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Video Games - Motion Controllers
Chances are, you've tried out new game systems with controllers that can sense the motion of your hand. Let's take a look at what makes them work....
These controllers have a chip inside of them called an accelerometer that can sense acceleration in any particular direction. As you move the controller up and down, left and right and forward and backward the chip measures the motion and transmits that information to your game console.
One popular type of system also includes a special light bar that shines invisible infrared light out into the room. The controller watches the light bar using a small sensor.
The light bar shines light out of two locations. The controller can measure the distance from the light bar by judging how far apart the dots are. It can measure other position information by noticing the relative angle of the light dots.
By combining the information from the accelerometer chip and the light bar sensor your game system can track your movement. Now you can impress your friends with your new motion-sensing controller knowledge.