What applications for a mobile?
Many services and Web applications are also available as an application for a model of smartphone to take advantage of the touch screen.
There are also games that turn it into game console. They may be similar to 3D games on computers 10 years ago. In 2000, we often had a resolution of 800x600 pixels on a 15 inches CRT scree, which corresponds to the resolution of smartphones.
And there are number of applications that could run on a computer, but are not usable on it because they must start immediately and anywhere.
Here are some example of the amazing possibilities of current smartphones.
- iPhone has innovated with the Siri voice interface that allows to ask questions such as the address of a restaurant verbally and also get a voice response. Galaxy S3 from Samsung has the same function.
- Galaxy S3 can transfer a file from a device to another by putting them side by side.
- This device has face recognition. It can give a name to someone on a photo.
- Simply place the device against your ear so that it automatically dials a number.
- WiFi Direct links together several devices without operator.
- Third-party software add augmented reality: informations are displayed on the places taken by the camera.
- More traditional functions such as cameras, voice recorder, taking notes, viewing HD movies become common.
- The Galaxy Note has a stylus and a pattern recognition software.
- The Galaxy Beam has a pico projector to project images to see in group.
- Amazon's Fire Phone is able to recognize an object, a music, a text. This is used by the store to present the corresponding commercial products ...
- With a touch screen computer and any smartphone, and of course the right software, you can transfer texts and images from one device to another by a movement of the fingers, as shown in the video at right.
And some examples of applications taking full advantage of these capabilities...
Localized search
Taking advantage of GPS, finding a restaurant or any service can direct you on what is nearby.
Tourism in augmented reality
Again with the GPS and also using the built-in compass and of course the camera, you can display information superimposed on places to which you point a smartphone.
It serves as a tour guide.
You can also combine augmented reality and the search and show superimposed on the image taken by the camera, a message showing what you are looking for.
Remote control
Some ISPs offer an API that can turn a mobile into a remote control, simpler to use than that supplied with the box of the operator.
We can thus choose the channel, controlling a recording and performing actions impossible with standard devices.
Home automation controller
In other words, the control center for home appliances, including lamps. Android@home is an application for Android that automatically manages your home. Lighting controls as needed, for example. Applications depend on developers.
Smart alarm
By placing the mobile on the bed when sleeping, the latter thanks to the accelerometer can detect your position and deduce in what phase of sleep you are. He does not wake you up if you are in deep sleep, but wait until you're out to sound the alarm.
Plane Finder AR
Allows by pointing the phone to the sky to see the position, speed and weight of the closest plane.
Also it displays the flight number, the airport of departure and destination.
To do this the application uses the ADS-B system that planes now have to transmits a signal containing the data.
Poster translator
In a foreign country, aim the camera on a poster, a restaurant menu written in an unknown language, and it will be translated into the language of your choice.
Evaluate a distance
Accoustic Ruler is an application ables to determine the distance between a point and the device (up to 25 meters), using the loudspeaker to emit a sound, the microphone to receive the echo, and calculating the time between the two. It uses the ambient temperature as an adjustable parameter...
Botanical
A free application gives us the name of a tree from a photo of a leave with a visual recognition software. It was developed by Columbia and Maryland Universities with the Smithsonian Institute.
The database is rather local for now. See Leafsnap.
Controlling a robot
Using a mobile to control a robot, is the specialty of Cellbots. This site provides software for controlling various devices that provide a "body" to a phone and expand its capabilities. In fact, the mobile can now be part of a robot, it becomes its brain and its control center. The right picture is an example of a robot tank that can interact with the environment via a webcam and processing capabilities of the mobile.
- Mindroid. If the mobile runs on Android, it's natural that it can control a colleague. In this case the colleague must be a LEGO Mindstorms NXT, a small entertainment robot to assemble and program. The software is open source.
Transformed into pinball
It is an accessory and a software. For 40 dollars, you have a miniature pinball, interfaced with the program and using the screen of the smartphone to show the track of the ball, with its flashing bumpers. (On BestBuy).
Fly a drone
As shown in this video, with Wi-Fi and a mobile phone, it is possible to control a flying machine, in this case a helicopter, getting images with a camera and combination with augmented reality, flying in a semi-artificial universe.
The French Parrot company offered this demo.
Medical aid
With a sensor connected to the mobile, it is possible, for example, test his blood sugar.
A $10 microscope
This invention has won three awards including that of the National Science Foundation, for a total of $510,000.
By connecting this mini microscope that costs almost nothing to a mobile phone, it is possible to have a mobile laboratory replacing very expensive apparatus!
The device placed on a drop of blood can send the image to a remote laboratory that will analyze it in real time.
This microscope has no lenses, the magnification is obtained by LEDs that cross the sample while the image is captured by the camera of the mobile. In fact we obtain a hologram can allows to reconstruct an image by computer processing, that can be automatic, the remote site returning a diagnosis from a compison with its database.
It can be used by anyone without special training.
See the website of UCLA and Lab on a chip.
Seismic Detector with MyShake
This application developed by a group of seismologists in California uses the accelerometer coupled to the GPS as earthquake detector. It is capable of indicating the location of the origin of the earthquake. The mobile then serve as warning system: they warn in advance of the inpending of the earthquake and can also warn of a tsunami.
Cardiofrequencemeter
The Runware company offers a software which interfaces with a sensor, generally suited to a hip belt, to show more comfortably the heart rate. It comes with an accessory to recover the signal from the belt.
In addition to visibility, the mobile can compile statistics and make intelligent treatment by combining the heart rate with geographical and field data.
Stock trading
Robinhood is a tool to buy and sell shares on the stock exchange without paying any fees. This works internationally. On Android and iOS but for US residents only.