motion sensor
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'PlayStation Move' trademarked by Sony in Europe, reeks of motion controller involvement
We're exceptionally likely to find out the official name of Sony's PlayStation motion controller in just a few hours during the company's GDC press event, but till then, we've got one more late-breaking morsel to chew on: Move. According to trademark divers across the web, Sony has filed a European trademark for "PlayStation Move," which certainly sounds like a plausible title for some sort of motion-sensing apparatus. To date, we've also heard "Arc" thrown around (which we tend to prefer, if we're being candid), and the logo shown here -- which is said to belong to a separate trademark application -- definitely looks more like an "A" than an "M." Keep it locked right here for more as we get it.
KDDI concocts snooping mobile phones, line managers rub hands with glee
Sci-fi movies often present us with omniscient villains who are able to track the most minute actions of their underlings and foes. Rarely do we get a glimpse into their surveillance systems, but you have to imagine that some of the more rudimentary "employee evaluation" hardware will not be too far off from KDDI's latest. The Japanese cellphone giant has unveiled a new system, built around accelerometers, that can detect the difference between a cleaner scrubbing or sweeping a floor and merely walking along it. Based on new analytical software, stored remotely, this should provide not only accurate positional information about workers, but also a detailed breakdown of their activities. The benefits touted include "central monitoring, "salesforce optimisation," and improvements in employee efficiency. We're guessing privacy concerns were filed away in a collateral damage folder somewhere.
MSI brings Cideko's motion-sensing Air Keyboard to a wider audience
Cideko managed to get our attention with its wireless, motion-sensing Air Keyboard last year, but it's been a bit hard to come by for anyone that's not actively seeking it out. MSI now looks set to bring it to an even wider audience, however, as it's now announced it's own rebadged version of the keyboard. No changes apart from a few stylistic ones from the looks of it, with the keyboard still promising a range of 50 meters, 50 hours of use from the battery, and wireless connectivity from the included USB RF dongle. Still no official word on a release over here, unfortunately, but the keyboard should be available in Germany next month for €79 (or just over $100).
Third-party studio offers more confirmation of motion-sensing Nintendo DS2
We've already had a pretty clear indication that Nintendo's inevitable DS successor would have at least some form of motion control, and an unspecified third-party studio has now offered some additional confirmation of that, and some downright glowing impressions of the device itself. According to CVG, an "insider" that's currently using a DS2 development kit says that the DS2 is "genuinely the best thing I think I've ever worked with," and that it has "a 'tilt' function that's not dissimilar to iPhone, but does a lot more." The source further added that The Pokemon Company is getting "special attention" with it (rest easy, everybody), and that Nintendo likely won't be showing off any hardware at GDC next month. Yeah, that sound you just heard was the rumor mill being cranked up a notch.
Blobo squeezable game controller bounces through the FCC
Befuddled by the Blobo squeezable game controller developed by an upstart company out of Finland? The FCC probably was to, but that didn't stop 'em from putting it through their usual battery of tests, tearing it apart, and giving us a glimpse at the user manual and our first real up-close look at the device itself. Of course, it is just a rubber ball packed with Bluetooth and sensors -- but if you're curious, you can find more pics where this one came from at the link below. And if, by chance, you missed out on all the Blobo details earlier this week, you'll no doubt want to check out the helpful and informative video after the break.
Sensaris debuts six-axis MoveIt Bluetooth motion sensor
Sensaris isn't exactly doing itself any favors with its FCC-style photography, but the company's new MoveIt Bluetooth motion sensor does look to be a fairly interesting little device, even if it's not quite as convenient as an accelerometer built into your phone. Of course, you do also get quite a few more features for that added bulk, including a 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis gyroscope, GPS, and dedicated microSD card slot -- not to mention some built-in Bluetooth to let you use it with a variety of phones and other devices. What's more, while the device isn't commercially available just yet, Sensaris does seem to see plenty of potential for different applications, and it's even touting some "Lego-like modularity" that promises to let it be tailored for specific uses -- including everything from exercise to augmented reality.
Fitbit tracker starts shipping, ready to monitor your fitness, sleep, piety
Better (a year) late than never, eh Fitbit? This time last year, there was quite a bit of buzz stirred up by a little gadget promising to monitor exercise intensity, distances traveled, sleep patterns, and calorie consumption. This pedometer with a degree and a 3D motion sensor has been incubating a lot longer than initially projected, but the first few units have finally trickled out to their eager users today. The entire device is essentially one big clip, attaching to any bit of clothing you have on you, while its base station can wirelessly collect data and upload it, via a pc, to a free online tracking dashboard. Add in the OLED display and a quoted battery autonomy of 10+ days, and the $99 price starts to appear pretty reasonable.[Via medGadget]
NEMS takes step forward, MEMS looking nervously over shoulder
Just as it's starting to seem like MEMS motion sensor technology is gaining more widespread use, we're now hearing rumblings of activity from the developers of its eventual successor: NEMS (Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems). To contextualize this discussion (and to give laypeople a shot at understanding), MEMS sensors are the magic behind the Wii MotionPlus as well as a stunning tech demo recently conducted on a Toshiba TG01. The nascent nano version promises even greater sensitivity, and now scientists from TU Delft in the Netherlands claim they have successfully measured the influence of a single electron on an 800nm-long carbon nanowire. Just detecting such an event is a feat in itself, while the ability to measure its effects can be used in a huge range of ways: from transportation and medicine to ultra-sensitive gaming controllers. While accurate comparisons between the Dutch breakthrough and current generation sensors cannot yet be drawn, we can confidently say that this marks an important step toward making our dreams of playing a nanoscale piano a gargantuan reality.
Microsoft says 3DV acquisition didn't influence Project Natal
When Microsoft shows off a motion-sensing system shortly after it's been revealed that is has acquired a motion-sensing camera maker, it's easy to see how people can draw conclusions that the two are related. But according to Microsoft, that is not the case, and its Project Natal is actually based on work that has been "going on for a long time." That word comes from a VentureBeat interview with Microsoft's Shane Kim, who further added that "none of those rumors did justice to what we were actually doing with Project Natal," and that it's based on a lot of past work Microsoft has done in natural user interfaces, including voice recognition. The folks at Eurogamer were also able to get an even more definitive statement from Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg, who said flatly that "we built this in house." Interestingly, however, Shane Kim did say that Microsoft wants to "ensure that we have great intellectual property protection," and that "it has to be all buttoned up, legally," which could offer a bit more rationale for the 3DV buyout. [Via Eurogamer]
Nintendo making motion-sensing DS card?
A recent Japanese trademark threw up some flags over at Siliconera, as Spencer managed to find an odd one. Apparently for a motion-sensing DS card, the title for the trademark reads as "DS Houi Sensor Card". Curious, to say the least.Houi means direction, so it leads one to deduce that it's a card that senses direction or, more likely, motion. What's most interesting about this is Nintendo apparently means to include this technology directly into a DS card. It'd be like being able to play WarioWare Twisted! on the Nintendo DSi. Yeah, that would be awesome.
MEMS gyroscopes rumored to hit array of phones in 2009
Details on this one are freakishly scarce, but DigiTimes has it that a number of recognizable handset makers are looking to incorporate MEMS gyroscopes into their 2009 smartphones. It's anticipated that such devices would be used to sense motion in one form or another, with brands like Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson and Apple (we know you're thinking, so stop) expected to welcome the tech with open arms. So, why the sudden interest in G-sensors? Falling prices, of course -- and the natural expectation of consumers for their future phones to be entirely more sensitive to their feelings than the one they're using currently.[Via Pocket-lint]
FlingPC 3D controller for gamers that don't know any better
If it's Tuesday, it must be time for yet another "revolutionary" motion sensitive game controller. Of course, 3DiJoy's FlingPC is no TrueMotion 3D or Wiimote -- at best, it seems to be the next wireless mouse. Consisting of an accelerometer-equipped Bluetooth remote and a USB dongle, and bundled with ten custom 3D games, this looks like the sort of off-brand toy that hapless parents inflict upon their long-suffering children. Interested? We bet you are. Shipping in December, packages start at $99 for both Windows and Linux versions. Of course, you can't play Mario Kart with the thing -- but don't worry, they do have a generic bowling game for you.
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 TVREAD - Sixense website
InvenSense boasts about Wii MotionPlus-powering IDG-600 motion sensor
With Nintendo's official business out of the way, the motion sensing-minded folks at InvenSense are now free to brag about the technology behind the new Wii MotionPlus add-on, a press release we're sure they've been itching to send out. The key bit of kit in the forthcoming accessory, it seems, is the IDG-600 multi-axis MEMS rate gyroscope, which InvenSense describes as a "truly disruptive technology" that boasts just the right combination of manufacturing and performance advantages to make it ideal for Nintendo's purposes. InvenSense also says that it has already begun shipping to Nintendo in mass production quantities, which is certainly assuring, if unsurprising.
Big heads make easy targets in House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return
In Sega's upcoming compilation title for the Wii, it's no secret that you're going to have to mow down lots of enemies. So, it's nice to see that there will be opportunity to make the affair a more manageable one, should you find yourself on the receiving end of a zombie bite one too many times. There will be an unlockable mode allowing the player to make all of the enemies have big heads. Your usual Big Head mode, there isn't much more to report on it. Siliconera is reporting on a new unique game mode for the Wii title, however. Dubbed Extreme mode, this new feature of the game incorporates motion control into the mix, but only in House of the Dead III, sadly. See, when the zombies start getting really close and piling on top of each other, you can shake the Wiimote and knock the enemies back, allowing you to pour into them with more bullets.What do you guys think of the new features?%Gallery-10506%Read - Big Head mode and some tiny screensRead - Extreme mode[Via Go Nintendo]
Behind-the-ear motion sensor helps monitor patients, athletes
Researchers at the Imperial College in London have developed a device which can be worn behind the ear and is used to measure a subject's posture, stride length, step frequency, and acceleration. Apparently, such a sensor is in high demand, as it could be put to use helping to optimize athletic performance, and to monitor changes in movement or progress in people recovering from surgeries or those suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. According to the project leader, Guang-Zhong Yang, the device is working and could be mass-produced in 12 to 18 months. Of course, the big selling point for the sensor is the fact that it's small enough to be worn on the body -- even during non-contact sports -- and is capable of measuring three dimensions of movement via its accelerometer. Researchers are testing the sensors on individuals recovering from surgery and athletes, with aims to broaden the types of data recorded, and improve the range of the device.
Wii Warm Up: The no-waggle zone
Sometimes, waggle makes everything better ... and sometimes, it makes us want to gouge out our eyes, or maybe a friend's eyes. Really, any eyes will do. We're not picky. The thing is, everyone has different opinions one what makes for a good waggle game. And what exactly counts as waggle, anyway? Excite Truck and Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam used limited motion-sensing controls, and that worked out pretty well. But a lot of people are uncertain about how a fast-paced game like Super Smash Bros. Brawl will work with the Wiimote and nunchuk control scheme. Will we like it? The good thing is, if we don't, we have option. But we're not always so lucky.In the games released so far, where do you think the controls have worked, and where have they been less than good?
The top 5 most creative uses of the PSP
While long-time readers of PSP Fanboy have undoubtedly seen most of these mods and hacks, it's nice to see five truly fascinating uses of the PSP in action. TechEBlog has collected various videos from YouTube, showcasing the PSP's incredible flexibility. Watch someone type away on a PSP keyboard; control a robot; play with an analog stick; add a motion sensor; and finally, make calls with a PSP phone.
Xbox 360 controller gets motion-sensitive
Sure the Xbox 360 has awesome games like Gears of War, but what good is all that bloody carnage when all the other next-gen systems have motion sensors? We were just ready to throw in the towel waiting for that extra level of game play, when modder Adam Thole answered our calls. Investing about two-and-a-half weeks worth of time, he was able to put together a fully-functioning wired 360 controller with a 2-axis accelerometer -- and he makes the hack seem pretty straightforward. There are a lot of details on his site for those looking to emulate this mod, and Adam claims that he may even hack a wireless controller for version two. So keep on clicking for a vid of this hack-tastic mod in action, and then hit the Read link for the full deets...
Third party motion sensor now available
The DS motion card we told you about before is now available for the promised price of $25. It's tempting, because that whole DSaSketch bit sounds cool, but the novelty may wear off too quickly. We do hope that this catches Nintendo's attention, though, or at least the eye or more homebrew developers. We'd love to see more games, either community or officially produced, that take advantage of this nifty DS motion sensor. But if Nintendo made one ....
