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Demo of Digital Compass Used in an iPhone App

Wednesday June 24, 2009 2:13 pm PDT by Arnold Kim
iPhone developer Ziconic has already started taking advantage of the new iPhone 3GS's digital compass in a prototype build of its AirCoaster 3D iPhone application.

AirCoaster 3D is an existing application that allows users to design and ride 3D roller coasters on their iPhones and iPod touches. They've since posted a video of a prototype version that takes advantage of the iPhone 3GS's digital compass:


This version of the app allows the user to move the iPhone around in real life to obtain a different view out of the in-app roller coaster. This feature is expected to come in a future update to the application.

App Store Link: Air Coaster, $0.99 (no compass support in current version)
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randfee2
34 months ago
well.... you should mention the obvious use of the accelerometer as well, look up/downwards. I honestly don't see the compass being used here in a classical way, since when the roller coaster does a 360 and the viewing angle would be fixed to one geographic direction (which would be a fixed one), the view should spin 360° as well, always looking the same way.

What I see is them using the compass as a directional pointer for a view relative to the coaster itself, not the surrounding. That is cool indeed... So you can basically use your iPhone as a "VR window"
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painimies
34 months ago
That, was indeed very, very cool.
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jayducharme
34 months ago
I wasn't aware of this app till I saw it here. For 99 cents, it's worth it. It reminds me of the old PC game Supercoast. Now if No Limits releases an iPhone version, I'd be amazed and thrilled. I'd also get a lot less work done....
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jlwillia
34 months ago
This app. is pretty cool looking, but is somewhat pointless. Nevertheless, I understand its significance. I can't wait to see some of the non-game apps take advantage of this!
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Auzburner
34 months ago
That's some sahweet stuff they got there!
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zjmuse
34 months ago

well.... you should mention the obvious use of the accelerometer as well, look up/downwards. I honestly don't see the compass being used here in a classical way, since when the roller coaster does a 360 and the viewing angle would be fixed to one geographic direction (which would be a fixed one), the view should spin 360° as well, always looking the same way.

What I see is them using the compass as a directional pointer for a view relative to the coaster itself, not the surrounding. That is cool indeed... So you can basically use your iPhone as a "VR window"


Pretty sure that was the point. What would the point of always looking north (or whatever direction) in a game?
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billchase2
34 months ago
I see that you can download tracks that other users have created. Are there a lot of real roller coasters you can ride? For example, The Raptor from Cedar Point?
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kas23
34 months ago

This app. is pretty cool looking, but is somewhat pointless. Nevertheless, I understand its significance. I can't wait to see some of the non-game apps take advantage of this!


Without a doubt, the flood gates of killer apps that use the magnetometer have opened. All you haters can now be silenced. [/sarcasm]
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mlgacc
34 months ago
i am sick of hearing about the iphone..... when will apple get to real applications like final cut studio ? and bluray support.
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Pika
34 months ago
It's like a virtual world within the real world.
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