How your phone knows up

Chapter 1

The tiny silicon diving boards

Chapter 2

Spinning without moving

Chapter 3

The brain behind the sensors

Ch 2 · Spinning without moving

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steve The magic of the Coriolis effect

Jul 30

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Quiz

Which Apple smartphone first introduced a built-in MEMS gyroscope in 2010?

Jul 30

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Quiz

Why don't phone gyroscopes use physical spinning wheels like traditional ship gyroscopes?

Jul 30

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BETA

steve Spin the gyroscope to learn how your phone always knows which way is up.

Jul 30

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steve Adding the third dimension

Jul 30

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steve While accelerometers measure straight-line movement, gyroscopes measure the twist and roll of your device.

Jul 30

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Quiz

Which popular mobile app genre relies most heavily on gyroscopes to keep virtual objects anchored to the real world?

Jul 30

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Quiz

What physical force do smartphone gyroscopes utilize to detect rotation?

Jul 30

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steve MEMS Gyroscope

Vibe in place, vibe in place, silicon knows when we turn.

Jul 30

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steve The game changer for mobile gaming

Jul 30

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steve Mobile gaming was revolutionized in 2010 when gyroscopes allowed players to steer by tilting.

Jul 30

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Quiz

How many times per second do typical phone gyroscopes track rotational changes?

Jul 30

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Quiz

What does a gyroscope measure that an accelerometer cannot?

Jul 30

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Fun Fact

No spinning wheels: Smartphone gyroscopes do not actually spin; they use microscopic vibrating silicon forks to detect rotation.

Jul 30

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steve Powering virtual and augmented realities

Jul 30

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Quiz

In aviation terms, what are the three rotational movements tracked by a 3-axis gyroscope?

Jul 30

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Quiz

What shape do the microscopic vibrating parts inside many MEMS gyroscopes resemble?

Jul 30

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Gossip

Do motion-controlled games feel natural or frustrating?

Jul 30