スマートフォンでボールをリモートコントロールする玩具 - The toy which operates a ball by remote control with a smart phone #AR
不思議なボールをスマートフォンで遠隔コントロールして遊ぶ玩具。AR.Droneというヘリコプターを操作する玩具が有るが、こちらは地面を転がす面白さがある。
(via http://singularityhub.com/2011/11/02/sphero-the-130-robot-ball-thats-also-a-video-game-rolls-out-in-december/)Robots. Video Games. Smart phones. What do they all have in common? Sphero. The robotic ball that you control via your iOS or Android device is the flagship product of startup Orbotix. Not only is Sphero controlled by smart phone or tablet, but Orbotix intends much of the entertainment to come from augmented reality apps – digital images on the phone interact with the physical ball.
That theory is now ready for testing. Orbotix just announced that preorders will begin shipping in December and that Sphero will be available to purchase on both their site and Amazon for $130. (Though they have so many preoders that new customers are unlikely to get their Sphero until 2012). Check out some cool new videos of Sphero below. With an open API, the fledgling AR robot is ready for developers everywhere to jump on board and start creating the first wave of killer applications and video games. Can Sphero become a breakout success or is the $130 price tag and out-of-this world concept too much for mainstream customers to handle?
