idea for Neo 2nd generation: Accelerometer

[Andrew Turner]

On 1/23/07, kkr <kkr22.mpt56 at bluewin.ch> wrote:
> I think the idea is good!
>
> But why only one?
>
>
> With one 3-axis accelerometer, we detect a move in the space XYZ: We
> move our arm.
>
> If we use 3 3-axis accelerometer (one in each angle of a triangle), we
> can detect more movements: We can detect if the neo turn over himself
> (with no global XYZ move).
>

You don't need 3 accelerometers to do that - 1 is sufficient. Gravity
is down, so you can usually use that to detect orientation of the
device (landscape, upright, upside-down). It would also allow you to
measure rotations of the device about axes (spinning/shaking).

For an idea of how small & inexpensive accelerometers are, see this
COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) one from a hobby company:
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=730

$10.95 - that's for a single unit, not in bulk. There's a reason it's
started showing up in devices.

Now, pair the accelerometer w/ GPS and you have GeoPointing. "What is
that building over *there*?" Sure people do that already
(http://geovector.com/), but not on O/S platforms. ;)

Andrew
> For exemple, we can detect too, movements as:
>  1.  a rotation of the hand
>  2.  waves with the hand (not like "hello", but more as "approximately")
>      ...
>
> Does anybody know more about price and precision of the accelerometers's
> chips on the market now?
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
>
> Le mercredi 24 janvier 2007 à 12:50 +1100, Tehn Yit Chin a écrit :
> > Not too sure how doable this is, but how about having a 3axis
> > accelerometer in the 2nd generation of the Neo? This will give us the
> > ability to link hand movements as command sets, sort of like mouse
> > gestures but in a 3d space.
> >
> > The obvious usage is for 3d gestures command the phone, eg shake the
> > phone three times to answer when a calls comes in, or move the phone
> > in a cross motion to put it into "do not disturb mode".
> >
> > cheers,
> > tyc
> >
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>
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-- 
Andrew Turner
ajturner at highearthorbit.com        42.4266N x 83.4931W
http://highearthorbit.com              Northville, Michigan, USA