Motion sensor

Getting real, physical movements accurately depicted in the digital world remains a challenge for programmers and engineers, but a newly developed glove promises to advance the tech significantly. It's able to capture hand movements with much more detail and nuance than most existing solutions.

VR has aced movement of the hands and head, but it’s still tricky to track the feet. Now games hardware company Kat is crowdfunding the Kat Loco, a set of three sensors that attach to a player’s feet and hip to translate movements in the real world into walking, running or strafing in the game.

​Among the challenges faced by many Parkinson's patients are "medication on-off" motor fluctuations, in which the severity of their symptoms can change quickly and drastically. There could be hope for better managing the condition, however, using body-worn sensors.

​It was seven years ago that we first heard about the motion detector-equipped Smartrod, which sounds an alarm when a fish hits the lure. Well, its inventor is now back on our radar, with a spinning reel that alerts anglers via their smartphone.

Not only do firefighters have dangerous jobs, but they often work in dark, smoke-filled environments where they'd be difficult to find if they ran into trouble. A new motion-powered wearable sensor could make all the difference in such situations.

A study has demonstrated a technique that can identify children with anxiety or depression by analyzing their movements. Using a machine learning algorithm that examines movement tracked by a wearable sensor, the system can identify children with disorders better than many current methods.

One of the prevailing features of the NGV's Triennial spectacle is just how deeply technology is infiltrating the world of art, from gorgeous 3D-printed death masks to an overwhelming room-scale installation that incorporates projections with movement sensors.

Until activated by motion​, the Lumes wall panel from Australia's ENESS looks pretty standard. But once brought to life, an integrated LED array can display images and relatively complex animations. The first real-world application of the Lumes panel is at Cabrini Hospital in Malvern, Victoria.

If you're tired of boring building walls, Manhattan-based experiential design firm ESI Design has a solution. The firm has outfitted Terrell Pace in the US capital Washington, DC, with 1,700 sq ft of interactive media displays that react to activity within the building.

Yet another entry into the ever-expanding home security system field is the CleverLoop, which comes in a variety of configurations and is aimed at renters and small businesses. We recently got hold of one and put it through its paces.

Offering a glimpse into the future of VR input devices, one alumni of Oculus' research division has developed an electromagnetic sensor system that tracks precise fingertip movements in real time.

The Motus from TZM Creative Lab facilitates the creation of sound from motion, allowing its users to electrify the room by strumming an air guitar, bash an imaginary drum set to within an inch of its life, key a grand concert piano while walking around the stage or play an invisible violin.