Motion Controller?

SeveQ

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Motion Controller?

« on: June 13, 2009, 02:29:07 PM »

Hi,

I saw this video a few days ago and was totally amazed what already can be done with such a controller. While watching I had the idea that this also should be possible with a WiiMote (or two), right? I think there only needs to be some kind of tracking lamp mounted at one end of the WiiMote and an appropriate software.

What do you think? Is it possible?

//edit: this especially regards precision. I don't own a Wii and don't know how precise its motion tracking is but I guess this PS3 prototype is a lot more precise than the unmodified WiiMote, isn't it?

Hendrik


« Last Edit: June 13, 2009, 02:33:30 PM by SeveQ »	Logged

zainey

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Re: Motion Controller?

« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2009, 09:55:43 PM »

Hi,

It may be possible for the Wii Remote to replicate much of the capability of the new Sony Motion Controller.

Nintendo needs to increase the field of view of its Wii Remote IR camera so it can see its position better with respect to the sensor bar.

The Wii Remote could be equipped with a small CCTV (close circuit television) fisheye lens, which would allow the Wii Remote to see over 180 degrees field of view.

The CCTV camera lenses are very small (20mm x 20mm dia ), cheap (<$20), high quility (glass and aluminium), light (~10 grams) and robust. It should be relatively easy to build a Wii Remote with such a small off the shelf fisheye lens.

If Nintendo upgrades the Wii Remote in this way, then it needs to provide a better camera chip to take advantage of the large field of view. The camera chip may automatically compensate for the distortion present in the optics and merely output the key IR point parameters for determining its position and orientation.

Combined with the new Wii MotionPlus capability, the Wii Remote can match the capabilities of the new Sony Motion Controller.

PS. I have bench tested the Wii Remote with a large camera fisheye lens (0.42x), with FreeTrack in one point mode, and the field of view detected is nearly 180 degrees. This configuration will work if downsized to a small fisheye lens, as described above.


« Last Edit: June 13, 2009, 10:00:57 PM by zainey »	Logged

Sped

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Re: Motion Controller?

« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2009, 11:33:49 AM »

I know the PS3 motion controller is not out, but has anyone seen tech specs? I saw one report that it is basically a webcam that can run at 60 or 120 Hz at various (fairly low) resolutions.

My real question is, does it require a USB run to the TV? All my wires are in-wall, and it would be a PITA to run a 30 ft USB cable in the mess I have...

And if it is just a web cam + wiimote type controller + big glowing ball, how hard is that to port / use in homebrew PC applications?

Couldn't the Wiimote just add a glowing ball as well? Not to cover the sensor, but maybe on a finger guard? Starts to get messy/expensive with wiimote+motion plus+glowing ball+rubber cover+rechargable battery pack...

Maybe this is the wrong PS3 thread?


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Misha

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Re: Motion Controller?

« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2009, 02:40:30 AM »

Wherever I tested them, Wii Remotes needed 31/32 ms to refresh the data (accelerometer + IR cam), which gives refreshing rate around 30 Hz. Also, I wouldn't really go for any stretching its FOV, since it is not too precise for fine jobs anyway. Offering 1024 x 768 (1016 x 760?) is fine, but that image is still being extracted from an monochromatic image 128 x 96, so the points still can dance in space very vividly.

If these guys release this product along with a library that makes all its features available without reverse engineering (oh yeah...), I'd give it a very try.


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