Nintendo Wii News

Here is a press release from Nintendo with more info about the accelerometer that is used in the seccond controller.

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With ADI's ADXL330 3-axis iMEMS accelerometer, Nintendo's Wii Console redefines the gaming experience by bringing the gaming world into the physical world.

NORWOOD, Mass. — Building on its relationship with Analog Devices, Nintendo is creating a truly interactive, lifelike, motion-based gaming experience for players of all ages while igniting the creative forces of game developers around the world. Nintendo breaks more than 20 years of video game history by abandoning the traditional controller held with two hands and introducing a new freehand-style unit held with one hand. Incorporating the Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE: ADI) 3-axis ADXL330 iMEMS® acceleration sensor, the intuitive, innovative Wii™ controller allows players to run, jump, spin, slide, steer, accelerate, bank, dive, kick, throw and score in a way never experienced in the history of gaming.

Central to the Wii Console's design is accurate and reliable multi-axis linear acceleration sensing. When facing the design challenges of the new Wii controller, Nintendo collaborated with Analog Devices, a leader in signal processing technology and well known for innovative motion sensing. The ADXL330's robust 3-axis motion signal processing performance enables a new concept in console video game controllers and gaming interfaces by allowing the gamer's body motion to control his or her actions in the game in real time. The ADXL330 is used to sense motion of the game player in three dimensions of freedom: forward-backward, left-right, and up-down. When the new controller is picked up and manipulated, it provides a quick element of interaction, sensing motion, depth and positioning dictated by the acceleration of the controller itself. The Wii Console is more intuitive and realistic than existing game consoles that require buttons to be pushed and will expand the gaming market by appealing to new classes of users.

To achieve a true-to-life gaming experience and the most realistic reproduction of game player motion, Nintendo relied on their experience with Analog Devices' iMEMS Motion Signal Processing™ technology. "For the industry's first mainstream game controller using MEMS acceleration sensors, we turned to Analog Devices, an industry leader whose acceleration sensors are used by Nintendo for popular games like Kirby's Tilt 'N Tumble for Game Boy Color," commented Genyo Takeda, Senior Managing Director/General Manager, Integrated Research & Development Division, Nintendo Co., Ltd. "We selected the ADXL330 because its accuracy, small size, and extremely low power consumption were critical to the Wii Console's design objectives and key for a wireless controller that will revolutionize the gaming industry."

"Motion is an integral part of our lives. We are delighted that Nintendo selected us again for another incredibly innovative motion-based product like the Wii Console and Controller," said Bill Giudice, vice president and general manager, Micromachined Products Division, Analog Devices. "Analog Devices offers unparalleled experience with integrating motion sensing to enhance the products we use every day, whether it's the automobiles we drive, the mobile phones we use, or the games we play. Our customers rely on our ability to deliver high performance, superior quality motion sensors in large volume for many exciting applications.

About Analog Devices' iMEMS technology
As a pioneer in the micromachine IC industry, ADI produced the first fully-integrated, single chip iMEMS® (integrated Micro Electrical Mechanical System) accelerometer in 1991. Since then, ADI has maintained a leadership position and remains the industry's only producer of high-volume, single-chip iMEMS accelerometers/motion sensors and continues to be the leading supplier of airbag sensors worldwide with shipments of more than 200 million units to date. ADI's iMEMS motion sensors are used in a wide range of consumer, automotive and industrial product applications. For more information visit www.analog.com/iMEMS.

About Analog Devices
Innovation, performance, and excellence are the cultural pillars on which Analog Devices has built one of the longest standing, highest growth companies within the technology sector. Acknowledged industry-wide as the world leader in data conversion and signal conditioning technology, Analog Devices serves over 60,000 customers, representing virtually all types of electronic equipment. Celebrating more than 40 years as a leading global manufacturer of high-performance integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing applications, Analog Devices is headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, with design and manufacturing facilities throughout the world. Analog Devices' common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "ADI" and is included in the S&P 500 Index. www.analog.com.