motion-sensors
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Motion Tennis is a unique blending of your iPhone and AppleTV
Motion Tennis (free for a limited time) is a clever interactive tennis app that has some attributes of the Nintendo Wii for playing motion-based games. You'll need to have a 2nd or 3rd generation Apple TV and the Motion Tennis app running on your iPhone (4S or later) in AirPlay Mirroring mode. You can play at several levels against the computer opponent, or play with a second iPhone opponent. You start with a wide view of the tennis court, your opposite at the top of the screen, while you are near the bottom in a 3D perspective. By moving your phone you can simulate forehand and backhand shots, and it's easy to slice and lob. The sensors in your iPhone make it all work. Like a tennis pro, you have a choice of grass, clay or synthetic courts. I was a bit skeptical, but the game works pretty well. There is a little lag on your first serve, but after that the game stays in sync with your motions. I tested the app by doing nothing when a ball came my way, and it zipped right by me giving my opponent the win. A couple of things to think about if you try this: First, if you let go of your iPhone during exuberant play you just might fling it through your expensive flat screen TV, so get a good grip or work out some kind of lanyard that is robust. Also, I didn't feel like I had really precise control of where my ball was going, but it certainly went in the general way I aimed it. (Now that I think about it, I have the same issues in real tennis.) Motion Tennis is a great demo of what creative developers can do to bring two pieces of Apple hardware together. The graphics are pretty slick, but not going to rival a Playstation or high-end game console. This is a great game to try while it is free, and even the regular US$7.99 price isn't too high for the work that went into this app. The app is optimized for the iPhone 5 and requires iOS 6 or greater. Just don't let go of your iPhone! That could be an expensive serve.
UC Berkeley freshman shows us his ridiculously automated dorm (video)
Besides beer pong, the whole point of going away to college is to blossom into an independent, motivated, self-sufficient adult. That is, of course, unless your dorm's name is BRAD (Berkeley Ridiculously Automated Dorm), where freshman Derek Low controls devices all around his room without even getting out of bed. An app on his phone can adjust ambient lighting and curtain position depending on the situation. His laptop uses Dragon Dictate to turn shouts into tasks his pile of servos and motors can accomplish. Just saying "Romantic mode" makes a disco ball pop out of the ceiling and plays the epically passionate Elton John song, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight." As if that wasn't enough, the emergency "party mode" button located next to the bed activates a bunch of lasers and strobes, as well as fog and blacklights while a bumpin' stereo system cranks out dance music. This dorm is clearly every college freshman's dream. I mean, who wouldn't want to wake up with Justin Bieber every morning? Check out the video after the break.
Microsoft algorithm uses six-axis motion sensors to fix blurry snapshots, inadvertently pimping your ride
Trying to snap a shot of your cherry red Mazda, but can't keep your hands still? You'll find all the tech you need to smooth things out in an iPhone 4 or (MotionPlus-equipped) Nintendo Wiimote. Experimenting with 6DOF inertial measurement sensor packages, scientists at Microsoft Research have developed a software algorithm that literally records your exposure-destroying shake via accelerometer and gyroscope, then magically removes the blur by canceling it out. While the technique still isn't perfect -- spot ghostly line above some of those background cars -- the Microsoft researchers compared their results to other in-progress algorithms, and we think you'll agree this new solution presents the best results by far. It's a shame Microsoft doesn't say when we'll see the tech in a spiffy DSLR attachment, or better yet a cameraphone. See before and after animated GIFs after the break, and find high-res comparison images and much more at our source link.
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.
