Interesting thought: Using the iPhone as a wireless magic mouse with cam as a sensor?

[Bobby Corwen]

Ok you guy know how they have air mouse and such to control your mac with the iphone screen as a trackpad?

Well what if you got a phone app that turned the back camera into a motion sensor and had the bumper on it so you can move it on a soft surface, so it doesnt scratch, but then the bottom camera is a mouse sensor that connects via wifi to your mac like air mouse and then the screen is a button.

I dunno if this is even possible, but what if!? Is it possible? Or maybe the APIs wouldnt allow for it?

I could see myself being in bed, and just resting my phone on my bed and sliding it around using it as a wireless magic mouse as opposed to a wireless trackpad.

 

[Intell]

The LED flash would need to be on for the camera to see which direction it's moving. In addition to using the camera the gyroscope and accelerometer would make it work very nicely.

 

[RiceRacerDX]

You would have better luck with the gyroscope/accelerometer than you would with the camera. Laying it on a flat surface allows no light which is what the camera is totally dependent on. Without it, the camera can't sense motion and thus, would not work in the way you described. There are plenty of touch screen trackpad apps out there that do the job without risking careless scratching of your iPhone just so you can mimic a real mouse.