Accelerometer et al

Inclinometer et al: Rieker Inc Introduces New Wireless Remote Inclinometer Package at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011

2011-03-24T11:07:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: Rieker Inc Introduces New Wireless Remote Inclinometer Package at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011

Inclinometer et al: Seasons Greetings From Rieker

2010-12-08T09:50:00.000-05:00

Inclinometer et al: Seasons Greetings From Rieker

Seasons Greetings from all of us at Rieker Inc!

Click to view our Christmas Card!

HP MEMS could shake up motion sensing | The Industry Standard

2009-11-12T17:33:00.003-05:00

Stephen Lawson, IDG News Service

That accelerometer in your new iPhone 3GS must seem pretty cool, switching the phone to landscape view and steering you through racing games and all. But it's nothing compared with what Hewlett-Packard has come up with.

Accelerometers, or inertial sensors, are devices that sense shocks, vibrations and changes in velocity. The ones used in cell phones and other consumer devices are MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems), essentially integrated circuits with moving parts. Though small and relatively inexpensive, they haven't been able to match the more sensitive sensors used in airliners and other commercial applications until now, according to HP.

Now the company has developed an MEMS accelerometer that can do the work of the high-end sensors, which until now have been mechanical devices the size of a brick that cost about US$1,000 per axis, with each axis sensing motion in one direction. It did so partly with technology developed in its printer division, which uses another type of MEMS in print heads. For now, these HP sensors aren't cheap enough to put in consumer electronics, but because they're MEMS, they may get there in a few years. In the meantime, they could revolutionize the use of accelerometers in buildings and geology.

More...HP MEMS could shake up motion sensing | The Industry Standard

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Accelerometer: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2009-03-03T09:38:00.000-05:00

An accelerometer is a device that measures non-gravitational accelerations^[1]. These are accelerations produced by mechanically accelerating the accelerometer via its casing.

Single- and multi-axis models are vertical to detect magnitude and direction of the acceleration as a vector quantity,^[2] and can be used to sense orientation, vibration and shocks. Accelerometers are present in numerous portable electronic devices and video game controllers, including the Nokia N95, Nokia 5800, Sony Ericsson W910i, Blackberry Storm, Apple iPhone^[3], the Apple iPod Nano 4G and Nintendo's Wii Remote^[4] and the Google G1.

Accelerometers may be used in some cases to measure acceleration produced by gravity forces, but only indirectly. This is done by assessing the device's output in situations where gravity forces are known not to vary in time (for example, with the device is at rest at a given altitude), and then inferring from the overall zero vertical acceleration of the device, that the measured non-gravitational forces must be equal (but opposite) to any gravitational fields which are present (see gravimeter).

Accelerometers are also used in inertial navigation systems where the exact gravity is unknown, and then an estimate of the gravity based on the position/altitude is used. This allows the output to be integrated to convert it into changes in vertical velocity and to calculate distance (with respect to the center of the Earth) via essentially dead reckoning.

Global Sensors Outlook

2008-06-12T12:18:00.002-04:00

New Technologies Promoting Market Development

The sensors market is highly competitive, dynamic, and diverse and at the same time is recognized as a growth market. Sensors are widely used from very simple functions to many critical applications in industries as diverse as oil and gas to automotive, food and beverage, and healthcare. The market is continuously evolving with the launch of new technologies and entry of new market participants. These factors have also resulted in a high degree of fragmentation with the presence of a large number of small regional participants.

With regard to various sensor segments, the semiconductor-based sensors market is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.8 percent. Applications such as in-vitro diagnostics, biochips, optical mouse, and micrometers are likely to witness a greater penetration of semiconductor-based sensors. "As for microscopic electro mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors, the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, And Documentation (TREAD) Act is driving the use of tire pressure sensors and electronic stability control systems in automotive applications," notes the analyst of this research service. "Growth factors for MEMS in the consumer segment include the use of accelerometers in computer notebooks and mobile phones for shock detection and tilt sensing and gyroscopes for image stabilization in mobile phone cameras."

Wireless Technology expected to Drive Future Growth

Wireless, fiber optic, smart sensors, and metal-oxide sensors are expected to define the marketplace of tomorrow. Wireless sensor networks are the future of the electronic world and will require the success of two new breakthrough technologies: Ultrawideband and WiMax (802.16). Ultrawideband creates a fast wireless connection that consumes about 10-4 the power of a cell phone, and WiMax promises 70 megabits per second across a 30-mile range. Overall, the intelligent sensor range is likely to be the fastest growing segment, growing at a CAGR of 8.0 percent between 2006 and 2013.

By 2013, oil and gas, water/wastewater, automotive, medical, and power industries are expected to be the top five end-user industries, with a revenue contribution of over 50.0 percent, compared to 35-40 percent in 2007. Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, and Canada are among the fastest growing markets for sensors. "Given the high level of competency, it has become imperative that companies redefine their strategies to provide customers with reliable instruments that are easily operable," says the analyst. "Proactive monitoring of the evolving requirements of different end-user segments would go a long way in achieving any company’s growth objective."

Frost & Sullivan Research Service
Published: 12 Mar 2008

Accelerometers and gyroscopes for Consumer applications

2008-06-10T10:13:00.002-04:00

SUMMARY
MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers market increased by 55% from 2005 to 2006 to reach USD 232 M last year. An average 35% CAGR for 2006-2011 periods is expected. The market dynamic mainly comes from accelerometers: about 65% of the total inertial sales by 2011. Consumer applications will progressively take a 40% share of the total inertial MEMS activity by 2011 (including automotive, medical, industrial, aeronautic and defence sectors).

MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes are emerging at a very fast pace in consumer electronics products. MEMS gyroscopes were widely integrated into camcorders since 1998 to provide optical stabilization features. MEMS accelerometers entered consumer applications in 2003, in large volume, as a protection feature for Hard Disk Drives.
In 2006, Nintendo Wii’s motion sensing remote control gave for the first time, public visibility to inertial MEMS. The new attractive Human Machine Interface from game controls such as the Wii, is even expected to penetrate the cell phone market.
Inertial MEMS are already spread over a wide range of consumer products, with limited volume . The MEMS industry is very excited and confident. Every one’s attention is focused on what will be the next killer application.

A consolidation should take place for MEMS in consumer applications.
The strong development of MEMS based consumer electronics applications since 2004 is leading the way for an industry consolidation starting in 2007. Some players seem to have already stopped their 3 axis accelerometer product line.

In the mean time, design win have mainly been realized by the TOP6 consumer accelerometers manufacturers. While the Nintendo Wii design win has been attributed to ADI and STM, Sony has not publicly disclose their motion sensor suppliers.

An accurate market segmentation of the MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes applications to identify new business opportunities.
Each application of the automotive, aeronautic, defence, medical industrial and consumer fields is detailed (market, technology, players) :
- Global market evaluation of the high performance inertial MEMS applications: component volume in M units, Average Single Price (ASP), and 2006-2011 value forecasts.
- Description of the products and technologies: product specifications, technological trends and business trends.
- Evaluation of major players market share and potential new entrants.

Companies described in the report
Analog Devices, Bosch Sensortec, Citizen, Freescale, Fujitsu, Fuji Electric, Fuji, Hitachi Metals, Hokuriku Denko, HSG-IMIT, Infineon, Invensense, Kionix, Micro Infinity, Mitsubishi, Murata, Samsung, SONY, STMicroelectronics, VTI, Apple, Aichi Steel, Asahi Kasei Microsystems, Canon, Epson Toyocom, Gyration, Hitachi Storage, HP, IBM, Kodak, MEMSIC, Maxtor, Microfabrica, Microsoft, NEC, Nintendo, Nokia, OKI, Olympus, Omron, Panasonic, Pioneer, Seagate, Sharp, Toshiba, Vodaphone, Wacoh

Publisher : Yole Développement

Inclinometer et al: Toying Around

2008-04-25T10:06:00.001-04:00

Inclinometer et al: Toying Around
Wii-like tilt sensor for robot control

Apple’s accelerometer patent reveals a stunning tablet PC

2008-03-07T10:48:00.002-05:00

...an oldy but a goody...

Posted by Dennis Sellers

On Jan. 26, 2006, the US Patent & Trademark Office revealed a patent titled “Methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer.” Although no assignee was presented in the patent application’s template, a clear reference found under “description” does in fact provide patent number 6768066, which is an Apple patent published in 2004.

Just for the record, this patent presents 13 illustrations of a tablet PC and only 1 of a notebook. So make no mistake about it, this patent’s focus is on an Apple tablet!

In Apple’s brief “Background of the Invention” it states that “accelerometers are devices widely used for applications as diverse as vibration monitoring, appliance control, joysticks, industrial process control, space launches, satellite control, and many others.

For example, an accelerometer has been used in a vehicle as sensor to detect a variety of operating conditions while the vehicle is moving.”

Interesting applications in Apple’s Summary

Methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer are described. According to one embodiment of the invention, an accelerometer attached to a portable device detects a movement of the portable device. In response, a machine executable code is executed to perform a predetermined user configurable operation.

According to one embodiment of the invention, an accelerometer of a portable device may constantly or periodically monitor the movement of the portable device. As a result, an orientation of the portable device prior to the movement and after the movement may be determined based on the movement data provided by the accelerometer attached to the portable device.

Depending on the particular embodiment of the invention, the patent states that an accelerometer may be used:

° To detect a movement of a portable device as a way to trigger whether a page of document or image may be displayed.

° In a gaming application, where the accelerometer may be used to detect a scene change during a video game running within a portable device.

° In a navigation application. For example, a portable device having an accelerometer attached therein may be used as a navigation tool to navigate a relatively large object or document that normally cannot be displayed entirely at once within a display of the portable device.

° To determine whether a portable device is moving (e.g., carried by a user) and the portable device should be put in a proper operating state (e.g., a sleep or hibernated mode).

° To detect whether a portable device is moved according to certain directions, in order to determine whether a password is entered correctly.

° To detect and record a sequence of movements of a portable device, where the recorded movement data may be used to recreate the moving history subsequently (e.g., off line).

° To detect and determine activities of a user (e.g., joggling) with a portable device having the accelerometer attached therein. [Hmm, is that a typo or the patent writer’s sense of humor?]

° To detect a movement of a portable device and an orientation of the portable device may be determined based on the movement data provided by the accelerometer. Thereafter, one or more interfaces of the portable device may be activated or deactivated based on the determined orientation after the movement.

Random Patent Claims: Multimedia

This patent packs a wallop with a total of 116 claims. Some of these claims would even make James Bond envious! Check out some of these excerpts of claims that go far beyond Apple’s summary of the Invention – displaying the tablet’s wide range of potential multimedia capabilities. Whoa!

20. …wherein the document page is one of a map, a newspaper, and a video game scene.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising: activating at least one wireless transceiver that communicates with relative strong signals; and deactivating at least one wireless transceiver that communicates with relative weak signals.

30. …wherein the at least one interface includes one or more speakers.

32. …wherein the at least one interface includes one or more cameras.

33. …wherein the at least one interface includes one or more microphones.

39. …wherein the portable device is a digital audio player. [Yikes, King Kong iPod!]

58. …wherein generating the alert comprises transmitting a signal to a remote facility over a network.

60. …wherein configuring the portable device comprises disabling a wireless network interface and enabling a cellular interface of the portable device if the portable is associated with a mobile profile.

61. …wherein the portable device is one of a laptop computer, a tablet PC, a PDA (personal digital assistant), a cellular phone, a personal communicator, and a multimedia player.

On the business side of the equation

The following are random excerpts from Apple’s “Overview” section of the patent, geared more towards the business side of this tablet, as follows:

Partial excerpt from patent point # 56: “For example, the operating system may be a Mac OS from Apple Computer. Alternatively, the operating system may be a Windows operating system from Microsoft. Other operating systems, such as, for example, a UNIX, a Linux, an embedded operating system (e.g., a Palm OS), or a real-time operating system, may also be implemented.”

Patent Point # 61: FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating an exemplary application that an accelerometer may be utilized according to one embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, and throughout the application, a tablet device is used as an example of a portable device. But it is not so limited. It will be appreciated that other portable devices, such as, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal communicator (e.g., a blackberry from Research In Motion), a cellular phone, or a multimedia player (e.g., an MP3 player), etc., may also be utilized.

Patent Point # 0073: In one embodiment, the second page of the document may be a next page or a previous page of the document. The document may be a word document produced by a word processor, such as, a word processor from Microsoft Office. Alternatively, the document may be a Web page presented by a browser, such as, Internet Explorer from Microsoft or a Netscape communicator from Netscape Communications. Further, the document may be a slide presentation, for example, presented by PowerPoint of Microsoft or by Keynote of Apple Computer.

Patent Point # 0076: In response to the oscillation of the supporting surface 552, an accelerometer attached to the portable device 551 may detect such an oscillation. In response to the detection, the accelerometer may notify, via the firmware and/or the controller, etc., the associated application software. In response, the application software may display a next page, a previous page, or a specific page of the document, which may be user configurable via a user interface. It is particularly useful when the portable device is placed on a desk and hooked up with a presentation projector. A user who is doing the presentation may simply tab on the desk to advance a next page of presentation without having to press a key of a keyboard (e.g., the “Enter” key or the space bar) or a mouse of the portable device.

Excerpts from: Exemplary Portable Device Having an Accelerometer

Patent Point # 141: FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary portable device having an accelerometer according to one embodiment of the invention. For example, exemplary system 2000 may represent at least a portion (e.g., a subsystem) of the exemplary system 100 shown in FIG. 1 or exemplary system 2100 of FIG. 21. Referring to FIG. 20, exemplary system 2000 includes one or more accelerometers 2001, one or more microcontrollers 2002, a host chipset 2003 that may be coupled to a video adapter 2004 and an audio device 2005, and one or more peripheral devices 2006.

Patent Point # 0142: In one embodiment, the accelerometer 2001 is a 3-axis accelerometer, which may provide acceleration data on X, Y, and Z axes. The accelerometer is an electromechanical micro machine encapsulated in a chip package. It presents three analog outputs (e.g., X, Y, and Z axes) whose values are directly proportional to the acceleration being measured along corresponding axes in 3-space. In one embodiment, the accelerometer 2001 may be a KGF01 accelerometer from Kionix or an ADXL311 accelerometer from Analog Devices.

Neo’s Note: Also check out the Kionix PDF: The “World’s Smallest High-Performance Tri-Axis Accelerometer.”
Yes sirree, it’s a roller coaster ride

Under “Other Applications Based on an Accelerometer,” this excerpt was presented:

Patent Point # 130: This is typically useful when a user wishes to replot a trail of a roller coaster ride afterwards. For example, a user may carry the portable device having an accelerometer attached therein and go onto a roller coaster ride. During the ride, the accelerometer may detect and store the movement data into a storage device, or alternatively, transmit the movement data to a remote facility over a network. After the ride, the movement data may be used to recreate a plot of the roller coaster ride. The roller coaster ride is used as an example only, the techniques described above may be applied to other situations. For example, a user who carrying an accelerometer, either attached to a portable device or attached to a vehicle, may drive a vehicle to different locations to perform a survey, in order to create a map for those locations. The map may be subsequently created using the movement data collected by the accelerometer during the drive.

NOTICE

Macsimum News presents only a brief summary of patents with associated graphic(s) for journalistic news purposes as each such patent application and/or grant is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trade Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent applications and/or grants should be read in its entirety for further details.

Today’s patent: Methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer

This is a killer patent!

While I’ve enjoyed being the first to break the news on many exciting Apple patents over the recent months, this one had to be one of the most exciting to review and prepare. If you haven’t seen part two on gaming yet, then I’d certainly say that you’re missing all the fun!

The Mac community has been hoping for a tablet PC from Apple for some time now, and I think that this patent will be the answer to many a prayer. Apple’s tablet vision is sweeping. It’ll play exciting next generation games while the patent notes that future games based on virtual reality are on their way. For the enterprise, it covers business presentation software from Apple and Microsoft while it will undoubtedly double as a serious video conferencing tool. Tools that will definitely be of benefit in their educational markets. Based on this patent, I’d say that Apple’s big switch to Intel is looking smarter every day.

Yet let’s face it, Apple needs something to attract gamers – big time – and now! It’s the one big gaping hole in their platform that has to be addressed if they’re ever to win Wintel switchers over in big enough numbers to crack the PC market wide open. So with the great news that Apple has next gen gaming on their tablet agenda, you could be assured that Apple has a master plan for gaming overall. Yet if Apple even has a prayer at actually winning in this market, you know that a new alliance is now in the wings. That’s something that I present in part two of this report – so be sure to join in.

So, what about timing. Could Apple realistically pull this off in time for this fall? Maybe, maybe not. However, Apple’s patent for iSight in notebooks and the desktop came to be within 60 days. Their RDS radio patent was partially fulfilled at MacWorld within a record 30 days! So could this patent foreshadow a launch of their tablet PC? Yes, of course.

Although only time will truly tell whether or not Apple could actually pull this stunner off in time, I think that there’s a few million of you out there that are cheering Apple on to make it so – right? And yes, I happen to be one of them: Go Apple!

NEW Tri-Axial, Transient Shock Logger

2008-02-08T11:07:00.000-05:00

Press Release
Release date: February 4, 2008

MadgeTech, Inc. Introduces the TSR101, Tri-Axial, Transient Shock Logger

February 4, 2008

MadgeTech, Inc., the leader in reliable, low-cost data logging solutions is pleased to announce the TSR101, a tri-axial, transient shock data logger. The unit is ideal for applications requiring characterizing of environments such as packaging and fragility assessment (drop testing), break and crash testing, and shipment validation.

When a user specified trigger setting is exceeded (specified shock value), the TSR101 records a window of the Pre and Post trigger data. Users specify a reading rate between 1,024Hz to 1Hz, allowing for the capture of everything from high speed acceleration data, to tracking fragile shipments overtime. The device is equipped with built-in accelerometers and measures dynamic and static acceleration.

The non-volatile solid state memory provides maximum security, even if the battery becomes discharged. The device can be started and stopped directly from a computer. The TSR101 makes data retrieval quick and easy, simply plug it into an empty COM or USB port and the user-friendly software does the rest.

For more information on the TSR101 please visit our website at www.madgetech.com or call (603) 456-2011.

Wii - The nXt Generation of gaming consoles

2007-07-24T11:36:00.000-04:00

The Wii Nintendo. The console is th is the fifth home video game console released bye direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3,but it competes with both as part of the seventh generation of gaming systems.
A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect motion and rotation in three dimensions. Another is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode.
he Wii console is Nintendo's smallest home unit to date; it measures 44 mm (1.73 in) wide, 157 mm (6.18 in) tall, and 215.4 mm (8.48 in) deep in its vertical orientation.The included stand measures 55.4 mm (2.18 in) wide, 44 mm (1.73 in) tall, and 225.6 mm (8.88 in) deep, The system weighs 1.2 kg (2.7 lb),which makes it the lightest of the three major seventh generation consoles. The console can be placed either horizontally or vertically. Nintendo has shown the console and the Wii Remote in white, black, silver, lime green, and red, but has initially been available only in white.
The Wii launch package includes the console, a stand to allow the console to be placed vertically, a circular clear stabilizer for the main stand, one Wii Remote, one Nunchuk attachment, one Sensor Bar, a removable stand for the bar, one external main power adapter, two AA batteries, one composite AV cable with RCA connectors (component video and other types of cables are available separately), operation documentation, and a copy of Wii Sports.
The Wii Remote is a controller that uses a combination of accelerometers and infrared detection (from an array of LEDs inside the Sensor Bar) to sense its position in 3D space. This design allows users to control the game using physical gestures as well as traditional button presses. The controller connects to the console using Bluetooth, and features rumble and an internal speaker. The Wii Remote can connect to other devices through a proprietary port at the base of the controller. The device bundled with the Wii retail package is the Nunchuk unit, which features an accelerometer and a traditional analog stick with two trigger buttons. In addition, an attachable wrist strap can be used to prevent the player from unintentionally dropping or throwing the Wii Remote. In response to incidences of strap failures, Nintendo is offering a free stronger replacement for all straps.

Augustine Fou: MIT: The iPhone's Untapped Potential

2007-07-11T09:25:00.000-04:00

Augustine Fou: MIT: The iPhone's Untapped Potential

Holmwood On How In2Games Will Wii-ify 360 and PS3

2007-07-06T14:54:00.000-04:00

June 29, 2007

Q&A: Holmwood On How In2Games Will Wii-ify 360 and PS3

This week's edition of Gamasutra's 'The Euro Vision' column sees Jon Jordan in a swinging mood, as he talks to Harry Holmwood of the UK's In2Games about out Wii-ing the Wii by bringing its forthcoming motion sensing Fusion controller to PS3 and the Xbox 360.

Harry Holmwood is a man who wants to bring real 'wave your arms in the air' gaming fun to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Neither vanilla dual analogue sticks nor SIXAXIS' six degrees of freedom are anything like enough for the director of innovative controller company In2Games.

Instead, what best explains the ambition of the UK outfit - currently in the process of refining its wireless Fusion product for release - is Holmwood's attitude to the current golden calf of fun game control, the Wiimote.

"Like Wii, Fusion has an accelerometer, but we also have ultrasonic X, Y, Z positioning that allows so much more flexibility and control. The Wii controller knows that it's moved, and as long as you're moving it slowly, it knows a bit about how it's being moved. But, when it's not being pointed at the screen, which is most of the time if you're making real-world movements, it has no idea whatsoever about where it is," he scolds.

And isn't not just him and his fellow In2Games execs who thinks like this either. They've raised up to £7.76 million ($15.5 million) from investment company Ingenious Media Active Capital to make their dream - better-than-Wii game control for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 - into reality.

The story of In2Games begins with a more bulky approach to setting gamers free however.

A Wired, Wired World

Launched in Europe in 2004, Gametrak was a 3D motion sensing controller that worked by tracking the position of your hands. You had to attach your hands to cords connected to the main controller unit in order for it to work however; something which Holmwood admits limited its appeal.

"While it was an incredibly clever and accurate piece of kit, it had a bit of an image problem," he agrees. "Being physically connected to the device via the Trak Cables looked a little clunky and definitely put some people off."

Another issue was the size of In2Games itself. Although well connected - Holmwood had been involved in a string of game-related ventures, while MD Elliott Myers previously worked on Europe's biggest thirdparty peripherals brand Gamester - it didn't have much cash, either for marketing or to develop the specialised games that used the technology. In the end, only three Gametrak titles were released.

"Gametrak was launched on an incredibly small budget, raised from a handful of friends and family who had the belief we really could deliver something new," Holmwood says.

But it's wasn't all bad news. The commercial bright spot for Gametrak was the success of its Real World Golf games, which sold around 300,000 units. Swinging a golf club, even attached with cords, seemed to be something people, even those who wouldn't call themselves gamers, could relate to.

So armed with this findings, wires bad, sports good, In2Games prepared for its next piece of technology, Fusion.

Swing Like You’re Winning

Built around a combination of ultrasonic and radio frequency technology that tracks player movement, as well as 3-axis accelerometers mounted in the main controller, the unique selling point of Fusion is that it enables you to track the absolute position and orientation in 3D space of the controller. Designed in a wand or baton-style configuration, it can be fitted with clip-on heads such as golf clubs, baseball bats, and tennis racquets. Standalone peripherals are also being planned. In2Games has demonstrated a bowling ball peripheral, for example.

And with the finance now in place, Holmwood says it's the right place, right time to satisfy In2Game's global ambitions. It already has offices in the UK and Hong Kong, plus the requisite Chinese factory, and will be setting up a North American office in the coming months. “We're already talking to a large number of distribution and publishing partners for the North American market,” Holmwood says. “We see North America as being equally important to us as Europe.”

Fusion's pricing and launch details remain to be announced however.

"If you consider the success of Wii, combined with the likes of Guitar Hero and European phenomenon that is SingStar, it's clear consumers are loving the more interactive, party-type gaming that new control systems can allow," he says.

"Thanks to our experience with Gametrak, we've built up great relationships with retailers, distributors, developers and format holders. We have the finance to create a whole host of games ourselves but, more importantly, we have publishers knocking on our doors wanting to integrate Fusion support into their titles too."

Indeed, even with its warchest, the success of Fusion is likely to be measured by the number of traditional publishers who decide to get onboard with the technology.

"By supporting Fusion in PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 titles, publishers can bring the very best motion sensing titles to those platforms," Holmwood argues. "Because Fusion is a true motion capture device, delivering absolute X, Y, Z positions in 3D space, rather than just using a tilt sensor to give some vague motion sensing capability, it can be used to create much more precise control leading, in turn, to games with real depth of play and player progression."

Out Wiiing The Wiimote

Of course, one obstacle to such widespread adoption will be the speed at which In2Games can create a commercially-viable install base for the underlying technology. It expects to launch around 20 titles over a four year period, but the question of whether third party publishers will be prepared to use and market someone else's controller technology in order to create a Guitar Hero-type phenomenon rather than wait until there are a million base units in the market, remains open to question. PlayStation 2’s EyeToy has been a great success in Europe for Sony, but attempts by the likes of Sega, Konami, and EA to tap into the market have gained little traction.

As you might expect, Holmwood remains positive about the range of options. "As well as Fusion, we're also looking at a bunch of other new control systems and gaming possibilities," he reveals. "In2Games specialises in combining hardware innovation with software, and outside of the format holders themselves I can't think of any other companies who combine that level of expertise in hardware design, manufacture, and software development and publishing. We're certainly keen to hear from developers or publishers who have ideas for, or need help with, creating hardware/software products."

He's also keen not to finish without reinforcing Fusion's superiority.

"To conclude, it's straightforward to port a Wii motion-sensing game to Fusion," he ends. "It's a great first step but it's trivial. Why not take full advantage of what Fusion can offer? What we can do with Fusion is make PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 games that not only have true nextgen graphics, but have true, nextgen motion capture gaming too."

[Jon Jordan is a freelance games journalist and photographer, based in Manchester, UK. He prefers six degrees of separation to six degrees of freedom.]

POSTED: 06.07AM PST, 06/29/07 - Jon Jordan

British Telecom tries to wed Nintendo Wii-style technology to a tablet PC.

2007-06-12T17:33:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Motion-Sensing Tablet PCs

By Clark Boyd

British Telecom (BT) is working on a plan to eliminate the keyboard and mouse, and use accelerometers with tablet PCs instead.

The pilot project enables a user to scroll through menus or applications simply by tilting or rotating the tablet PC. The system starts with a specially designed adapter containing tiny accelerometers, which measure acceleration. The adapter plugs into any tablet PC via a USB cable. When a user moves the PC, the sensors detect the motion. Special software then interprets the PC's movements and translates them onto the computer screen.

"What we want to create is a kind of broadband Etch A Sketch," says BT researcher David Chatting, who wrote the applications for the prototype.

The trick, he says, is getting people sensitized to how moving the PC affects what happens on the computer. "One of my initial applications entails using the PC to manipulate a marble on the screen. I want to demonstrate to the user that how they're holding the device affects what's happening--that they have an almost physical connection to the content on the screen."

For now, Chatting's applications are simple. A user moves the machine left or right to toggle between a few menu choices on-screen, and then pulls the machine forward to select a menu item. "We aren't trying to duplicate all [of] Windows Vista or Mac OSX," Chatting says.

But he is convinced that software could be further adapted so that a person could, say, turn the pages of a virtual book just by tilting the machine, or even move a cursor around a Web page and then click on a link just by giving the machine a light shake.

"The technology has obvious implications for those who are disabled or elderly and [have] difficulty using a fiddly laptop keyboard or mouse," says Adam Oliver, head of BT's Age and Disability Research Program, of which BT Balance is a part. "We wanted to create an interface that was simple and intuitive. Standard ways of controlling PC applications can be too complicated."

Accelerometers are used in a wide range of devices. In the Nintendo Wii hand controller, they provide the raw data from your body's movements that end up as on-screen actions. They also help stabilize the image on your camcorder. Typically, these accelerometers are so small that they fit into a class of devices known as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).

BT is hardly the first company to put a MEMS accelerometer into portable electronic equipment. Nike and Apple, for example, have teamed up on a product called the iPod Sport Kit. An accelerometer placed in a special pair of Nike running shoes measures workout data, then wirelessly transmits the information to an iPod Nano.

Some tablet PCs and PDAs even feature an option that allows the screen's content to be viewed right-side up, no matter which way the device is held.

Many laptops sold today include a motion-sensing chip that can detect when the machine is falling, and then automatically protect the data on the hard disk from any damage caused by the fall.

But what BT is trying to do--make an affordable computer that can effectively interface with a user only through moving the machine--is trickier. "The motion-sensing tablet PC is a lovely idea," says Jan Korvink, a MEMS expert at the University of Freiburg, in Germany. "But you'll have to deal first of all with drift."

"Drift" is what happens when microsensors, whether through being continuously overheated or by picking up noise signals, degrade over time. "You have to continuously adjust for drift," Korvink says. "And cheap sensors--the kind you need to mass-produce electronics--tend to drift a lot."

According to Korvink, an even bigger issue is finding the "killer applications" for a motion-sensing PC. That will require, he says, a lot of research into what users might want to employ such a device for, and then tweaking the software to make it extremely user-friendly.

With the Chumby computer, a coffee-cup-size Internet appliance designed to display basic information downloaded from the Internet, users will be able to create their own applications that enlist the computer's built-in accelerometers for input. "The real question is how many Flash developers remember enough of their Newtonian physics to use this sensor effectively," says Chumby software guru Duane Maxwell.

Maxwell also says that the company itself has experimented with writing software that would allow the Chumby device to be used to scroll through RSS feeds just by tilting it.

But BT's Chatting says he is well aware that his work is far from being ready for commercial use. "Just like in the 1970s, [when] we were trying to figure out what we could do with a mouse, there's a lot of learning that needs to be done here." Chatting is hoping to put together a real field trial soon so that he can begin to get feedback on how people might actually use a motion-sensing tablet PC.

Inclinometer et al: Tilt Sensors for Fragile Goods in Transport

2007-04-30T10:36:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: Tilt Sensors for Fragile Goods in Transport

MEMS Technology: It's Everywhere and Growing (or shrinking) Fast!

2007-04-24T12:31:00.000-04:00

as posted: http://www.memsnet.org/mems/what-is.html

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is the integration of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common silicon substrate through microfabrication technology. While the electronics are fabricated using integrated circuit (IC) process sequences (e.g., CMOS, Bipolar, or BICMOS processes), the micromechanical components are fabricated using compatible "micromachining" processes that selectively etch away parts of the silicon wafer or add new structural layers to form the mechanical and electromechanical devices.

MEMS promises to revolutionize nearly every product category by bringing together silicon-based microelectronics with micromachining technology, making possible the realization of complete systems-on-a-chip. MEMS is an enabling technology allowing the development of smart products, augmenting the computational ability of microelectronics with the perception and control capabilities of microsensors and microactuators and expanding the space of possible designs and applications.

Microelectronic integrated circuits can be thought of as the "brains" of a system and MEMS augments this decision-making capability with "eyes" and "arms", to allow microsystems to sense and control the environment. Sensors gather information from the environment through measuring mechanical, thermal, biological, chemical, optical, and magnetic phenomena. The electronics then process the information derived from the sensors and through some decision making capability direct the actuators to respond by moving, positioning, regulating, pumping, and filtering, thereby controlling the environment for some desired outcome or purpose. Because MEMS devices are manufactured using batch fabrication techniques similar to those used for integrated circuits, unprecedented levels of functionality, reliability, and sophistication can be placed on a small silicon chip at a relatively low cost.

3-Axis Acceleration Measurement Possibilities

2007-04-02T11:55:00.000-04:00

I have had several discussions concerning measuring acceleration and/or vibration in 3 axes. There are several ways to accomplish this:

The B, BD, and BDK single axis accelerometers can be mounted in a tri-axial formation using either the SW3 Mounting Cube or the BS24 Mounting Cube. The BS24 is smaller than the SW3 and allows the user to move the sensor around on the block and switch out sensors to change the range or replace with a new sensor. The SW3 format is a permanent configuration, if one sensor is damaged the entire unit must be replaced. Please note, the BS24 is limited as far as its compatibility, accepting only the B Series or NB3 Sensor with special threading.

Another option is the SB3Gi. This is an out of box solution using a die-case aluminum IP65 housing with 3 integrated accelerometer sensors with 3 signal conditioners. This factory calibrated package provides 3 analog current 4-20mA 2-wire current loop outputs, powered by an 8-30VDC non-regulated supply.

Triaxial Accelerometer operates in high temperatures.

2007-03-16T11:33:00.000-04:00

Dytran Instruments, Chatsworth, CA, offers the Model 3023AH High Temperature Triaxial Accelerometer.

Mar 15, 2007 Featuring .36 x .36 in. footprint, miniature Model 3023AH features integral electronics (IEPE) and has 2-10,000 Hz frequency range. Unit is engineered to perform over -60 to +325°F range, making it suited for automotive NVH applications on engines and HASS/HAST chambers or critical flight test applications. Fully welded and hermetically sealed, accelerometer weighs 3 g, has sensitivity of 10 mV/g, and features ¼-28 4-pin connector.

Thomas Net News

RFID Gets Help from Fluidic Self-Assembly

2007-03-13T15:21:00.001-04:00

Microfluidics is a technology in its infancy, and its potential for manufacturing very small products will certainly attract investment and spark advances. But will it change manufacturing industries in a way similar to the transition from electronics to microelectronics? Fluidic self-assembly itself may lead to smaller and less expensive RFID tags

read more | digg story

Vibration spectrum analysers for diagnostics

2007-03-13T12:41:00.000-04:00

Datastick Systems, Inc. — News Release
MEDIA CONTACT:
Michael Scandling, V.P. Marketing.
Phone: (408) 871-3300
Fax: (408) 871-3313
Email: findout@datastick.com

Datastick Systems introduces new-generation handheld Vibration Spectrum Analyzers for machine diagnostics and predictive maintenance

Easy-to-use PDA-based Datastick® VSA-1214 and VSA-1215 Vibration Spectrum Analyzers break down the barriers of cost and training to allow more facilities to reap the cost-saving reliability benefits of vibration analysis in predictive maintenance

Datastick Systems has introduced the VSA-1214 and VSA-1215 Vibration Spectrum analysers, its new-generation PDA-based vibration data collectors and analysers that enable facilities of all sizes to use vibration analysis in machine-condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, and routine troubleshooting to reduce costs and downtime. The announcement was made by Michael Scandling, Vice President of Marketing, at the Datastick Systems, headquarters in Silicon Valley. The pocket-sized system includes the all-new Datastick VSA-1214 or VSA-1215 Vibration spectrum analyser module attached to a state-of-the-art Palm T|X handheld computer with Datastick Spectrum version 1.6 software, which collects vibration measurements and displays and stores them as time waveforms and FFT spectra.

The system also includes the new version 1.6 of Datastick Reporting System (DRS) for VSA, which imports the data from the handheld into a special Microsoft Excel-based application on the PC.

The new products are shipping this week.

'Datastick continues to knock down the barriers that prevent facilities from taking advantage of the cost savings, reduced downtime, and increased reliability that result from vibration analysis as part of predictive maintenance,' said Scandling.

'Starting with price, going on to ease of use, and finally to the big hurdle of lack of in-house vibration expertise in many facilities, Datastick eases the way.

Our entry-level VSA-1214 sells for under $4,000, and operational training is quick and easy.

Most important, customers don't need in-house vibration analysts because our completely open PC software is based on Excel -- they can email their data to the consultant of their choice.' Datastick customer Craig Clark, Manager of Engineering and Maintenance for BBA Fiberweb's Industrial Division said, 'In my opinion, the Datastick VSA handhelds offer the highest capability-to-cost ratio.

Think about it: for less than $5,000, I can avert a $200,000 bearing failure.

In terms of ROI, I can't think of a better investment.' The new system features a new Datastick hardware module with a completely redesigned, extremely low-noise analog input for standard ICP-type accelerometers and velocity sensors, optimised digital circuitry, and a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery with proprietary power management circuitry to allow the VSA-1215 to operate and power ICP sensors far beyond an eight-hour shift.

The VSA-1215 system displays and records overall vibration and ISO vibration severity alerts, as well as acceleration waveforms with a resolution of up to 6,400 points (3,200 points for the VSA-1214); and acceleration, velocity, or displacement spectra with up to 3,200 lines of FFT resolution (1,600 FFT lines for the VSA-1214).

User-selectable maximum frequencies range from 20 KHz down to 50 Hz (10 KHz to 50 Hz for the VSA-1214).

The tenth-order hardware antialiasing filter provides an extremely clean signal, while new low-noise electronics and specialized algorithms keep the noise floor so low that velocity signals are useable down to 1 Hz (60 CPM - cycles per minute).

'The VSA-1215 shows low-frequency velocity and displacement peaks that get buried in noise with many other handheld units -- even systems that cost two to four times as much,' said Steve Sabram, Datastick Chief Technology Officer and President.

'Some handheld systems can't go below 10 Hz for velocity and displacement.

The VSA-1215 allows the user to go down to 1 Hz and even below that, if he needs to, so he can actually see what's happening at low frequencies -- especially subharmonics on machines with operating speeds from 1,800 RPM to below 600 RPM.' The new version 1.6 Datastick Spectrum software for the Palm handheld computer takes full advantage of the Palm T|X's bright, high-resolution 320 x 480 pixel full-colour display--the largest display in any non-tablet handheld vibration analyser.

The display can be oriented to either portrait or landscape views to make it easier to see nuances in FFT spectra.

The spectrum, overall vibration, and ISO-based alert levels are all encompassed in one comprehensive view.

Cursor-position readouts show specific values and harmonic orders when the user touches a data point with a finger or the handheld computer's stylus, and the stylus and touch screen can also be used to zoom and pan directly to areas of interest.

Datastick Spectrum version 1.6 allows users to record vibration data directly onto removable Secure Digital (SD) cards that have been inserted into the Palm handheld.

SD cards with capacities of 2 GB and higher are commonly available, and users can use as many cards as they like, so overall storage capacity is unlimited.

Users transfer vibration data to a PC either by using the Palm handheld's pushbutton HotSync feature or by copying the data directly from the SD card.

Datastick Reporting System (DRS) on a Windows PC automatically organizes the information by machine and creates histories so you can analyse the machine behavior over time.

Reports are created with just a mouse click, and since DRS is based on Excel, Datastick users can share data freely across a network or by email.

'The old saying that you can never have 'too much' storage is true, and with the new VSAs and Datastick Spectrum 1.6, we've removed the storage barriers.

Writing data straight to SD cards allows unlimited data storage and protects against accidental data loss.

Now you can set up an inspection route and collect data directly on the card -- it's easy to keep routes organized,' said Penny Melrose, Datastick CEO.

'Now, even small- to mid-sized facilities benefit from the sophisticated predictive maintenance techniques previously afforded only to the larger companies.'

Relationships between "ball bank indicator" reading, lateral acceleration rates, and vehicular body-roll rates.

2007-03-01T10:31:00.000-05:00

Relationships between "ball bank indicator" reading, lateral acceleration rates, and vehicular body-roll rates.

The objective of the current AASHTO criteria for horizontal curve design is to select the radius and super-elevation so that the lateral acceleration perceived by the occupants of vehicles traversing horizontal curves is kept within comfortable limits. It is considered good design practice to provide roadways on which these comfortable lateral acceleration limits are not violated within an appropriate range of speed values. However, because of geometric constraints, some horizontal curves require significant speed reductions to maintain motorists' comfort levels.

The ball bank indicator has been used since the 1930s to measure the speed at which occupants become uncomfortable. Reported in degrees, the reading of the ball bank indicator is the sum of a vehicle's lateral acceleration and the body-roll minus the roadway superelevation. Ball bank indicator readings and lateral acceleration levels are both indicators of safe speed based on vehicle occupants' comfort levels. Both have been used for highway design since first being introduced, although they are related only theoretically.

The criteria for using ball bank indicators have been modified only slightly in the last 50 years, while vehicle technology and societal changes have experienced significant changes. Ball bank indicator readings were correlated with lateral acceleration rates. Additionally, the influence of vehicular body-roll on ball bank indicator readings was investigated. Ball bank indicator readings and lateral acceleration values were found to be highly correlated. The influence of body-roll on ball bank indicator readings appears to be negligible when using typical passenger cars to determine safe speed on horizontal curves.

Supplemental Notes: This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1658, Highway Geometric Design and Operational Effects Issues.
Accession Number: 00769391
TRIS Files: HRIS
Pagination: p. 34-42
Authors: Carlson, P J; Mason Jr, J M
Features: Figures (2); Photos (1); References (12); Tables (5)
Monograph Info: See related components
Corporate Authors: Transportation Research Board; 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001 USA
Availability: Transportation Research Board Business Office; 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001 USA
ISBN: 0309070554
Publication Date: 1999
Serial: Transportation Research Record; Issue Number: 1658
Publisher: Transportation Research Board; ISSN: 0361-1981
Index Terms: Aerodynamic features (Vehicle body components); Comfort; Correlation analysis; Highway curves; Highway design; Lateral acceleration; Radius; Speed; Superelevation; Ball bank indicators; Body-roll; Horizontal curves
Subject Areas: H21: FACILITIES DESIGN, 21: Highway and transport planning

High Technology: iPHONE from Apple!

2007-01-10T09:41:00.000-05:00

Leave it to Apple to introduce the coolest phone to date! This is definitely on my wishlist. SG
http://www.apple.com/iphone/

Built-in Advanced Sensors

iPhone’s accelerometer detects when you rotate the device from portrait to landscape, then automatically changes the contents of the display, so you immediately see the entire width of a web page or a photo in its proper landscape aspect ratio.

The proximity sensor detects when you lift iPhone to your ear and immediately turns off the display to save power and prevent inadvertent touches until iPhone is moved away.

An ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the display’s brightness to the appropriate level for the current ambient light, thereby enhancing the user experience and saving power at the same time.

Inclinometer et al: Troubleshooting a Relay

2006-11-27T09:20:00.000-05:00

Inclinometer et al: Troubleshooting a Relay

Inclinometer et al: New Base of Operation to Expand Inclinometer Output

2006-11-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

Inclinometer et al: New Base of Operation to Expand Inclinometer Output

Inclinometer et al: Tilt indicators alert operators to dangerous situations

2006-11-14T11:59:00.000-05:00

Inclinometer et al: Tilt indicators alert operators to dangerous situations

Trends in Accelerometer Design for Military and Aerospace Applications

2006-11-13T10:02:00.000-05:00

Accelerometers are gaining ground in many military and aerospace applications thanks to reductions in price and size, greater operating ranges, higher resonant frequencies, lower amplitude ranges, MEMS technology, and integral electronics, but several challenges remain.

By: Patrick L. Walter, posted on Sensors Magazine online

A review of trends in accelerometer design intended to support the military and aerospace industry reveals a number of interesting developments in cost, size, frequency response, range, reliability, and integral electronics. Decreases in cost have resulted in increased use of accelerometers for control and monitoring. Size reductions continue to minimize mass loading of structures, while some increase in range is enhancing the pyroshock testing of aerospace components. Higher resonant frequencies are helping improve accelerometer survivability in pyroshock environments. Lower amplitude range and frequency response capabilities are enhancing the modal testing of large aerospace structures. MEMS sensor technology and the incorporation of electronics into the accelerometer housing are enhancing reliability. Smart accelerometers offer additional promise to the military and aerospace industry.

Challenges, however, remain. The truly high-volume application, analogous to the airbag accelerometer in automobiles, has not yet arrived. Hostile operating temperatures bar integral electronic accelerometers from many applications. Other extreme environments such as radiation, RFI, and EMFs can also create problems. Form factors and space allocations are additional constraints, particularly in military applications. It is nonetheless apparent that manufacturing processes will continue to enhance accelerometer design and surmount many of these challenges.

For the entire article click here.

Inclinometer et al: Unique Sensor Solution for Use in Vehicles

2006-11-13T09:46:00.000-05:00

Inclinometer et al: Unique Sensor Solution for Use in Vehicles

Accelerometers: Compact, Low Cost

2005-12-13T11:40:00.000-05:00

Rieker’s line of accelerometers are small capacitive spring mass-based accelerometers with integrated electronics that do not require external amplifiers. The B Series - B1, B2, B3 – are static accelerometers for acceleration measurements in the frequency ranges from 0Hz to 550Hz. The BD and BDK Series are dynamic accelerometers for measurements in the frequency ranges from 1Hz to 1.5kHz. The units are available with analog DC output, digital pulse-width, or frequency- modulated outputs and have a very high resistance to extreme acceleration overloads and shocks (up to 10,000g). Light weight and compact in size (less than 24mm or .93”), these accelerometers can be configured to measure acceleration due to gravity (inclination) or radial acceleration (centrifugal force) in single, dual, or tri axial packages.

These accelerometers are characterized by very high overload resistance, linear frequency response with minimal resonance peaking (resonant peaks are minimised by means of a special gas-dynamic damping in the primary transformer), low distortion factor, low-impedance signal output, high signal to noise ratio, very low cross-axis interference, very low output-signal hysteresis, hermetically sealed, and very short settling time. Because of the low power consumption, these sensors have very low drift and long-term stability. Galvanic isolation, choice of housing style, and long connection leads are options.

Typical applications are for measuring or determining machine vibration, vehicle acceleration, seismic activity, inclination, and safety levels. These can be also be used for process control, stress control, shock control, crash testing, vibration analyzing, and dynamic rate determination. Certain accelerometers can measure both tilt and acceleration simultaneously.

Rieker Instrument Co Inc is one of the leading manufacturers of accurate, durable, weatherproof measuring, and leveling instruments, since 1917.

Structure of Capacitive Accelerometers

2005-11-01T19:00:00.000-05:00

the Structure of:

Capacitive accelerometers sense a change in electrical capacitance, with respect to acceleration, to vary the output of an energized circuit.

When subject to a fixed or constant acceleration, the capacitance value is also a constant, resulting in a measurement signal proportional to uniform acceleration, also referred to as DC or static acceleration.

Acceleration

2005-10-31T16:04:00.000-05:00

the Definition of:

The rate of change of velocity. Measurement of acceleration breaks into two main categories: for large moving objects, the acceleration is a very low frequency measurement proportional to the change in velocity of the entire object, such as a car or aircraft. For example, we speak of the acceleration of an automobile from 0 to 100 km/h (or 0 to 60 mph).

The second category is primarily used in vibration measurements, where the dynamic changes of the surface of an object are measured. For example, the resonance of an automobile muffler may result in vibrations at a frequency of 67 Hz.

Function of Capacitive Accelerometers
Capacitive accelerometers sense a change in electrical capacitance, with respect to acceleration, to vary the output of an energized circuit. The sensing element consists of two parallel plate capacitors acting in a differential mode.

These capacitors operate in a bridge circuit, along with two fixed capacitors, and alter the peak voltage generated by an oscillator when the structure undergoes acceleration. Detection circuits capture the peak voltage, which is then fed to a summing amplifier that processes the final output signal.