CES 2011: Sphero Robotic Ball Controlled from iPhone

[MacRumors]

Orbotix was at CES showing prototypes of their robotic ball that is controllable through your iPhone or iPod Touch. The product is called Sphero and is still about 6 months away from market. The baseball-sized device connects to your iPhone via Bluetooth with a free downloadable app. On the CES show floor they had an area set up to test out the early models.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBLrV9oRc2Y

Orbotix sees Sphero as a development platform and expects that 3rd party developers will be able to create interesting new games and apps around the system. The company is working on an API to open up to developers for both iPhone and iOS. Developers could come up with games for use with one or more Spheros. Examples include soccer, bowling, or a king of the hill game. The Sphero controls took some getting used to, and also includes a short "boost" mode that gives an extra burst of speed (at the expense of controllability). Sphero is expected to hit the market in late 2011 for a price under $100. A few free games are likely to be available for the device at launch, while 3rd party game pricing will depend on those developers.


Article Link: CES 2011: Sphero Robotic Ball Controlled from iPhone

 

[antster94]

Looks awesome!

 

[d88co88]

Looks cool!

 

[VanMac]

That looks pretty slick. Definitely something that could pan out.

 

[Billy Boo Bob]

Heh. A really cool cat toy for under a hundred bucks.

 

[WildGuess]

"Boost" mode is all I need

 

[macsrcool1234]

Heh. A really cool cat toy for under a hundred bucks.

+ 1. My cat will love this.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Cool gadget!

 

[Small White Car]

This...

...is...

 

[Popeye206]

Awesome technology! Cool stuff!

 

[ten-oak-druid]

Where is the person who told me I had no clue what the CES is about when I posted it interesting that there are so many products geared toward Apple devices at the XES when Apple isn't attending?

 

[rajid]

+ 1. My cat will love this.

Yep, great cat toy, as long as it doesn't make too much noise and thus scare the cat away!

 

[bobob]

Happy Fun Ball

• Warning: Pregnant women, the elderly, and children under 10 should avoid prolonged exposure to Happy Fun Ball.
• Caution: Happy Fun Ball may suddenly accelerate to dangerous speeds.
• Happy Fun Ball contains a liquid core, which, if exposed due to rupture, should not be touched, inhaled, or looked at.
• Do not use Happy Fun Ball on concrete.
• Discontinue use of Happy Fun Ball if any of the following occurs:
  
  [*]itching
  [*]vertigo
  [*]dizziness
  [*]tingling in extremities
  [*]loss of balance or coordination
  [*]slurred speech
  [*]temporary blindness
  [*]profuse sweating
  [*]heart palpitations​
• If Happy Fun Ball begins to smoke, get away immediately. Seek shelter and cover head.
• Happy Fun Ball may stick to certain types of skin.
• When not in use, Happy Fun Ball should be returned to its special container and kept under refrigeration. Failure to do so relieves the makers of Happy Fun Ball, Wacky Products Incorporated, and its parent company, Global Chemical Unlimited, of any and all liability.
• Ingredients of Happy Fun Ball include an unknown glowing substance which fell to Earth, presumably from outer space.
• Happy Fun Ball has been shipped to our troops in Saudi Arabia and is also being dropped by our warplanes on Iraq.
• Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.
• Happy Fun Ball comes with a lifetime guarantee.

 

[Consultant]

They should dress the balls as angry birds and make a giant slingshot. ;p

 

[Brawnydt]

Controls look terrible though... so non intuitive... what's with the weird rotating on that circle to get the ball to turn? Why not just have the ball roll in the direction you move your finger like with any and all of the duel stick shooters out there for the iphone?

Or better yet, why not just use the accelerometer?

I hope they get these quirks figured out because there's a lot of potential here!

 

[Doctor Q]

Why not just have the ball roll in the direction you move your finger like with any and all of the duel stick shooters out there for the iphone?

Presumably, developers using this platform could do just that.

 

[S.Jobs]

that looks pretty sweet.

 

[Popeye206]

Hummm.... Imagine your advantage at Putt-putt!

 

[neonkru]

honestly... useless lol

 

[nylonsteel]

Hey can I control dice with this?
Does me no good anyway since I dont know how to play craps

 

[hackum]

What's that?
A ball which rolls?

Wow, I've never seen anything like this before...Stupidest thing ever.

 

[paul4339]

... Why not just have the ball roll in the direction you move your finger like ...

combine with Kinect

 

[junker]

This is cool, for sure - but, how is this a rumor, much less news? Seems like advertising really...

 

[jayducharme]

Controls look terrible though.

I was intrigued by the very last thing the guy said -- that they were working on a sort of augmented reality version that simply displayed crosshairs on the iPhone screen, laid on top of your camera's view. You just moved your iPhone in the air and the ball would follow the position of the crosshairs.

Now THAT would be awesome!

 

[spillproof]

Well that is neat.

It reminds me of when James Bond drove his car with his cell phone in Tomorrow Never Dies