Motion Control in Video Games

      Playing video games is one of people’s favorite thing to do when they are free. Video games bring a lot of fun to people. Usually, videos games require people use some kinds of controllers to play. With the development of computing technology, people have designed motion control and applied it to the videos games. Then, people don’t need to play video games by pressing buttons. Instead of, they are able to control the video games by their body movements. It makes people fee like that they are really in the world of game. We have to say that the improvement of video games is excellent because of the motion control technology.

What is motion control?

        Motion control" or "robotics" is used in industrial processes to move a specific load in a controlled fashion. These systems can use either pneumatic, hydraulic, or electromechanical actuation technology. The choice of the actuator type (i.e. the device that provides the energy to move the load) is based on power, speed, precision, and cost requirements. Electromechanical systems are typically used in high precision, low to medium power, and high-speed applications. These systems are flexible, efficient, and cost-effective. Motors are the actuators used in electromechanical systems. Through the interaction of electromagnetic fields, they generate power. These motors provide either rotary or linear motion.

How motion control works in video games?

        

         The heart of the controller technology are tiny accelerometers. Inside these chips, silicon springs anchor a silicon wafer to the rigid controller. As you wave the controller through the air at an attacking enemy, the wafer presses onto the springs, just as you are pressed against the seat of a car when you stomp on the gas pedal. The faster the controller accelerates, the more the wafer moves relative to the rest of the chip. The accelerometer monitors the position of the wafer by measuring capacitance, or the ability to store electric charge, in different directions. When you move the controller forward in a punch, the capacitance increases at the back of the wafer and decreases at the front. Using capacitance to measure how far and in what direction the wafer moves, the system translates your real-life movements into the perfect jab to your opponent’s face.

         However, people have yet to maximize the ability of motion sensing. As gamers demand improved realism and accuracy in their video games, scientists and engineers will continue to push towards better motion-sensing technologies, and likely use more sensor combinations. In addition, we also hope the motion control technology can be used for more industries in the future.

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Picture references:

https://s.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/03/psmovesword.jpg

http://www.gamingunion.net/newsimg/motion-control-can-be-the-future.jpg

Writing reference:

http://www.a-m-c.com/university/mco.html

http://scienceline.org/2006/12/motioncontrollers/