DICE+ (via GIC)
If GIC has their way, board games will be brought into the technology age. This is the concept behind their design of DICE+, which was shown at this year’s (2012) E3 Expo (Electronic Entertainment Expo) held in Los Angeles. DICE+ is a digitally enhanced version of traditional die that allows you to interact with ‘powered’ board games on any digital screen, such as smartphones, tablets and TV’s without damaging them. Essentially, DICE+ gives the players a better sense of interaction with digital board games (such as Monopoly for example) that allows them the entire tech ‘bells and whistles’ while maintaining a traditional feel. Actually, it’s easier to think of the dice as a simplified game controller for digital board games. GIC designed DICE+ (currently in its 5th generation) using a nonabrasive noise-cancelling rubberized polymer case with configurable colored LEDs that houses a Bluetooth 2.1 EDR wireless communication system that’s used to connect the die to the game being played.
Powering the cubes are rechargeable ‘cube-shaped’ batteries (unknown but most likely Li-ion) that have a 20 hour run time before needing a recharge, which is done through a micro USB port incorporated in each cube. The USB port also allows to access the internal settings (with the appropriate software) to change the various work modes for game development. The DICE+ cubes are balanced for complete randomization of the dice throw using the cube-shaped batteries along with specialized ‘anti-cheat’ algorithms designed to ‘check the minimum spin angle’ along with roll time and surface gradient. GIC is currently looking for hardware developers and gaming software designers to get their DICE+ digital dice to the public but when they arrive. (perhaps around the holiday’s?) GIC states they should cost around $30 US when they start shipping.
Now, if we can only get a D50 from them.
(via Justin Michell)
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