The Meta Quest 3 is capable of so much since it is an Android based device and can leverage the existing Android app ecosystem – if you know how to do it! Let’s control our Raspberry Pi 5 from within virtual reality over Bluetooth.
Keep in mind that using Bluetooth to pair these two devices limits our ability to connect from a physically distant location. I personally prefer this since exposing it over say, SSH, would open it up to potential exploits over the Internet. I personally wouldn’t trust an SSH private key to an Android app – if you see one asking you for that, I would recommend against using it. For my use case, Bluetooth works perfectly well since I always use my Pi when I’m in close proximity to my Quest.
Disclaimer:
In this tutorial I endorse the use of Bluedot, an Android app by the tech rockstar Martin O’Hanlon. The app is MIT licensed which means you are free to use it for private or commercial use, and you can even distribute it, but you don’t have any warranty or liability claims when using it.
Prerequisites:
- Follow this video tutorial or this pdf tutorial and have SideQuest downloaded, installed and connected to your Quest 3. Note that you will need the “advanced” version of SideQuest in order to install apk files not distributed by the SideQuest store.
- You will need to download the apk file from the Bluedot Github repository – click here for the direct download link, or here for the repository link
- You should be familiar with how to sideload an apk file (not from the SideQuest store). See page 7 of the pdf tutorial for a refresher
- Raspberry Pi 5 with appropriate accessories
- an SD card with the Raspberry Pi OS and enough space for this exercise – 50 GB or more should be plenty
- a power supply that outputs 27W that connects via USB-C
- a micro HDMI cable with an output compatible with a monitor of your choice
- a mouse and keyboard that can connect via USB type A (the standard big type) or Bluetooth
If you are brand new to the Raspberry Pi, there is a great “Getting Started” tutorial at https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentation/computers/getting-started.html . This tutorial assumes you have already gone through these steps and have your Pi powered, booted up, configured with your login details, and connected to Wifi .
Steps:
- Sideload the Bluedot apk onto the Meta Quest 3
2. Boot up your Pi and ensure that Bluetooth is enabled – on mine it came up enabled automatically.
3. Create a Python script on your Pi to listen for Bluedot button presses. Here is a simple one from the Bluedot docs that says “Hello World” when the button is pressed
from bluedot import BlueDot
from signal import pause
def say_hello():
print("Hello World")
bd = BlueDot()
bd.when_pressed = say_hello
pause()4. Install the dependencies bluedot and signal, using a virtual environment as described in this tutorial. Keep in mind that using pip to install packages in the Pi environment directly may break system packages.
5. Run the Python script on the Pi. Unless this script is active and running Bluedot on the Pi will not be able to pair with the Bluedot app on the Quest 3
(myenv)pi@raspberrypi:~ $ python3 myrecipe.py6. Back on the Quest, turn on Settings > Bluetooth. It should automatically begin scanning for available devices
7. On the Pi, click the Bluetooth icon and click “Make Discoverable”.
The icon should begin flashing
8. On the Quest you should see “raspberrypi” as an available device. When you click it, it will give you a pairing code. Back on the Pi, click the pop-up for pairing. On the Quest, click “Pair” as well. I found it easier to click the pairing pop-up on the Pi first and then on the Quest. If you happen to do it in the reverse order clicking “Pair” on the Quest first, you will need to click “Stop Discovery” on the Pi to get it to recognize the pairing.
The Quest and Pi should be paired via Bluetooth at this point.
9. Open the Bluedot app from App Library > Unknown Sources
10. Select the raspberrypi from the list of devices.
It should pop up with a screen that says “Connected” and a big blue dot
11. Click the dot, and check the Pi to see if it says “Hello World”
12. If it does, congratulations, you have connected your Quest 3 to your Pi 5!
In this tutorial we learned how to connect a Raspberry Pi 5 to a Quest 3 over Bluetooth, and click a button to execute an action on the Pi from with virtual reality.
Enjoy!
