Monthly Archives: July 2011

One of the most common questions we hear from mobile applications developers is, “how good are the sensors on my phone?” This article is part of a series that provides a framework to understand sensor performance. This series has previously touched upon the importance of system architecture and intelligent algorithms in providing optimal sensor performance in a smartphone or a tablet. To complete the discussion of the sensor system, platform designers also need to select good sensor components. This article uses the magnetometer to highlight the impact of these three factors. The magnetometer is commonly found on mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets, but it is one of the most difficult sensors to interpret. It is commonly called … Continue reading →

Since the debut of HAL 9000 in 1968, there have been countless fictional computers in the movies that achieved sentience. An important component of being sentient is the ability to sense one’s surroundings; and in that regard, electronic devices have seen significant progress. Take the modern smart phone: it can listen through its microphone(s) and see through its camera(s). It can respond to motion, react to ambient light and temperature, and reply to a human’s touch. Some even have the super-human abilities to hear ultrasound, sense magnetic field, measure atmospheric pressure and translate one language to another. Yet, no one but a Hollywood writer would expect us to interact with our phone or computer as if it is an intelligent … Continue reading →