Wiimote: Features Unused Voice Translator

[DC RID3R]

According to a new CNN feature, the Wiimote is able to hear things but cannot answer or respond to your voice commands, much like pinball wizard Tommy. The very interesting feature points out an "audio translator" that can convert analog data (including human speech) into a digital data stream. Although it may sound like a microphone, it's in a way, more like a microphone's brain, but switched off (for the moment?).


News source: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/storysupplement/wiiremote/index.htm

[Souzar]

Why is there no mention of the camera?

[So-Unreal]

I recall reading that the DS would do type of Voice Translating. Am I wrong

[SMIDSY]

camera?

and a microphone thing would be amazing, just like the ds you could in theory instruct by speaking.... £5 bet that it iwll be used in brain training for the wii.

the super sad thing about all this is that like the ds lite it may never get used, there hasnt been 1 game that has used the touchscreen, microphone on the ds effectivly, i though metroid was on the right trach with the thumb tap... but alas..

[Mastershredder]

Well there is a microphone add-on that's planned which will plug into the bottom of the wii-mote. Originally, a mic was included in the wiimote but was scrapped because it would drive costs up and would be hard to focus voice pickup while the wiimote is being shuffled around.

Souzar, what camera are you talking about?

[Mastershredder]

the super sad thing about all this is that like the ds lite it may never get used, there hasnt been 1 game that has used the touchscreen, microphone on the ds effectivly, i though metroid was on the right trach with the thumb tap... but alas..

Then you've never played Warioware touched! for the ds or Warioware smooth moves for wii. Both take great advantage of the system's control. The DS one does great with the stylus AND microphone and uses them exclusively.

I can't imagine playing either Warioware game with a standard gamepad.

[kcvfr400]

camera?

and a microphone thing would be amazing, just like the ds you could in theory instruct by speaking.... £5 bet that it iwll be used in brain training for the wii.

I really hope not as the ds version was rubbish at picking up welsh accents and my own accent which is like having no accent at all, when it came to the tests.

[darkmaster_101]

Nintendo got the website wiikaraokie.com a while ago
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/25/nintendo-snags-wiikaraoke-com-built-in-mic-rumor-heats-up/
Good to see its going to get some use now.
Nothing happens when you load www.wiikaraoke.com up though.

[halomasta203]

Man that would be pretty nice to have an extra feature.

[Souzar]

The camera is the infra-red camera (I'm not 100% sure if it's infra red), on the front of the wiimote that picks up the LEDs in the 'sensor bar'. Without the camera theres no pointing or distance-from-the-sensor reading.

I find it strange that it wasn't mentioned, as it's a big feature of the wiimote, but this super secret audio translation chip gets mentioned that no one saw before.

As for using the mic on the DS, mario kart uses it (for inflating balloons) and bomberman has a special type of bomb where you blow to detonate or something

[DKing]

Microphones could be nice. As long as they don't use them like most DS games do with the retarded blowing. Worst gaming input gimmick ever.

[Huzaifah007]

It will probably going to be used for singing games like High school musical, where an attachment is needed. By having the chip already in the wiimote, I gues it would drive the price for the mic attachment down. Thats my 2 cents anyway.

[Isamu_Dyson]

Worst gaming input gimmick ever.
For you maybe. I found that pretty refreshing and fun. :)

[Sepioth]

I find it strange that it wasn't mentioned, as it's a big feature of the wiimote

Why would they talk about the "camera"??? It is a main component of the Wiimote. Been talked about what 6 months ago ..... before the Wii came out.


but this super secret audio translation chip gets mentioned that no one saw before.

Well duh .. This article was about an "unused" audio conversion chip found inside the Wiimote. What is it for?? Does it function?? Can it be used??

[Souzar]

Why would they talk about the "camera"??? It is a main component of the Wiimote. Been talked about what 6 months ago ..... before the Wii came out.



Well duh .. This article was about an "unused" audio conversion chip found inside the Wiimote. What is it for?? Does it function?? Can it be used??


Well duh yourself! ;) The article is about the whole of the wiimote, not just the audio voice chip, that's the part that surprised everyone in an otherwise standard news article. I would've included a line about the camera for completeness. Anyway, maybe we'll learn more at E3.

[BladeX]

if they do release a mic it better be better than that god awful gamecube 1. the damn thing couldnt understand our australian accent! LORL :D :D

[SteveNZ]

Tommy couldn't hear anyway. "That deaf, dumb, blind kid sure plays a mean pinball".

Nice try though :) The world needs more The Who references.

[Scorpion3]

The mic was actually put in there for the very secretive "Hey You Pikachu! 2". And the rumored "Hey You! Mew" :D

The best thing about the Wii is that it has features that have yet to be used. But that's not saying much since there isn't a lot of games for the Wii.

[DKing]

For you maybe. I found that pretty refreshing and fun. :)

Whatever rocks your socks I guess. I know I'm not the only one who got a headache from it and thought it was lame.

[SMIDSY]

Then you've never played Warioware touched! for the ds or Warioware smooth moves for wii. Both take great advantage of the system's control. The DS one does great with the stylus AND microphone and uses them exclusively.

I can't imagine playing either Warioware game with a standard gamepad.

i ahve warioware touched ans smooth moves, both dissapointing. :(
also i mean proper games not lots of mini games