Nintendo project
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Nintendo
Do you have a Nintendo system, Wii, DS, Gameboy, anything? While you were playing, did you ever think "How does it work?" or maybe even when did they start and how video games progressed.\
The 80's signaled the start of the computer age, following on from the creation of Microsoft and Apple towards the end of the 70's , the technology and the speed of innovation both in hardware and software together with the affordability provided a speed of growth in technology . IBM started the personal computer, used first in the offices and then moved into people’s homes, becoming a big part of day to day life. However the growth of PCs had an effect on the video game industry. Arcade and video games were gaining popularity in the late 70’s and becoming a major industry, but in the early 80’s home computers and other electronics caused the video game industry to crash, just barely staying alive in the market. Three years later it was revived by Nintendo’s Famicom, renamed the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1984. The NES claimed 90% of the American video game market.
In 1980 the first system by Nintendo was the Game & Watch. This 8-bit processor had only one game on a console. There were a bunch of Game and Watches each with its own game. Almost like a McDonald’s toy from a happy meal. In 1984 the Nintendo Entertainment System or the NES was released. Nintendo’s first actual console, but still only an 8-bit processor. In 1989 Nintendo released the first portable system the Gameboy.
The Wii introduced a lot of new technologies such as the wii remote.
Nintendo
Do you have a Nintendo system, Wii, DS, Gameboy, anything? While you were playing, did you ever think "How does it work?" or maybe even when did they start and how video games progressed.\
In 1980 the first system by Nintendo was the Game & Watch. This 8-bit processor had only one game on a console. There were a bunch of Game and Watches each with its own game. Almost like a McDonald’s toy from a happy meal. In 1984 the Nintendo Entertainment System or the NES was released. Nintendo’s first actual console, but still only an 8-bit processor. In 1989 Nintendo released the first portable system the Gameboy.
The NES dominated the market until the 16-bit Super NES was released in 1991. From all the fails Nintendo has put up on the shelves the biggest failure of all time was in 1995, the Virtual boy, with only 2 colors red and black, it lacked quality software. It quietly disappeared from the shelves in only 6 months. In 1996 the Nintendo went 3-D when the Nintendo 64 was released with Super Mario Bros. 64, said to be the best game of all time. In 1998 the GameBoy Color was the first Gameboy to have color.
In 2001, they successfully launched the Gamecube the first time they used disks for games. Also at the same time they released the Gameboy advanced. In 2004, the Nintendo DS, with it touch screen and being able to play DS and Gameboy games, effectively replaced the Gameboy. In 2006, they successfully released the Wii. The Wii was the fastest-selling product in video games history. It sold over 1,000,000 consoles in only the first year. While the other rivals focus on cutting-edge graphics and what not, while the Wii focus more on making the game-play easy and fun for everyone and that paid off, the PS3 only sold 500,000 consoles in the first year.
What is next? Rumors say the next is said to be the Wii 2 or to some people call the Wii HD. It is rumored to be released in 2011. Also in 2011 the new 3DS still with touch pad at the bottom, but the top screen is 3-D without the use of glasses.
The WII remote consists of lots of different circuits. Here are just some of them:
Power button – to turn on an off the Wii console.
Rumble pack – allows user to feel vibration when playing a game.
Internal speaker – give the wii remote sound.
Player LEDs (light emitted diodes) – show which player the remote is set up for.
Bluetooth chip – Provides 2-way communication from the wii remote and the wii console. This is done wirelessly.
Sync button – synchronizes remote to the console.
Plug in connector – Allows other devices to be plugged into the wii remote. Like the classic controller and the nunchuk.
Accelerometer – This chip allows the remote to sense how the user is moving the wii remote. This information is then sent to the wii console.
The Sensor bar- This sends out infra-red lights to the wii remote, so the remote knows where the TV is.
The Wii is technically a computer, because it has a CPU (processor), memory, and a video card. All things found in a normal PC. The Wii console itself is very tight, barely any wasted space. That is why the Wii is so tiny compared the Xbox 360 and the PS3. That indicates that Wii has a very great console design. The Wii was rated a better design than the Xbox 360 and PS3 (with the grey stand). Also the Wii can connect to the internet without a wire unlike the Xbox 360. The Wii is very quiet and light. Which is surprising, because the Wii is so compact.
A lot of people know about how video games can create problems with your eyes if you play too much, but now there are new problems. People everywhere are getting strains, sprains, and injuries. There have been 696 injuries related to video games in the last 5 years, 92 injuries are related to the interactive games by Nintendo. They say the average player is 16. Players are likely to have problems in their shoulders, ankles, and feet, because they are supposed to mimic the sport as it says. Doctors say some are caused because of overuse of fingers and hands during the pushing button games. Also the new way people are getting hurt is because people are accidently hitting each other or smashing into other things next to them.
When playing the Wii people are simulating real sports. Even though the games are simulated, the injuries can be real.
You can see things like tendinitis, tennis elbow, wrist, carpal tunnel, and all sorts of things as if you were bowling or playing other sports. The problems can be more serious, as well, the more kids play video games, the more at risk they are for obesity and the medical problems that come along with that. Prolonged sitting can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes and hypertension.
· Tendonitis – This is when you pull or strain a tendon (a tendon is what connects your bone with your muscle).
· Carpal tunnel –The carpal tunnel is a tunnel made up of bones and tissue inside your wrist. The carpal tunnel protects your median nerve. The median nerve helps you move your thumb and your first 3 fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome is when you make motion over and over again (most likely to come from a button pressing game) until you pull a muscle (tendonitis). Then the tendons inside you’re the wrist swells and press against the median nerve which causes pain or numbness to your hand
· Obesity –Obesity all depend on your height and your weight. So when you’re obese you are about 50 pounds over the limit of where you should be. Most obesity comes from games where you just there and push buttons. The Wii helps, because you’re up and moving, but there are still games on the Wii where you sit and push buttons.
In retirement homes they are always trying to keep them active. They are usually doing activities, but now retirement homes are buying Nintendo Wii’s. Due to many of its interactive games like Wii sports. For example, bowling, they are setting up virtual tournaments for them to play in. Even people on wheelchairs are playing. Like there is an imaginary ball rolling and pins falling down on the screen. Golf and fishing also seems popular to men, this sport keeps good hand-eye coordination going. Even though Nintendo made the characters cartoony they still think it’s the most realistic game they have ever played. This kind of fun makes them feel younger and happier.
I really enjoyed this project because I learned so much about games that I play every day. I learned how and when they started. I learned how they work and different effects they may have on my health. I learned information that I would have never known if I had not worked on this project.
Experiment 2: Building the Sensor Bar
After my first experiment I made my own sensor bar, which really isn’t hard, because the sensor bar is pretty simple. All it is 10 infrared LEDs. 5 on each side, but really you only need 2 LEDs, 1 on each side. First we started off with 4 AAA batteries as the power source. Then we needed a resistor before or inline with the LEDs, because the resistor holds back some of the current or else it will short out the LEDs. All you need is a 60 Ω resistor, but if it is close it will be fine. My resistor is a 68 Ω resistor, but its close enough. Once the current goes through the infrared LEDs it comes back to the batteries and the repeats that again and keeps going around and around and around until the batteries dies………….. or if you turn it off.
Sensor Bar Experiment #1:
I used the sensor bar that came with my Wii and placed it in different positions around the TV screen to see how the wii would react to the sensor bar not being in it’s normal position.
1.Make sensor bar vertical.
Hypothesis: I think that when you move the remote up and down it’s going to go side to side on the screen.
Results: When you turn the sensor bar sideways the cursor disappears from the screen, but then it was actually smart enough to figure out that the sensor bar was on its side. The only thing is that when you go off screen it gets confused again.
2. Move sensor bar 1ft to the right.
Hypothesis: I think that it will think that the TV is underneath the sensor and show up on the screen more to the left.
Results: Exactly what I predicted.
3. Move sensor bar 1ft to the left.
Hypothesis: I think that it will think that the TV is underneath the sensor and show up on the screen more to the right.
Results: Exactly what I predicted.
4. Turn sensor bar upside down.
Hypothesis: It will think that the Wii remote is upside down.
Results: It did absolutely nothing. The lights on the sensor are identical.
5. Remove the sensor bar completely.
Hypothesis: not even going to show up on the screen.
Results: The curser didn’t even show up on the screen. The Wii remote didn’t know where the TV was.
6. There are 2 positions where the sensor bar can go, above the TV and below the TV. Also you tell the Wii where it is, so I are going leave the sensor bar above the TV, but tell the Wii that it is below the TV.
Hypothesis: I think it will place the cursor above where you are pointing.
Results: It was the opposite of what I thought it was below where I was pointing.
Experiment 2: Building the Sensor Bar
After my first experiment I made my own sensor bar, which really isn’t hard, because the sensor bar is pretty simple. All it is 10 infrared LEDs. 5 on each side, but really you only need 2 LEDs, 1 on each side. First we started off with 4 AAA batteries as the power source. Then we needed a resistor before or inline with the LEDs, because the resistor holds back some of the current or else it will short out the LEDs. All you need is a 60 Ω resistor, but if it is close it will be fine. My resistor is a 68 Ω resistor, but its close enough. Once the current goes through the infrared LEDs it comes back to the batteries and the repeats that again and keeps going around and around and around until the batteries dies………….. or if you turn it off. Parts list: 4 AAA batteries, 1 resistor, 2 Infrared LEDs
