Motion software to drive mobile experience

Motion will be a sophisticated control mechanism for these devices which will improve the efficiency of operating system navigation and power a more personalised user experience.
Some of the mobile device applications that will take advantage of improved motion control functionality include:

Context Awareness
Well-designed motion processing software can enable the offloading of sensor data processing from the main application processor to a low-power MCU, preserving both power and processor cycles. This migration can significantly reduce sensor-driven battery consumption enabling constant background monitoring of the sensors, allowing for precise tracking of a phone’s motions and surroundings. For example, your phone can detect whether it is in your pocket, in your hand or on a table, as well as whether you are stationary, walking, running, or driving. That information can then be used to change functionality and deliver a more efficient user experience — from altering the sound profile to monitoring battery life or tracking daily activity for accurate calorie consumption.

Augmented Reality
Overlaying information, entertainment or visuals on the world around you requires precise heading and angular positioning of the phone. This enables an array of applications, including the likes of virtual golf, where accurate motion data can turn your phone into a virtual club, tracking club speed, swing rotation and arc to generate a precise, simulated golf shot. When combined with augmented reality, you could turn any environment–such as the streets around your house or the beaches of Hawaii– into your own personalised golf course.

Gesture Recognition
Today, motion-based gesture controls are implemented (in basic forms) on some of the latest smartphones and tablets. However, advanced motion makes gesture recognition simpler and more accurate, allowing for a greater range of gestures to be used. Advancing to the next music track by simply twisting the phone to the side rather than having to unlock, swipe or prod the screen, or moving your phone to ‘draw’ your signature in the air as your personal password for enhanced security are just a few examples of advanced motion’s benefits.

Advanced Gaming
Advanced motion brings a new level of precision and accuracy to mobile gaming applications. Current tilt-sensing games use only the accelerometer, resulting in an imprecise record of motion, which while still fun, is noticeably coarse in the level of control afforded. However, by combining a gyroscope with high-precision sensor fusion and calibration, games can be controlled in a more precise and granular fashion, enabling more advanced tilt- and twist-based games, as well as enabling your phone to be used to control game consoles and other gaming devices.

Pedestrian Navigation
Highly accurate linear acceleration, heading and motion detection on mobile devices, supported with other sensors, such as Wi-Fi or GSM triangulation, provide an essential foundation for indoor navigation functions. These include virtual tour guide apps which enable your phone to track your position in a museum or art gallery, and then provide interesting information related to what you were looking at. Similarly, your phone could guide you to your seat at a sporting event or to your train at a busy train station.

You can read the rest of this article in the September issue of Electronic Specifier Design by clicking here.