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Nintendo not apt to add MotionPlus capabilities to older titles
Hey, you know what would be awesome? If you could actually use the MotionPlus dongle you're going to pick up on June 8th. You see, there's a 1.5 month gap between the US release date of the add-on and the first first-party title (Wii Sports Resort) designed to take advantage of it. 'Course, we fully expect a few third-party games (EA's Grand Slam Tennis, for one) to filter out beforehand, but what we were really hoping was for the Big N to provide patches for a few existing titles. Sadly, Mario has chimed in from the Mushroom Kingdom with this: "The Wii MotionPlus accessory is only for games that are designed to make use of its abilities." Translation? You can forget about seeing MotionPlus support added to Mario Kart Wii... or Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal, for that matter.[Via Joystiq]
Nintendo's $19.99 MotionPlus Wiimote add-on ships to US on June 8th
Alright, so maybe the rumors weren't that far off, but the Big N just did us a solid by establishing US availability of its MotionPlus Wiimote accessory a few weeks ahead of when we were expecting. Granted, it's downright baffling that these things still aren't out on the market, but we're fully anticipating perfection from something that has been in the Crock-Pot® for so long. Shortly after E3 2009 concludes (June 8th, to be precise), Nintendo will ship its MotionPlus add-on stateside. The device itself will run you $19.99, though you could wait until July 26th to pick up the totally attractive Wii Sports Resort for $49.99, which naturally comes bundled with one of the accessories.
Sony patent app details motion sensing break-apart controller
We heard some pretty far-fetched stuff back in June to the tune of a break-apart DualShock 3, and lo and behold, it seems that someone at Sony Computer Entertainment America is taking the idea quite seriously. A recent patent application was filed by the company, and it fairly clearly lays out the very kind of design we'd (not really) been expecting. In essence, the gamepad would consist of two pieces, each of which would utilize an "ultrasonic tracking system" for some type of game console / peripheral to recognize 3D inputs. Best of all, the approach here sounds significantly different enough from what's used in the Wiimote that Sony could avoid months upon months of litigation -- imagine that, right? It's hard to say whether this stroke of genius will ever amount to anything, but at least there's a chance, however minuscule.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Microsoft's LaserTouch prototype brings hand control to any display
We'll go ahead and get this out of the way: the fantastic product you're about to hear more on has "no plans" to go commercial. Now that we've thoroughly killed your buzz, let us introduce to you the LaserTouch. Said device is a prototype that recently emerged from Microsoft Research's labs, which essentially allows people to retrofit any display (monitor, projector, etc.) so that they can use their own hands to control the on-screen action. According to Andy Wilson, who played a vital role in the unit's creation, an infrared camera is used to track how a person touches the screen, while software that he developed handles the majority of the magic. Too bad this could totally undercut Surface sales, right?
Kansei makes a comeback with reactive facial expressions
Quite a lot has transpired in the android universe in the past two years, and it's fairly safe to say that Kansei has made a few solid strides during that time as well. A Japanese research team has purportedly crafted a working prototype that can "pull up to 36 different facial expressions based on a program which creates word associations from a self-updating online database of 500,000 keywords." According to a professor at Meiji University's School of Science and Technology, the idea of the project is to "create a flow of consciousness in robots so that they can make the relevant facial expressions," and the device relies on 19 movable parts and a silicon face mask in order to work its magic. Developers also noted that speech abilities should be added within a few years, and while we doubt you had to guess, it's quite likely that fully developed Kanseis will one day roam nursing homes as Japan seeks to care for its quickly growing geriatric set.
Robotic submersibles take on fish-like sensing abilities
Controlling your fish remotely is one thing, but utilizing fish sense to dictate the actions of an uncrewed submersible is an entirely different animal. Malcolm MacIver and colleagues at Northwestern University have created an "artificial electric-field sensing system that could ultimately give robotic subs the same additional sensory capabilities" as found in weakly electric fish. These particular sea-dwellers have an uncanny ability to sense electric fields, and can also generate their own to "help navigate, identify objects, and even communicate with other fish." The newfangled "electro-location" system could allow underwater bots big and small to more accurately maneuver and collect data, particularly in situations where precise movements and recognition of surroundings is important. Even the creators admit that it'll be quite some time before man made sensors can come close to mimicking those found in nature, but judging by the videos seen in the read link, they're certainly riding the right wave.[Via NewScientistTech]
Autonomous glider robot safeguards whale pods
We've all heard the diehards claiming that the whales are the ones we should save, and thanks to an autonomous glider crafted by Webb Research, they're finally getting their wish. Recently, a trial was pursued in which a radio / satellite phone-equipped Slocum Glider was sent up to 200-meters beneath the depths in order to survey, pinpoint, and record location data for various whale pods swimming about. The device then surfaces and "phones home" the recently gathered information, which can then be disseminated out to ensure nearby vessels don't enter whale-packed territories. Jim Theriault of Defense Research and Development Canada, Dartmouth ran the experiment, and noted that this iteration of whale sensing and reporting improved on previous attempts by being uber-stealthy, featuring a remote data reporting system, and boasting a signal processor capable of tracking even the baleen whale's "lower-frequency call." Currently, the torpedo runs on batteries which last a month or so without needing a recharge, but future renditions are planned to scour the waters for "between five months and a year" by utilizing a special recharging gel. Look for these to hit your nearest ocean later this summer, and try not to be too alarmed when it surfaces beside your craft.[Via The Raw Feed]
Brain-reading biofeedback caps on the rise, NeuroSky returns
Pushing the envelope is what it's all about, and for companies cranking out Wiimote-like devices to make gaming and PC experiences more eventful, even that's not enough to satisfy a bevy of outfits with their eyes set on getting biofeedback into games. Companies such as Emotiv Systems, CyberLearning, and our old friend NeuroSky are all looking to take advantage of the public's current curiosity about thought-controlled (and influenced) gaming by offering up electrode-laced headsets that read a variety of brain impulses to effect gameplay. Essentially, these gel-free caps rely on technology such as electromyography (EMG), which records twitches and other muscular movements, and electrooculography (EOG), which measures changes in the retina, in order to change the way games are experienced. For instance, a nervous, uneasy GTA player would barely be able to aim at his / her enemies, while a daydreamer would have a hard time staying on course and reaching full speed while playing Gran Turismo. Unsurprisingly, said companies have noted that "finding their target markets" have been the most difficult aspect, and certain analysts rightfully question whether gamers would actually enjoy such "mentally taxing restrictions" on their games, but if all goes as planned, we should start seeing a few more options in the commercial brain-interface market before too long.
ThinkOptics' WavIt 3D Media-PC Remote gunning for Wiimote
We're hearing some fairly bold words from a startup company with a purported Wiimote killer, even though it's about as far from the gaming realm as it could possibly be. In what's likely a shameless attempt to link the WavIt 3D Media-PC Remote to the well-regarded Wiimote, ThinkOptics has reportedly "made a pointing system for the computer and TV that makes the Nintendo Wii's controller look downright primitive." Realistically, the Wavlt doesn't look much better than any other overachieving wireless pointing device, but it does hope to interact with TVs and HTPCs in order to make on-screen navigation a bit less painful. Additionally, the creator is looking to incorporate the motion-sensing device into home automation in order to raise and dim lights, crank up the furnace, or mute your youngster's blaring music from the living room. The controller supposedly utilizes both RF and infrared technologies, and although it can track minute twists, flips, and turns, it does lack both an accelerometer and built-in Bluetooth. Notably, the wand will rely on the 2.4GHz band as well as Zigbee's 802.15 protocol, and while no firm release date was set, official pricing information should be unveiled shortly. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]
Apple's touch sensitive mouse design axes scroll ball
We're sure we've seen two intriguing Apple patents in the span of 24-hours before, but following up on Cupertino's modular media center gizmo from earlier today comes a slightly modified mouse design that, above all, still doesn't sport a tried and true right-click. All weeping aside, the newfangled design seems to center around a haptic approach, which curiously does away with the scroll ball currently used on Apple's critters and replaces it with a touch-sensitive casing. Apparently, the device would be "capable of switching between operational modes based on the way a user holds or grips the enclosure," which could simplify (or complicate, depending on dexterity levels) all that panning and resizing you currently do manually. Still, there's plenty of mice out there with oodles of macro-love just waiting to be utilized, and while the pseudo-click on the Mighty Mouse may appease some, we can't say we're blown away.
Purdue researchers craft handheld chemical analyzer, likens Tricorder
Hot on the heels of being crowned the most prolific pirating university in the land, Purdue is donning its halo once again by kicking out yet another invention that will surely make the world a better place to reside. The Mini 10 prototype is a handheld chemical analyzer that its creators have likened to Star Trek's "Tricorder," and while the internal abilities should genuinely impress, we're handing out a round of golf claps for the uber-glitzy motif it's got going on. The sophisticated sensing system measures just 13.5- x 8.5- x 7.5-inches and weighs in at 22-pounds, which is around 30 times less than conventional mass spectrometers, and aside from its ability to be completely portable via battery power, it still sports the same sniffing capabilities as its mammoth-sized siblings. In order to cram such potent chemical sensing abilities into such a small package, a miniature mass spectrometer is "combined with a technique called desorption electrospray ionization (DESI)," and can display the chemical composition of materials in a "matter of minutes without harming the samples." Interestingly enough, the prototype has already analyzed garb, food, and actual cocaine, and while we're not quite sure when you'll be able to snatch one of these up to "check in" on your mischievous teen, a couple of Indiana-based firms are apparently already looking into commercialization options.Slashdot]
Mini-Z T-ray imaging device takes home the gold
We're all about giving golf claps where they're due, and a healthy round is certainly in order for Mr. Brian Schulkin. The doctoral student in physics developed a breakthrough terahertz imaging device, dubbed a T-ray, that has already demonstrated its ability to "detect cracks in space shuttle foam, image tumors in breast tissue, and spot counterfeit watermarks on paper currency." The Mini-Z marks the first time such a powerful device has become portable in nature, weighing just five pounds and taking up about as much space as your average laptop. Taking home the first Lemelson-Rensselaer Student Prize ($30,000), Schulkin explained that this device didn't pose the same health risks as typical X-rays, and unlike ultrasound, terahertz waves can provide images and spectroscopic information without contacting an object. As expected, the patent-pending technology is already up for licensing, and has already received quite a bit of fanfare and commercial interest from larger companies. So while you may never personally encounter Brian's earth-shattering invention, we're fairly sure this young lad's working days are already drawing nigh if he so chooses.[Via Physorg]
Sensor-clad shirt directs wheelchair sans use of arms, hands
If you think playing tennis (or pwning your television) with a Wiimote is revolutionary, how'd you feel about wheeling through downtown sidewalks without ever moving your fingers, hands, or arms? Doctors and researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Pisa have crafted a sensor-laden shirt "that could help seriously paralyzed individuals steer their wheelchairs." The garment is printed with "52 flexible, piezoresistive sensors made of electroactive polymers that change voltage depending on the angle at which they are stretched." By dynamically sensing the direction and intentions of the user, it can channel the signals to motorized chairs in order to perspicaciously propel severely handicapped individuals who have lost the use of their arms. The team has tested the unit on a paralyzed individual (pictured) in a virtual training maze, where the shirt "learned and adapted" to his specific notions to guide him successfully through the course. While the team envisions the shirt becoming even more useful by possibly adding shoulder sensors for other types of disabilities, they haven't ruled out its use in "other applications" -- and hey, we've got no digs with adding even more motion-sensing goodness to our games.[Via MedGadget]
Buffalo's Wiimote knockoff: the BOMU-W24A/BL spatial mouse
If Buffalo's disco mouse is just a tad too psychedelic for your tastes, and you've got a hankering for some Wiimote action just a few days early, the company's BOMU-W24A/BL "spatial mouse" should tide you over. Aside from sporting the usual assortment of mouse buttons and a scroll wheel, this critter boasts an internal gyro sensor that allows the cursor to move with the flick (or twist) of your wrist. In case all that twirling gets a bit tiresome, it also packs a standard optical sensor for "normal use," and offers six programmable buttons all around the enclosure. After a hard day's night of pointing it up, this wild child fits snuggly into the USB charging cradle, and can be picked up later this month for over half the price of a Wii itself, or ¥19,780 ($168).[Via Akihabara News]
Let's play the patent game: more Wii controllers?
We thought we were past this whole "Sony copied Nintendo copied blah" stuff, but CVG via Tech-On points out that the new patent we blogged about earlier could possibly be perceived as another pass at Nintendo's Wii controller. You know, besides the other one.If you take a close look at the odd picture that comes along with the patent, you will notice a pen-like apparatus used in conjunction with the camera. This is for image-mapping and converting movements into the 3D environment. But what exactly are we seeing here anyway? I don't think Super Scribbler 3D is in the cards, so could it be a controller not unlike the Nintendo Wii's? Even more motion-sensing from the Sony camp could backfire. But not if they decide to bring us back our old controller in favor of this new motion-sensing one. Of course, Nintendo fans would have something to say about it if this pen-like device stepped up to replace the DualShake as we currently know it. And then again, maybe we're shooting in the dark here and it's nothing to give any attention to at all. Your thoughts?
PS3 pad loses DualShock name and vibration but picks up Wii-esque motion detection and wireless connectivity
In a shocking turn of events, the PS3 controller has gone from banamerang to wireless DualShock 3, except without the DualShock name and vibration.If you take a good look at the back of the new control pad (see the close-up above), you'll notice that the DualShock 2 brand name imprinted on the old controller has now been supplanted by a row of LED lights to show which input has been set, either wirelessly or via the wired USB recharge port. Sony's now the only name in-line for PS3 controllers either on the pad or in the press releases (see "the new PS3 controller").
