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Next Generation of Gyroscopic Controllers on the Horizon

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the will-it-help-me-collect-more-stars dept.

Jamie found a story about a next gen input device that is functionally similiar to the Wii, but instead of using IR, it gets all location information from gyroscopes and accelerometers. This has the potential to be more accurate and maybe not require me to contort my wrist to bizarre angles in order to successfully collect the stars that are like oxygen to me.

3 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Re:This is the Wii remote, minus functionality by Gravatron · · Score: 5, Informative

    wiimotes don't have gyros in them, IIRC. Just an accelerameter.

  2. Next gen? by Freeside1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you think gyroscopes are next gen, I have just one word for you: plastics.

  3. IR has more than Gyroscopes by Paralizer · · Score: 5, Informative
    Motion detection and pointing are really two different features.

    The wiimote uses a 3-axis accelerometer to calculate roll, yaw, as well as gravity forces on each axis; this gives everything except for yaw. Yaw would be nice but it really isn't needed because the shape of the object in your hand doesn't feel nature (or comfortable) to rotate it in that direction. To solve the issue of pointing the wiimote uses a camera sensitive to IR light and captures it at 1024x768 resolution. Since the wii sensor bar has two dots the virtual screen resolution is actually slightly bigger than that.

    In addition to actually pointing at the screen the wiimote's IR camera can also be used to estimate the distance you are from the TV. So in all the wiimote has several degrees of freedom:
    • Pitch
    • Roll
    • Yaw (very limited with IR)
    • Distance
    • X,Y position on the TV
    With all of this you get a pretty decent idea of where the wiimote is in 3d space and at what orientation it is at.

    Now consider the distance you are from your TV. As you move further away then the angle you should move the wiimote either up, down, left, or right should also decrease because the object. The wiimote can do that because of the IR camera. If you use a gyroscope you lose this because no matter where you are in 3d space it only cares about the orientation it is with respect to gravity. So if you are aiming at the top of your TV and you move backwards with a gyroscope then it will still be aiming at the top, whereas with the wiimote it will go above the top because that's where you're actually pointing the device.

    With a gyroscope and accelerometer you would get:
    • Pitch
    • Roll
    • Yaw
    That's about it. No distance, no X,Y position.

    I think the wiimote still wins out. The only thing that I would change with the wiimote is give it a higher resolution IR camera, but maybe that was too expensive for Nintendo (that may also have been a reason they didn't do high def?)

    Also you can already use the wiimote on a PC for free and have millions of potential customers already owning one. So why would anyone want to pay royalties to use this thing?