Nov 26
Sixense Truemotion 3D Controller Makes Wiimote Look Like A Toy [Motion Control]
Posted in: Today's ChiliWhile the Wiimote control came as a fabulous gaming surprise, it has its sensitivity drawbacks, something that the Truemotion 3D system really overcomes. Check out the demo video—it’s amazing. Sixense designed this thing to use magnetic field detection so it can track both your hands on the controller position in full 3D real-time, with an accurate 10 millisecond refresh rate. Since it gives a far more realistic input system for playing with stuff, it’s basically the way future game controllers’ll work. And since people like Activision and EA are interested it may actually make its way into a real product. [Sixense via Engadget]
The Gadget: Aiptek’s PocketCinema V10 pico projector so small you can hold it in your hand. This one is extra special, since its built-in SD card reader and media player gives you instant access to movies and photos, without needing to wire up a secondary video sources.
Tokyo PC shop Tsukumo built this custom Dreamcast computer. Its innards gutted, the system was “upgraded” with a new motherboard, Blu-ray drive, HDMI, and 160GB hard drive. The controller ports were swapped out for USB inputs and mega-sized fan was added to the bottom. Added up, these changes represent $1000 in hardware modifications. You can’t see much of a difference here, but check out the flipside shots:
I tend to avoid bottled water—my tap-water’s fine and way cheaper—but since millions don’t think the same, this concept from designers Brand Image would be a way to reduce the eco-impact of all those nasty plastic bottles. The 360 is a paper bottle, molded from 100% recyclable, food-safe paper, and its simplicity makes even the venerable cardboard Tetra Pak drinks carton look outdated. These things are almost “printed-out,” they stack, are re-sealable, and look fab. These ought to be real, and when they are I hope they get the texture of the “lip” right: you don’t want fuzzy cardboardiness there. [
The hardware in Mac Funamizu’s gesture-controlled light switch would be very, very simple—after all, it’s just a trackpad. But it’s the input methods that make this exciting: just as laptop trackpads can track gestures for scrolling, this light switch would parse them to control up a roomful of lights, either together or in unison. The lights are mapped onto the pad as they are positioned in the room, and a simple sliding motion toward or away from a specific light would brighten or dim it individually. For maximum light-dimming suavity, the circular gesture function takes control of every bulb at once.