. |
| Receiver packet format and USB implementation | Not described beyond ShockBurst transport and USB HID output. |
| Final nRF54 runtime | Not established; the “slightly more than 10 hours” report concerns an earlier sensor configuration. |
| 8,000-Hz meaning | Not established as sensor, radio, USB or end-to-end host polling. |
| Competitive latency | No repeatable measurement is supplied. |
Choosing a development path
Development board
Fastest route to firmware, GPIO, SPI, radio and power experiments, but physically unsuitable for a final mouse.
RF module
Reduces antenna-layout risk on a custom PCB. The trade-off is added board area and cost; Nordic lists module information at its nRF54L15 modules page.
Bare SoC
Smallest production design, but it demands RF layout, antenna design, assembly capability and validation. Nordic’s nRF54L15 reference-layout material illustrates why this is not a detail to improvise.
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Verdict
The nRF54 is a sensible foundation for a homemade wireless gaming mouse because it combines a modern multiprotocol radio, capable peripherals and low-power operation. The project proves that an nRF54 mouse can be integrated with a gaming optical sensor and a dedicated receiver, but it does not prove a particular nRF54 variant, 8,000-Hz end-to-end operation, commercial-grade latency or a reproducible open-hardware build. The difficult work is system integration: sensor mechanics, RF layout, packet scheduling, USB behavior, battery safety and button construction. Treat the Hackster design as an architecture to validate, then measure every claim on your own assembled hardware.
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