You don’t see a lot of first person shooter games that opt for a bow and arrow in lieu of a machine gun, but that’s probably because no one has created a bow interface as authentic as what Masasuke Yasumoto at the Tokyo University of Technology has developed.
His bow, modelled after an authentic traditional Japanese design, features sensors hidden in the grip that can measure how far it’s been bent. So the farther the string is pulled back, the more the bow bends, and the more powerful the shot will be. And how quickly the bow returns to its normal position tells the system if an arrow has been fired, which is relayed to the real-time action on a giant screen.
When perfected, the technology could be used in arcades, but we’re assuming kids would rather get their hands on a giant machine gun. However, as a training aid for those interested in archery, it could be a much safer way to get started with the sport. [DigInfo TV]