Since new sensor types like TYPE_ROTATION_VECTOR were added in Android 2.3 I assumed that they would use the gyroscope in addition to accelerometer/magnetometer. I got an e-mail yesterday from Google that this is not the case. The only way to use the gyroscope from Java is TYPE_GYROSCOPE where you get the raw rotational velocity.
This makes it difficult for developers to make something useful. Even worse, many developers don't even understand what the gyroscope is good for. What applications need rotational velocity? For most applications, gyroscope data has to be combined with other sensor data to be useful, so it's a pity that Android 2.3 doesn't do that for us natively. I'm sure there are good reasons for this, but still I think this is the number one reason we don't see any interesting gyroscope apps on the market yet. On Mar 10, 9:37 pm, Greg Sepesi <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm not sure what the "it" is that you're trying to make more > accurate. I've found the gyroscope in Nexus S/Android 2.3 to be a very > helpful addition to the accelerometer and magnetometer in the > development of an accurate pedometer application. It'll be months > before I release the pedometer application, but I have a free sensor > log application that I plan to release shortly. > > On Mar 10, 1:38 am, nadam <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > I tried the gyroscope features a bit when I got the Nexus S, but > > couldn't find any way to make it more accurate than what can already > > be done with the accelerometer and magnetometer. > > > Since then I've been waiting for someone else to do something, but > > haven't found any apps that demonstrate the gyroscope in any > > convincing way and there doesn't seem to be much discussion about gyro > > in this google group or elsewhere. > > > Have I missed something, is it broken or is it just a feature that > > nobody wants to use? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
