[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC8fX1HHx3A[/youtube]
Because many iDevice owners want a physical accessory for games, researchers at Kelo University in Japan thought to transform the front camera of our devices in 3-axis joysticks. The video clip above explains the concept behind the product and you notice that it is still not perfect but it is a good alternative to other similar accessories now available on the market. Most of those that can now be purchased take up a good part of the screen because they have to be placed over the virtual buttons to work, but the Japanese accessory is placed outside the screen and gives us perfect visibility for games.
There are small markers in this elastic device and the markers are detected by this built-in front-facing mobile phone camera. By tracking how the markers move as the elastic device deforms, this system enables a variety of inputs. Basically, the system's precision depends on hardware factors, like the camera resolution and refresh rate.
For now, the device is in the testing phase at the university and it is not known if it will ever be produced on a large scale, but I would always prefer a device of this kind instead of those produced by flingingFor example.
