Wii sensor bar hax0red

We're sure most of you Wii users are too busy Googling Zelda walkthroughs or chucking your Wiimote at the TV right now to give this hack much notice, but if you're the type that just has to know how something works and then destroy it utterly (you know who you are), then you might want to have a looksee at this one. Apparently some enterprising hax0rs tore apart their Wii sensor bar, only to find a couple of standard IR emitters. It turns out the "sensor" bar doesn't actually sense at all, it just sends out a pair of IR beams which can then be triangulated by the Wiimote. This of course opens up the possibility of DIY sensor bars and other related (performance enhancing?) hacks, but it still won't do much to help you through that extended "intro" phase in Twilight Princess, so sorry. Click on to view the vid of a custom-rigged sensor bar in action.

[Via Joystiq]

[Dave @ Feb 17th 2008 2:45PM]

I actually play my WII through a projector and I put 2 candles at the bottom of the screen, and it works great.

Dave

[pipcorona @ Nov 21st 2006 9:10PM]

I knew about this when I first set up my Wii. Looking at the sensor bar through a camera you can see the five leds on each side emitting colors in the infrared spectrum.

[Matt @ Nov 21st 2006 9:11PM]

the wii can kill you

[jellywerker @ Nov 21st 2006 9:23PM]

This means slim wireless sensor bars! Just two little boxes with a D cell battery and a powerful IR led that you could set near the corners of your tv and be good to go.

[greg @ Nov 21st 2006 9:23PM]

as long as it works good whats the big deal the rays dont hurt u....do they....

[Karl @ Nov 21st 2006 10:59PM]

hell, no. IR Radiation is everywhere. Even people emit IR Radiation.

[splash @ Nov 21st 2006 9:27PM]

What the hell is hax0red?

[Matt @ Nov 21st 2006 9:37PM]

hax0red - a nerdy synonym for hacked

[Reginald @ Nov 21st 2006 9:35PM]

Can we hold off on the Wii hacks/mods until more of them are friggin' released so the rest of us can enjoy it too?!

I can't even get one and already, we've seen it smashed and now hacked.

WHINE, WHINE, WHINE... OK, I'm through.

[Meltz; @ Nov 22nd 2006 1:07PM]

no one cares

[Kyle @ Jan 8th 2007 2:59PM]

I can almost guaranty the ability to get a wii once every 2 weeks our local walmart just got some yesterday i picked mine up and they had exactly 2 weeks ago yesterday too my boss picked his up there were 5 -7 each delivery.

[tekdroid @ Nov 21st 2006 9:42PM]

bless you, nerds.

IR, is there anything it can't do? :)

[humpty @ Nov 21st 2006 9:44PM]

I was wondering what Screech was up to :-P

[Juaquin @ Nov 21st 2006 9:52PM]

So...if ALL it does is emit a few IR beams, could you say - integrate some IR LEDs into the bezel of your tv and have everything function ok?

[Andrew @ Nov 21st 2006 9:53PM]

A wireless sensor bar would be nice for those using projectors

[Dave @ Nov 21st 2006 9:59PM]

Calling all Nerds!

[Reginald @ Nov 21st 2006 10:00PM]

...one more thing, how are we certain that the sensor bar is actually just sending broadcast iR signals and not instead sending actual iR data to the Wiimote?

Nice start though. It kinda makes the Wiimote seem a little more sophisticated than the SIXAXIS (Don't worry, I like the PS3 too).

[Grant H @ Nov 21st 2006 10:17PM]

Didn't you see them just bloody test that theory with using 2 normal TV remotes? *slaps head*

[cokebottle tuque @ Nov 21st 2006 10:03PM]

actually for us projector users the thing to do is to put 2 high powered II_LEDs behind the screen about 1/3 of the way up and about 2 to 4 feet apart depending on your screen size. then use the bottom setting on the placement menu works wonders and makes things much less finicky with the placement.

[Evan @ Nov 21st 2006 10:10PM]

So theoretically you could have a much stronger infrared light emitter somewhere around there, and then get a much stronger signal? Or better yet you could simply put infrared LED's directly into the tv?

Someone enlighten me.

[myscrnnm @ Nov 21st 2006 10:13PM]

Finally, people are realizing that the Wii isn't as sophisticated as it's made out to be. About time too.

[Wow. @ Nov 22nd 2006 10:43AM]

moron. You've clearly not played one. I don't care what you're a fan of, you're an idiot

[Matt @ Nov 21st 2006 10:16PM]

They didn't take apart the sensor bar or hack anything. What a misleading headline/article.

[Reginald @ Nov 21st 2006 10:33PM]

Yes, I saw the demo and the tracking was sketchy. Also, we did not see a demo of the Wiimote without any iR transmitters at all (as a control). I'm just suggesting that observation is not enough to prove a theory.

I'm proposing that the "Sensor Bar" sends data through the array of iR beams that help the Wiimote better triangulate its position. By sending different signals through different iR beams, the WiiMote reads the data and, based upon the data or combination of data, can determine its position.

e.g. The far left iR might send a specific code to indicate the far left side. If the WiiMote picks up this code (or combination of codes) it can triangulate its position.

Again, it's a good start and maybe someone out there that knows about iR can shed some light on this (no pun intended).

[stitifier @ Nov 21st 2006 10:19PM]

Actually, this technology has existed for years in the form of the Stealth Imaging system that's used in neurosurgery to precisely locate brain tumors and other intracranial lesions. The same principle applies: infrared rays shot from a single source are reflected off several reflective spots on a specialized probe, and triangualted to determine the probe's position in space. By plugging that into a previous CT scan (usually one showing the location of the tumor), neurosurgeons are able to scoop out as much tumor as possible while (hopefully) sparing as much brain as possible. The Wii probably isn't as precise as the Stealth is (the Stealth probe uses 6 sensor points; I'm assuming the Wii uses fewer), but I imagine it's much more responsive for it.

[rob @ Nov 22nd 2006 12:02AM]

he unplugged the sensor bar and the wiimote was not working. there's your control

[Steve Ehrenberg @ Nov 22nd 2006 11:02PM]

@ Reginald

I'm pretty certain that the front of the Wii-Mote doesn't contain any IR receivers. It's a camera that picks up the IR light. So I doubt that the IR transmitters are sending data.

[CaptCaveman @ Nov 22nd 2006 9:05AM]

This gives me a great idea (that I will never act on like all my other great ideas).
My TV has a USB port.
USB ports carry power.
I could mount IR emitters in in stylish black cases that will not distract from my TV.
Mount them (somehow) on the sides of my TV in the middle and possibly have better pointing when I use the Wiimote.

However I don't know if the Wii will function properly with the two emitters far apart (61" TV). Though I'm sure that some company is already hammering out a manufacturing deal to build the same thing as I type this.

[CM @ Nov 21st 2006 11:31PM]

Inside the sensor bar:

http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=677908&seqNum=3&rl=1

big:

http://www.informit.com/content/images/art_fogie_insidewii/elementLinks/wiifig26.jpg

It's just a bunch of LEDs.

You know it's not sending any data since it works fine with any other IR source.
It's just a CMOS (camera) sensor in the Wii-mote. That's all. No magic.

[Felix Perro @ Nov 21st 2006 11:54PM]

but it still emits IrDA data in the form of location signals. For someone to replicate this they would need to simulate the IrDA data being sent or just use the LEDs and components inside and mount them to a 5.2V supply source since it connects to USB.

Anyone care to sacrifice their Wii on this little experiment?

At any rate, the Wii still sounds cool and has created some innovation in at least one area of gameplay.

[Mike @ Nov 23rd 2006 1:49PM]

That's all, not magic. Nothing special about a consumer level device ($40) that can real time see reference points and return accurate pointing information. Plus 6 DOF accelerometer info, plus speaker and feedback.

Nah, that's no big deal.

[ScooterJP @ Nov 21st 2006 11:47PM]

so, could another remote control (IR device) confuse the Wii remote?
If that's the case, rivals could disrupt a game by pointing an IR device at the player. Those tiny (concealed) 'TV-off' keychain remotes could come in handy...

[Paul @ Nov 22nd 2006 12:24AM]

Looks like nintendo is still using Duck Hunt technology :)

[staulkor @ Nov 22nd 2006 1:38AM]

Hey, it works! :D

[Gilbert J. Garcia @ Nov 22nd 2006 2:13AM]

This is proof that nintendo is laughing all the way to the bank. They are the best in the businezz at creating a product for .60 and selling it for $60. They've been using IR tech since the original NES, (light gun, and nintendo satellite to be more exact). This aint new thing and proves they don't need to charge 40 bucks for a freaking controller with a 20 analog numchuck attachment. Sure the remote got to do a little bit of "sensing" to do but that shouldnt make it 40 bucks! but good grief the wavebird was 34. still i think the numchuck should come with the remote come on thats like selling a person half of a controller!! what an ingenious rip off! Not to mention the hardware can't even match an old xbox! (the old xbox had a hard drive and more ram than this piece of junk and proc speed was matched at 700mhz. The wii's junk, i was hoping for at least a 1.0Ghz processor in the system. oh well death to consoles long live the PC!

[Juaquin @ Nov 22nd 2006 2:51AM]

No, this is proof that Nintendo is ingenious and uses simple designs to accomplish something more complicated, and frankly, very cool. Microsoft and Sony can only dream of this kind of innovation. That's why Nintendo can compete with systems twice as expensive - because they focus on interesting gameplay, not just eye candy and hype. While I don't like Nintendo games in general, I'm very interested in the Wii because of the motion sensing. It's a very different way of gaming and I like it.

[Gilbert Tang @ Nov 22nd 2006 4:41AM]

Yes, because we all know that top-selling PS2 titles like Guitar Hero and DDR, which both use gimmick controls, aren't innovative in any way, right? Whatever. See, everyone credits Nintendo for thinking outside the box, but it's really the developers who have that job, especially when just about everyone here is so gung ho about touting gameplay. In fact, in my opinion, Nintendo has essentially BUILT a box inside of which developers can operate. Granted it's a totally different box than everyone else's, but where are the options? The classic controller? The, like, four useful buttons on the $60 Wiimote+Nunchuck? HA! I can't wait to have to read the boxes of games to see which control I SHOULD have bought for another $20-$40 per part.

At least with the DS, developers have a fall-back in that they can create a game just as they would have before, essentially rendering the innovation null. And if you want to talk to me about how that's NOT innovation and it wasn't Nintendo's intended purpose, I point you to one of the best-selling DS games made: New Super Mario Bros. Not only is it a 1st-party title, but it also makes very little necessary (or unique) use of the available screen. (And yes, I've completed this game with 3 stars.) Obviously, this isn't ideal, but it proves even the mothership doesn't rely on its own "innovation" as a way of making great games.

To me, Nintendo's BEST innovation, they're genius lies in two things: 1. making this console profitable right off the bat, and 2. selling it.

Boy, I really, really hope some good stuff comes out for Wii, I really do. I really, really want this antiquated machine to succeed just as the DS did.

By the way, I should mention that overall, I'm truly disappointed by this entire generation of consoles--so far. This is the first time I haven't been sold on a new system, I swear to you, since the NES--and what's worse is this is the first time I've ever been old enough to really afford one on my own!

Every launch since then has been exciting one way or another. In '95 and '00, I was SO, SO excited about the Playstations 1 & 2. I'm totally unimpressed with the 3, and Sony has totally alienated me (much like the original XBox) by doing an all 'round rushed hack-job on what could have been an amazing experience--and then telling me to pay $600 for it after dodging bullets on a freezing line. Again, I SO hope this thing succeeds. Needless to say, I will NOT own either this OR a Wii until they are proven.

As for the XBox 360, if I didn't have such a bad taste in my mouth from Part 1, I might consider it if there were more games to my liking. Both the Blade interface and the Live service are stellar, so far as my limited experience has proved. And if I hadn't been playing on Dual Shock's to the point of tattooed X's and O's on my thumb, I might even concede the comfort of the 360's controller.

I guess we'll see. For now, it's back to re-re-re-playing FFVII.

[shingoro @ Nov 22nd 2006 5:54AM]

Well if this system is that simple then soon we'll see companies come out and adapt it for XBOX 360 and the PS3

[Sean @ Nov 22nd 2006 3:07AM]

You're forgetting that the wiimote also has all the accelerometers in it.

Plus, it's not an IR sensor, it's an IR camera. If you go into the Sensitivity Settings what you're looking at is a live picture of the remote. The two dots are the IR LEDs from the sensor bar. If you point a TV remote at your wiimote and hit a button, you can see the IR blast from it.

[derfasaurus @ Nov 22nd 2006 3:21AM]

Just tested the voltage out of the back of my Wii. A steady 12.1 Volts DC. Trying to decide whether to take one of my universal power adapters and modding out my sensor bar so I can plug it in under my projector screen instead of having it stacked on top of boxes and having the cable running across the floor.

Ideas?

[Steve @ Nov 22nd 2006 4:41AM]

Just because the sensor bar is technically cheaply made doesn't mean that the Wiimote is cheap. The sensor bar is just to help maintain accuracy. It basically give the wiimote a reference point to 'reset' to if things get a little off with the gyros and accelerometers inside. With out the sensor bar accuracy would drift to the point of being unusable.

[Eric Carroll @ Dec 12th 2006 5:17PM]

Exactly, I was thinking it'd be easy to splice with something like a MotoRAZR or other "mini-usb as a PowerAdapter" to just make it plug into any old outlet...

[Gilbert Tang @ Nov 22nd 2006 4:56AM]

To clarify, the "gyros and accelerometers" inside the Wiimote have nothing to do with the reason for the sensor bar. They help the Wiimote determine both its position along the various axises, as well as the speed with which it accelerates from, say, point A to point B.

The sensor bar's purpose is to help the machine determine the position of the cursor on the screen through triangulation. It has nothing to do with filling in any blanks where other components fail.

[Gilbert Tang @ Nov 22nd 2006 4:47AM]

Corrections:

"...gung-ho..."

"...their genius..."

I'm sure there are more. Sorry.

[Gilbert Tang @ Nov 22nd 2006 5:04AM]

Another correction:

"Axes" is the plural form of "axis," not "axeses," Gilbert, you moron.

Sorry again.

[Steve @ Nov 22nd 2006 5:18AM]

Basically that is what I am saying. The internal sensors of the remote are not accurate enough by themselves to make pointing possible. Thats why you need the sensor bar as a point of reference.

The Wiimote could not point very well if it did not have its internal sensors too.

Nintendo does a pretty good job of explaining this in the "Iwata Aks" section on the wii website.

[Andreas @ Nov 22nd 2006 7:31AM]

The sensor bar sends IR and the Wiimote tracks its position etc, ok. But hey, the Wiimote is connected to the Wii via Bluetooth, that's where all the data is communicated.

But since the tracking system is IR, doesn't the Wiimote loose track if it's hidden behind an arm, a chair a hand, or if it's not pointing towards the emitter etc? Or are the IR beams like rays that can be seen through the air like sci fi laser beams?

I'm glad it's just an IR emitter / receptor, this draws very little battery. And for you who said it's not so sophisticated after all... I think it's really sophisticated to use super cheap technology for a new use. Really well designed.

[TVGenius @ Nov 22nd 2006 9:33AM]

It's obvious this is how it works. Go to the sensitivity adjustment screen for the remote, and look at the image it uses to help you calibrate. It's showing you where the two IR beacons are showing up in the field of view of the remote's IR camera. The signal is probably somehow different between the two emitters (perhaps the frequency of the flashes?), since if I remember right the connector for the Sensor Bar only has two conductors in it, like it's just supplying power to whatever's in there. I'm amazed at how smoothly it tracks; when you hold your hand still, there's almost no motion whatsoever.

I guess one way to tell if the two IR beams are differentiated would be to flip the Sensor Bar over and see what the Wii yells at you... since it would know from the remote's sensors that the remote wasn't the one upside down...

[Timerider @ Nov 22nd 2006 10:06AM]

That explains the thin wire and simple connector. It just provides power.

[Raptor @ Nov 22nd 2006 10:18AM]

Nope. Not innovative at all.

The Power Glove used an ultrasonic three-point array to similar effect years ago. Some of those guys went on to make the P5 Glove, an IR-based reimplementation which relied on a large IR tower and quite a few IR LEDs on the glove itself. The P5 did have similar motion sensing capabilities, though.

Both of these things track like garbage, and the P5 is only a few years old. The pointer stutters, it loses sync all the time, and the hardware is painfully bulky, and it's not even wireless!

I bought a post-closeout P5 for $25. They originally sold for over $100, as I recall. For $60, I get a controller with 9 buttons, a D-Pad, an analog stick, and it's wireless. By comparison, the Wavebird went for what, $35? It had 8 buttons, a D-Pad, and two sticks. That extra $25 covers the speaker, the rumble, two separate sets of accelerometers for both the Nunchuk and the Remote, AND the IR triangulation hardware. It's sending a lot more data than any other console controller, so it's probably driving it at a higher bandwidth, bumping up the cost of your hardware even further.

You see a kiddie controller with no real innovation. I see the first consumer-grade 3D mouse that actually works.