We’re not exactly sure how Volumique’s forthcoming (i)Pawn game actually works (some are calling French shenanigans), but even if it is fake, it’s an intriguing idea with limitless possibilities.
If you take a look at the video here, you’ll see that two different figurines (or “pawns”) can be recognised after being placed on the touchscreen, with the game saying hello (or “bonjour”) to the different characters. Then, a choose your own adventure-style game takes place, with the pawns talking to each other through speech bubbles.
OhGizmo has hypothesised that the pawns could be sitting on top of different cell batteries, with the iPhone touchscreen sensing the changes in electrical charges.
What we do know is that a similar object-detecting video appeared online several months ago, showing Google Maps being controlled by a knob, turning this way and that. It doesn’t help explain how Volumique’s video seemingly shows the iPhone detecting two different objects, though.
What do you think? Volumique isn’t offering up much information on its website, but does promise a November release date for the game. [Volumique via Creative Applications via OhGizmo]
Mitch
Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 7:20 AMThe Admin says at the bottom. ” I just pressed with my finger when making the piece and this has created a contact.”
It’s not detecting the pawn. He’s just placing them on in sequence and tapping the screen as they “move”.
Still a clever spin on the technology.
Marc @ NoRecipes
Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 8:20 AMI’m pretty sure this game will only work on iPhone 3G and 3GS (because of their curved back). By the looks of the pieces they have different weights. so when you move them around it causes the phone to tilt ever-so-slightly. Then it’s up to the iphone’s tilt sensor to triangulate where the pieces moved relative to each other.
olearymo
Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 8:53 AMAlso – it’s pretty simple to make something work on a capacitive screen, like a stylus, just has to be the right material.
As for telling which is which… yeah, possibly battery, or possibly different size contacts? Some kind of signature it can recognise?
timmeh
Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 12:54 PMmy guess is fiduciary markers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiduciary_marker) though i’m not sure whether you can detect shape with a capacitive touch screen so it may be a number of points in set patterns
Shaun
Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 9:13 PMI’m only assuming that the Iphone has a pressure sensitive screen? if so the characters are weighted differently as you can see in the screen so it should be able to tell them apart?