How do Wii infrared motion sys work?
Answer:
The Wii controller works in two ways:
The infrared sensor triangulates with the receiving 'bar' on top of the TV when you point. This is how you can use it as a target on the screen.
The controller also contains a very complex system of mercury switches which detect when the controller is rotated, lifted and tilted. This infomation is sent by wireless to the Wii.
When this is all combined it works really well - which is the real genius behind the Wii.
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You ask how the infrared thing actually works - the answer is trigernometry amazingly. The Wii remote sends out pulses of infrared lights (which any hot object generates). The controller does it on a certain frequency, generated when you sync the controller with the Wii.
When it sends out the pulse, the bar on top receives it at several different points and actually times how long it takes (it does this many times per second). Using time and distance to the controller (which the Wii calculates when you run the 'bullseye' test), the Wii can calculate what you are pointing at one the screen using some trigernometry.
Imagine that you were holding taught two pieces of string, and your freinds were holding the other two ends. They know how far apart they are, and they know how far you are from them. Using this, you have a triangle with three sides known. This allows you to calculate any angle in the triangle.
Tilt (so how high or low you are pointing) is done by the mercury switches. It is also calculated by the Wii when you perform the bullseye test.
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