// January 2nd, 2008 // 8 Comments » // Mobile Phones
An accelerometer is a device used to measure the vibration or acceleration of a structure. It is a micro elctro-mechanical system device available in a wide variety of ranges. For more information about it, refer to Wikipedia’s article on accelerometer.
Recently, it has been used in sports watches, Nintendo Wii and more famously (and pertinent here) in Apple’s iPhone. People have been fascinated by the advertisements of iPhone in which the screen auto-rotates when the user turns the phone by 90 degrees (landscape). This, sensing of rotation, is performed by a small accelerometer embedded in the phone.
Nokia’s N95 has been bundled with one too, however, its use was limited to camera app only to determine whether the user has shot a portrait or a landscape photo. The shrewd ones already knew about the presence of accelerometer, probably. But, it came as a surprise only when applications began pouring out from different directions. So what sort of applications does accelerometer lend itself to? Well, the sky is the limit! Here are some of them, that I’ve come across. Note that all applications require the Nokia N95 Accelerometer Plugin to be installed on the phone to run these applications.
Activity Monitor from Nokia Research Center. “The Nokia Activity Monitor displays charts and statistics, in real-time, about your movements while walking or running. It counts the number of steps, and determines the distance covered and the energy expenditure…..”
Nokmote (set to release soon), is the one I’m looking forward to. It is THE most intriguing display and use of accelerometer that I (and everyone else) have seen. Words, alone, can’t do justice to this one. Check out the video of nokmote in action. Hats off to Samir for pulling this one off.
RotateMe (by Samir, again) replicates the screen auto-rotation feature of iPhone. An unsigned version is available for download at Samir’s website.
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In this interim period, I used an N95 (borrowed from my dad) which is almost identical in functionalities, looks, size and weight but there is something about the black color which makes the latter version much more attractive.
