Published on April 21st, 2014 | by Guest

Physical-electronic game piece in a fresh direction: Ozobot

Game play could look a lot different in the future, with real world robots running around playing the game. There are already quite a few robot devices on the market, including the Sphero 2B. However, a new product offering looks like it could make even more of an impact on the gaming world, and that is the Ozobot. The future could bring us games with an intriguing mix of computer-based and real world elements, with robots as an integral component. Are you ready to be amazed? Soon enough the way we play video games will be completely changed.

What is an Ozobot?

An Ozobot is a small, round robot, one inch high, and one inch in diameter. It has a rechargeable LiPoly battery that gives it 40 minutes of playing time, and you recharge it with a USB cable. There are tiny dual motors that let it move at different speeds, and change directions when needed. Multi-colored LED lights provide visual feedback to the user.

What makes this robot useful for gaming is its ability to “see” lines and follow paths. The robot has an array of photo sensors that let it detect lines, patterns and colors. The sensor array is set up in a V shape so that it can follow lines even through intersections and sharp turns. The robot has logic selections built in that allow it to make independent decisions, and play the game intelligently based on what it sees. It can automatically detect whether it is on a physical playing surface or a digital one, and its color sensing technology works equally well on both. Better still, it can transition seamlessly between physical and digital worlds. Ozobot specs:

2.5 cm height and diameter
Smart gameplay through optical communication
Color sensing technology
Photo sensors for exact light, color, pattern, secret code recognition
Dual micro motors
Capacity to take independent decisions based on arbitrary logic sections
Multi-color LED lighting with visual feedback
LiPoly battery that is rechargeable (operation for 40 minutes & the battery charges also in 40 minutes)

How Ozobots can be used in gaming

The Ozobot is designed to see lines and follow paths. It can adjust its own behavior, changing both direction and speed based on what it sees. With the addition of color sensing technology, it can also understand what different colored paths mean, and adjust its actions accordingly. The robot can have more than a million code combinations, which means it can be used in many different scenarios.

This robot’s ability to play on both digital and physical surfaces opens up a new realm of game play that can incorporate both real world and virtual elements. You can have a game that plays partly on an iPad, and partly on physical surfaces, which creates a virtually unlimited number of possibilities for future game design.

Introducing Ozorace

One game that uses the Ozobot is Ozorace. This is an unusual game that starts out on an iPad. While on the iPad, players can give their robots various different abilities and instructions. The game then moves to the physical world, as the Ozobots follow tracks off the tablet, and race around the room following the instructions they were given.

Another game is similar to Pipe Mania, but with the added dimension of robots. As in Pipe Mania, players take turns laying tiles with different sections of tracks. The goal is to have your Ozobot follow the tracks that you lay, and eventually reach its destination. Though the strategy for the game is not changed by having the robot involved, it definitely makes the game more interesting.

Author Bio:

Christopher Austin wrote this awesome article. He has a great interest in writing about latest games and technology. Also he love to play video games online at Airplane Games 365, he gets his favorite flying games at this site.

Tags: gaming, ozobot, ozorace, reality, robot, virtual