TrueMotion 3D enables true motion control

While the Wiimote opened the door to motion-sensitive gaming, it's obvious limitations even have Nintendo pushing the tech forward with add-ons like the MotionPlus -- but a company called Sixense might have leapfrogged the field with a system called TrueMotion 3D. Rather than relying solely on an accelerometer, this controller uses a magnetic field to track both your hands' positions in 3D space. With a refresh rate of ten milliseconds and accuracy up to a millimeter, and interest from developers including Activision and EA, this guy could someday relegate your Sixaxis to the back of your junk drawer -- right next to your old Atari's paddle controller. Not convinced? Scope the tell-all demo after the break.

READ - video at Engineering TV
READ - Sixense website

[vvtopkar @ Nov 25th 2008 11:04PM]

But... Sixaxis isn't meant to be the primary control.

[Ayman @ Nov 25th 2008 11:05PM]

isn't xbox and Ps3 developing a new type sensor,

but that wii is really impressive, but i wish they do a WiiPro or something that gives HD graphics

[Johan S @ Nov 25th 2008 11:09PM]

Can they utilize this tech to make VR goggles? Probably combined with a handle controller to move forward/shoot it would be a totally awesome FPS experience.

[Johan S @ Nov 25th 2008 11:11PM]

Not just VR but augmented reality too (where you may have a cameras on the outside of the VR goggle).

[Electromodo @ Nov 25th 2008 11:18PM]

Get the perfect virtual world, and then you don't need anything from the current one...

Seriously, I am looking forward!

[Ayman @ Nov 25th 2008 11:20PM]

they did that in the 90s did go too well, (even in the Nintendo did something similar not exactly but similar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy )

[Plothole @ Nov 26th 2008 12:52AM]

@Ayman
Arguably that's largely because the technology just wasn't up to the task back in the 90s. Portable displays were primitive, as even the article you link to points out.

[Kid Dynamic @ Nov 26th 2008 3:29PM]

Interesting that you mention using 3D goggles with this tech. I saw a demo of this exact thing at SIGGRAPH in 2004, and they used VR goggles, and it was freekin awesome. They also had this system working with a early version of the 3D monitor technology, and it wasn't as fun because that monitor required you to stay in one spot to see in 3D, and that didn't work so well with gesture technology.

But yes, VR goggles + this tech = super nerd win. Not so practical for the home, or even work environment, but great as a tech demo.

[spiff @ Nov 25th 2008 11:35PM]

There are several companies that have been selling this type of technology for more than a decade, such as Polhemus and Ascension. We used them in the CAVE in 1991 providing full 6-degree of freedom tracking. Those systems cost about $10,000 today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey61u9J5Bgs&feature=channel

Sixense's product would be a breakthrough if the cost could be brought down to about $100.

[BJ is Gooder @ Nov 25th 2008 11:39PM]

There are no words. I am just plain amazed.

[PC @ Nov 25th 2008 11:43PM]

This is absolutely incredible if it works as advertised. Who wouldn't want to actually get up and be QB in Madden for example. May not be fully possible now, but as the tech evolves, combined with VR or other immersion tech, could be a total game changer for the gaming industry.

[Anthony K @ Nov 25th 2008 11:52PM]

looks great!

does anyone know what music is playing in the background?

[mvp @ Nov 26th 2008 12:01AM]

Don't know the actual artist but sounds a hell of a lot like something that would be created by the Gorillaz.

[Alfyx @ Nov 26th 2008 12:38AM]

Easy Muffin by Amon Tobin from the album Bricolage.

[Hiren @ Nov 26th 2008 12:46AM]

Pffft as if Gorillaz:

Amon Tobin - Easy Muffin

[Anthony K @ Nov 26th 2008 1:02AM]

Yes, I was going to say there's no way it was Gorillaz.

[dubya @ Nov 26th 2008 12:18AM]

I can't wait for TrueMotion 3D Wii ping-pong. It'll be like actual ping-pong, but in your living room instead of your parents' basement.

[Seanross @ Nov 26th 2008 12:30AM]

It sounds nice and all but people are lazy :/

What we're all truly waiting for I believe is either a Holodeck of some sort or something we can control with our minds.

I like this TrueMotion 3d Biz, but I'm being a realist.

[bigemsx @ Nov 26th 2008 12:39AM]

yo if it's too realistic, wouldn't it kinda suck, i can't golf in real life, but i'm reaaallly good at wii sports golf, the guy in the video couldnt even hit the golf ball past like a few yards

[Plothole @ Nov 26th 2008 1:29AM]

Presumably the game developer would still let you tweak the difficulty.

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 26th 2008 3:25AM]

But does a subnovice difficulty really exist?

[water.and.sand @ Nov 26th 2008 1:08AM]

I think developers are going to start having a really hard time trying to program character models to move corresponding to the player's hands. You're going to see a lot of very twitchy quarterbacks and sword fighters.
What? I decided to flip the 4-iron into the air? -Attention: you broke your character's arm. Please refrain from spastic movements for the best game play experience.-

This worked best in the 2d environment, obviously.
Sometimes limitations are good things.
He was having a pretty hard time hitting the Jedi ball with the light saber.

I also wonder if WiiMotion+ and these types of things are going to drastically destroy character-specific fighting styles.
"Link now moves like an untrained 8-year old! Crap! Let's decrease the difficulty even more."

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 26th 2008 3:27AM]

And to quote an extremely tired response, "No one will ever need more than 640Kb of memory." *




*Quote may not be actually wording, but commenter is too buzzed to look it up.

[Darkflame @ Nov 26th 2008 7:28AM]

You need to look at a bit of software called NaturalMotion endorphin.

Its basicaly inteligent IK-based charecters for gaming, and its *perfect* for be combined with motion plus and stuff like this.

Fixed-charecter animations are completely incompatable with 1:1 motion controll systems, so game developers need to rethink.
But there is techniques, like endorphin, out there for having decent charecter motions combined with getting the location of the hand to match reallife input.

As for Link, I think actualy controlling directly the sword motions is going to FAR outweigh the negatives of the charecter not looking as cool when fighting. Allthough in many ways fighting would probably look more cool anyway, seeing as it would be more dynamic and unique, rather then just 3 or 4 preset animations player other. The game could use a few simple tricks if nesscery to help the player. Slowing down time, being the most obvious.

As for difficulty, it wouldnt need to be easier or harder, just different. Generic slashs wont cut it anymore, make the player have to aim for gaps in the armour, for instance. You cant aim a sword with buttons or stick, but motion controll lets you easily. So the game should require it more.

Actual fighting games would probably need to be done completely differently, but frankly, I think that needs to happen anyway.
Theres only so much can be done with button combos.

[Patriks7 @ Nov 26th 2008 1:11AM]

Now someone release the Playboy Mansion for the consoles already! :p

[DankNuggets @ Nov 26th 2008 1:20AM]

this would be the mad shyt when tripping!

[Skittles @ Nov 26th 2008 1:45AM]

I'd hate to be a hater, but unless he's holding the controller at an angle it doesn't look very accurate in proportion to his arms

[Dilla @ Nov 26th 2008 4:16AM]

To quote strong bad: "Oooooh, if you want to be possessive then it's just 'I-T-S', but if it's a contraction, then it's 'I-T-apostrophe-S'...scalawag."

[Frank Andeweg @ Nov 26th 2008 4:19AM]

Wii opened the door to motion-sensative gaming?

What about the playstation's EYE-toy????

[RándomLogic @ Nov 26th 2008 4:27AM]

Sounds like cool indoor sports to me =)

[Garth @ Nov 26th 2008 4:30AM]

It sounds like the technology is very similar to the magnetic tracking hardware made by Polhemus and other companies. This technology has existed for decades, but the cost has always been out of reach of the consumer. If cost is coming down enough for it to be affordable then this is great.

[Gel @ Nov 26th 2008 8:32AM]

Why do we need controllers? Why can't it just track US?

Know where we are pointing, how we are moving/leaning etc. and react to that?

Anyways. There needs to be a VR helmet with head tracking for the consoles and the PC.
Combine it with a motion sensitive controller apparatus like a wii-mote.

[Rocketboy @ Nov 26th 2008 8:48AM]

Is it just me, or was there a lag behind his movements, and the screen?

[kfast @ Nov 26th 2008 10:29AM]

Very noticeable lag time in the bat and club swing. Need to remove 100% of the lag or it wont feel natural.

[Jeff @ Nov 26th 2008 12:24PM]

meh. I'd much rather see some Head Tracking be put to good use than hand tracking. even this "amazing" demo looks laggy and annoying. :\

[SKI @ Nov 26th 2008 1:06PM]

Too laggy, and I didn't see much that the Wiimote+WMPlus couldn't handle.

[KGG @ Nov 26th 2008 5:24PM]

It looks photoshopped!

sorry i just had to

[J-Rad @ Nov 27th 2008 9:05AM]

Music is from Bonobo, im sure of

[Thomas Rasmussen @ Nov 30th 2008 4:04PM]

Regarding the VR and head tracking. Have any of you seen Johnny Chung Lee's projects regarding the Wii (http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/projects/wii/)? It's not new, but it didn't looked like anyone in here have seen what he has done already.
Scroll down to the section "Head Tracking for Desktop VR Displays using the Wii Remote" and let your jaws drop. He has a fully functional head tracing for the Wii and the sourcecode as well - not even mentioning the other cool stif he makes with the Wiimote and the IR camera.

EA said they would make a game som point in time that would support this - anyone know about the title?