gbadev.org forum archive

This is a read-only mirror of the content originally found on forum.gbadev.org (now offline), salvaged from Wayback machine copies. A new forum can be found here.

Announcements And Comments > GBAccelerometer (motion sensor for GBA) is ready

#84445 - KeithE - Mon May 22, 2006 4:55 pm

The GBAccelerometers have arrived, and they are ready for distribution!

The GBAccelerometer is a 3D motion sensor for the GBA that plugs into the link port. For details, see this post: http://forum.gbadev.org/viewtopic.php?t=7224

They are not quite ready to be sold, but I am going to give some away:)

Here's how it will work: If you want one, post your ideas here on this forum of how you plan to use it. I'll give feedback, and I'll send a GBAccelerometer to the people who come up with the best ideas.

I am getting some documentation ready on how to use the GBAccelerometer, and I'll be posting it online soon. The 3 developers who have tried it out so far have been very enthusiastic about it, and they said that it is very easy for them to use.

Here are the games that I have modified to work with the GBAccelerometer so far:
Marioballs - http://gbadev.org/index.php?showinfo=1180
Arkanoid - http://www.pdroms.de/file_details.php?fn=2369
Breakout - http://gbadev.org/demos.php?showinfo=241
Loop the Loop - http://shen.mansell.tripod.com/games/gba/gba.html

I will make the source code of these games available, with the permission of the authors.

A version of Hazardball (http://hazardball.com) has also been made to work with the GBAccelerometer.

If you are one of the recipients of a free GBAccelerometer, I hope that you will make the source code for any games and apps you develop using the GBAccelerometer available to the gbadev community. You are of course under no obligation to release the source code, but I encourage you to in order to help the motion sensitive handheld gaming community grow.

So, lets hear some ideas!!


Last edited by KeithE on Mon Jul 24, 2006 2:14 pm; edited 1 time in total

#84510 - SeanMon - Tue May 23, 2006 12:50 am

Does it require the original GBA or will it work with SP/NDS too (slot orientation I mean)?

#84517 - caitsith2 - Tue May 23, 2006 2:18 am

Won't work with NDS due to it lacking the link port.

#84519 - tepples - Tue May 23, 2006 2:19 am

Would it be hard to build the accelerometer into a GBA Option Pak?
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.

#84570 - KeithE - Tue May 23, 2006 2:01 pm

It works with the original GBA and the GBA SP. The orientation of the link port on the SP is opposite of the original GBA, so your software needs to have an option to switch between the two if you want it to work on both systems.

Where can I find specs on the option paks? I suspect it would not be hard if I had the specs. The accelerometer communicates using SPI, so it needs 4 digital signals (Clock, Data In, Data Out, Chip Select).

These GBAccelerometers are available now, so if you are interested in making motion sensitive games for the DS, I would suggest that you get one of these first to play with it on the GBA while I work on making something for the DS.

#84571 - MrD - Tue May 23, 2006 2:17 pm

Bob's Bad Day GBA! It's inevitable!

Although, the full 360 rotation might be a little cumbersome... ahhh, what the heck. It'll be a hoot :)
_________________
Not active on this forum. For Lemmings DS help see its website.

#84580 - KeithE - Tue May 23, 2006 2:35 pm

I've never played Bob's Bad Day, but from the descriptions I've read, it sounds like a great idea.

Will you do it, MrD? If so, PM me with your address and I'll put a GBAccelerometer in the mail to you this week.

#84734 - Jinroh - Wed May 24, 2006 1:27 pm

Sounds like an interesting peripheral and I read about Hazardball a while ago and it looks pretty sweet.

I currently don't have any motion sensative game ideas, but it is a good option for devs who want that sort of creative freedom. Plus a $25 from the details isn't a bad price.
_________________
The lone Wolf howls, driven by pride he presses on. Knowing not where he goes, but only where he wants to be.
~Me~

#84780 - ScottLininger - Wed May 24, 2006 6:49 pm

I already bought one, but that was before it came in the cool plastic enclosure. Keith, if these free ones include the enclosure, I'd love to share my ball rolling activity in exhcange for an "upgrade."


:)

-Scott Lininger

#84782 - KeithE - Wed May 24, 2006 7:10 pm

Sure thing Scott. I'll send you a new one in the cool plastic enclosure.

BTW, I am working on a deal with one of the videogame accessory retail websites to make them available for purchase through their website. I'll make a post here when they are ready for purchase.

#85072 - KeithE - Fri May 26, 2006 10:05 pm

There is now a GBAccelerometer website located at http://www.kionix.com/gbaccelerometer/

I'll keep it updated with new games and demos as they become available. If you have a game or demo that you've made to be compatible with the GBAccelerometer, let me know and I can post it on that website.

#85118 - sumiguchi - Sat May 27, 2006 4:02 am

I guess I can expect a Micro version! :(

Looks really cool though!! Congrats

#92418 - KeithE - Thu Jul 13, 2006 1:50 pm

I am pleased to announce that the GBAccelerometers are now available for purchase from jandaman.com, in the GBA section.

Feel free to ask me any questions you have about the device, and I'm looking forward to seeing the creations that you all come up with.

Unfortunately, I don't have plans to make a micro version because I can't locate a source for the link port connectors. This version will work with a micro if you use an adapter cable though.

Enjoy!

#94308 - pproc - Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:29 am

Hi

I've written a couple of public domain applications for recreational pilots - an altimeter/variometer and a GPS map display - check out www.pixelproc.net .

The accelerometer could come in useful for a turn indicator in thermals - which side of the wing is in bigger lift - depends on sensitivity though. Also maybe for quantifying "degree of turbulence" of air, pitch indicater etc.

Are you still handing out free accelerometers - would be great to try out some experiments ...

#94316 - darkfader - Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:47 am

Heh. They look a lot like those Super Memory Hunter devices.
Will there be a DS version available someday?

#94341 - KeithE - Mon Jul 24, 2006 1:52 pm

Yeah, I liked the plastic case for the Super Memory Hunter, so I bought a bunch of them to put the GBAccelerometer in.

Actually, I have just made my first prototype of a DS version. Since the DS doesn't have a link port, I gutted a DS card and connected an accelerometer to the EEPROM SPI bus. Once the DS has booted up, I remove the passme and replace it with the accelerometer card.

I have only made 1 of these so far, so it might be a while before they are ready for prime-time. But yes, they are coming! I only got the DS last week, so I'm still coming up to speed with it.

pproc - Your altimeter/variometer and GPS projects look great. Unfortunately I can't give any more accelerometers away though. I'd be happy to discuss implementation with you if you end up buying one.

The sensor is pretty sensitive - it has around a +/- 2.5g (1g = 9.8 meters/second squared) range, and 12 bits of resolution. That works out to 1.25 milli-g per bit, which is pretty good. Much better than the sensors in yoshi topsy turvy or kirby tilt-n-tumble.

#104376 - goa - Thu Sep 28, 2006 2:04 pm

Hi,

Just wondering how the DS version is coming along? Infact I have been looking at a general pc accelerometer dev board (and got refered to kionix) and then found out about its use with the GBA. Very impressive... good one for coming up with it!

Got a psp, would love for this to be available on that too. I'm surprised nintendo and sony havent used this type of thing more on their handhelds, especially given the interest in the wii.

#104386 - jester - Thu Sep 28, 2006 4:21 pm

cool when can we expect the GBA or DS ones to be up for sale where can they be bought from?
_________________
If anyone needs a dragonball online email me @ aaronthejester@hotmail.com

#104419 - KeithE - Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:11 pm

DS version is moving along -- slowly. Probably another 2 months to finish the circuit board design and do the manufacturing. The prototypes that I have made work very well and it is really fun to play with, so start thinking of some game ideas because it will be ready before you know it.

You can purchase the GBAccelerometer from jandaman.com.

Yes, it would be great to have one for the PSP also. I actually just started looking into it today, and I think I can do it. Now I get to buy more toys :)

#106246 - operon - Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:45 am

Hello KeithE, I'll be buying one of those GBA SP accelerometer sensors as soon as I clean my credit card for this month... ha ha! I was just wondering, how do you do the manufacturing? I am interested in implementing some custom solutions myself, I don't do much gaming but I am interested on the GBA as an embedded platform... I'd like to try some environmental control stuff for people with disabilities, maybe even electronic toys for kids as well. Some custom adapters (e.g. link port <-> DB9) would come handy. Would you be able to direct me to your manufacturer? any licensing/copyright/patent issues you faced?

cheers!
_________________
"Don't tell anyone I have a disability"

#106284 - KeithE - Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:03 pm

Well, I can't give away all my secrets, but I can give you some tips.

I purchased the link port connectors and the plastic cases from a manufacturer in Hong Kong, and I hired a company to do the circuit board manufacturing and assembly according to my design and specifications.

I did not license any intellectual property, and I'm not infringing on any copyrights or patents that I know of.

#116170 - xenel - Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:22 pm

Is there any way to use this on a gameboy micro? Maybe through a link cable or adapter?

#150252 - alwbsok - Fri Feb 01, 2008 3:12 am

How do you use it? I've seen your source code on your website and read main.c, spitest.h, and spitest.c, but I can't find any comprehensive documentation on how to use the thing. Is it just as simple as your source examples seem to indicate? Any other features/conventions/glitches I should be aware of?

#150281 - KeithE - Fri Feb 01, 2008 2:52 pm

alwbsok wrote:
Is it just as simple as your source examples seem to indicate?


Yes, it is that simple. Download the quickstart guide and the rolling ball demo source code. The quick start guide explains how to interpret the values that the GBAccelerometer returns, and the rolling ball demo shows how to use the GBAccelerometer for a simple application.

#165966 - replicashooter - Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:22 pm

Evening folks, I had an idea and am throwing it out there to see if anyone else thinks it is feasible:

[Images not permitted - Click here to view it]

So I'm thinking that the software works as a layer (ie. something that will have to be GBA format executable from the Flash Cart) that wraps around the ROM and takes the signal from the accelerometer and feeds the direction of tilt and duration information to the ROM so it responds as if it is receiving direct input from the Dpad.

What do you think?