A gyroscope is a sensor that is included in mobile phones to better detect movements made with them. This is a technology that is implemented in existing models and allows the phone to currently detect the position in which it is located and the displacement to which it is subjected, even when it comes to determining the speed of rotation to which it is subjected.
This mixture between the oscilloscope and the accelerometer allows the terminal to know what plane of space it is on and how much it is accelerated. This is something that is used especially in areas such as virtual reality or augmented reality , which allows users to enjoy a more immersive experience of playing or consuming content that requires them to interact with the phone, such as virtual reality or augmented reality.
This is not something that is available in all models , and also requires some maintenance to function properly in those that are. If you don't know how to activate or set up the gyroscope for your Android phone or tablet , here we will give you some guidelines to do so. Moreover, in this step-by-step guide, we will also explain how to calibrate and enable it on smartphones that do not support it.
What is a gyroscope and what is it for?
To understand why calibration is required, it is enough to say a few words about the sensor itself. A gyroscope is a device that determines the position of the body relative to the ground. On Android, it is used as a means of implementing functions such as auto-rotate screen.
Gsensor understands that you are holding the phone horizontally, and therefore changes the orientation of the interface according to your position. Similarly, the interface returns to a vertical position. The gyroscope also finds its use in games whose control is based on changing the angle of inclination. A striking example is Real Racing 3 and other races.
What is the difference between a gyroscope and an accelerometer?
Gyroscope and accelerometer are sensors designed to determine the position of the smartphone in space. The most important and only difference between them lies in the principle of reading data. The first component calculates the angle of inclination of the phone relative to the surface of the earth, and then transmits the received information to the operating system. But the accelerometer calculates acceleration, and very accurately.
This is why it is better to use a phone with an accelerometer as a pedometer. The data obtained will be as accurate as possible, since the sensor takes into account deviations of even tenths of a millimeter. Modern manufacturers are trying to install both a gyroscope and an accelerometer in their smartphones. This solution is correct, which eliminates accidental rotation of the device screen when moving it.
How it works and how it works
The gyroscope appeared back in 1817, when the world had no idea that one day every person would have a means of communication in the form of a smartphone. Since then, the operating principle of the sensor has changed greatly. Gsensor was a circle with a top installed in the middle. It always stays in place, unlike the frames that surround it. It is the change in their position that makes it possible to determine the position of the body in space.
Due to their compactness, smartphones simply cannot acquire such a massive design. Therefore, gadget manufacturers took a different route. Instead of frames and a top, the phone's Gsensor uses moving masses of matter that, by analogy with the classic design of a gyroscope, change their orientation. The change in position is registered by a microprocessor, so the smartphone understands how you are holding it.
Accelerometer Features
An accelerometer is, so to speak, the ability of a tablet or phone to flip the image on the screen. The accelerometer is most used when surfing websites. Website pages are usually made for rectangular monitors, reading information from a tablet becomes not very convenient, this is where you need an accelerometer, turn your tablet over, the site itself will take on a friendly appearance and it will immediately become convenient to perceive the information on the site.
The first reacts to changes in position, and the second to linear acceleration. Thanks to these properties, the tablet or phone accurately responds to subtle movements and changes in position.
How to check if your phone has a gyroscope
Despite the fact that Gsensor is one of the main sensors of a smartphone, it may not be available on some models. In this case, there is no need to calibrate, and therefore it is important to determine the presence of the sensor. This can be done using third-party software. For example, through the AnTuTu benchmark. It not only determines the performance of the smartphone but also shows its characteristics. In the “My Device” section you will find the “Gyroscope” item. If the value is “Not supported”, then Gsensor is missing.
In a similar way, you can check the presence of a gyroscope through AIDA64. Unlike AnTuTu, this application is available for download via the Play Store. Another example is Sensor Sense, a program that shows a list of all supported sensors.
Finally, the presence of a sensor can be determined by indirect signs. If your smartphone has auto-rotate screen, there is an option to create a panorama in the camera settings, and in the game Real Racing 3 the car is controlled by tilting the device, then the gyroscope is in place. At the same time, the sensor may fail or work incorrectly, and therefore it is best to check its presence through specialized software.
Areas of use
For the first time, Apple engineers installed a gyroscope in a smartphone (iPhone). A gyroscope in a mobile device is a sensor and a chip that converts sensor readings about the device’s position in space into electrical signals. The signals are processed by the appropriate program and, based on the conclusions drawn, certain actions and operations are performed.
Changing screen orientation
This is exactly how the gyroscope worked, first used in an Apple smartphone. Now on all modern smartphones the screen turns upside down automatically, and the image stretches to fill the entire screen as soon as the owner with the smartphone in his hands changes his position in space.
You no longer need to check boxes in menu items and force images to flip.
Shaking
The gyroscope allows you to simply shake your smartphone to activate a number of functions:
- Answer an incoming call
- Turning pages in an e-book
- Changing the music track in the player
- Using a calculator with minimal finger involvement
Using GPS
Maps used in navigation rotate, thanks to a gyroscope, along with the person. In practice, this is very convenient and looks like this: for example, the user turns towards the river on the map - the map immediately turns behind it.
The gyroscope allows you to use a compass and a building level. There are special applications for this, pre-installed or downloaded independently.
Games
The gyroscope has literally taken mobile gaming to a new level:
In racing, shooting games, simulators and other “moving” games, the player simply turns the smartphone in the right direction, often intuitively, without even noticing it.
There is no need to press buttons or make gestures on the screen.
A virtual reality
Only smartphones with a gyroscope allow you to enjoy VR applications in full: look around, turn and “walk” in all directions.
Enable or disable the feature
By default, the gyroscope is always active and you cannot disable the sensor. However, you have the ability to activate and deactivate functions that use Gsensor. A striking example is auto-rotate screen. To turn it on or off, you will need:
- Open phone settings.
- Go to the “Screen” section, and then – “When the device is rotated” (depending on the smartphone model, this item may have a different name).
- Set to "Disable".
The function can also be adjusted through the control center. It is called up by swiping down from the top of the screen. You will see about a dozen icons in front of you, each of which is responsible for one or another option. As a rule, under the icon with a function that uses a gyroscope, there is the inscription “Auto-rotate”. If the icon is highlighted, the option works. If it is gray, then the function is disabled.
In addition to turning the screen auto-rotate on or off, you can calibrate the gyroscope. However, for this you will need to install specialized software. The best option is the Accelerometer Calibration application. Although it is aimed at calibrating the accelerometer, the program is also used to configure the G-sensor:
- Using the Play Store, install Accelerometer Calibration on your phone.
- Place your smartphone on a flat surface.
- Launch the program.
- Make sure the red dot is in the center of the square.
- Click the "Calibrate" button.
This simple operation allows you to increase the accuracy of the sensor, which is reflected not only in more responsive controls in games, but also in the correct functioning of auto-rotate the screen. Therefore, if you previously experienced discomfort from involuntary changes in the position of the interface, then Accelerometer Calibration will help solve the problem.
How do I install and calibrate the gyroscope if my device does not have this option?
If you are one of those users whose terminal does not support this feature, there is a solution. Here we will tell you how to install and calibrate the gyroscope if your device does not have this option .
Follow the steps we indicate below:
Create a text document (.txt) on your PC named “ android.hardware.sensor.gyroscope.xml ” (without quotes).
Open it with Notepad and write the following:
- Connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable and when prompted, tap the option to use it as a storage device.
- Now you have to take the text file, copy and paste it into the path “ system/etc/permissions ”, which is located in the internal memory of your terminal. If the folder does not exist or does not have write permission, you must create or modify it through the file browser on your mobile and remember to check the “ Mount R/W ” option.
- Disconnect your mobile phone from your computer and now find the file you just transferred. Once you find it, enter the settings to open the permissions window.
- Go to the Octal and write " rw-rr- " with the number 644 . Otherwise, you should leave " Owner ", " Group " and " Other in the Reading . And add the first of " Written ". Same as shown in the following image.
- When you're done, you just need to reboot your phone and there will be a gyroscope simulation in your terminal.
Why it might not work
If a gyroscope does not work on your smartphone, then you first need to check its presence using one of the methods discussed earlier in the material. It’s possible that your model simply isn’t equipped with a G-sensor, and therefore you shouldn’t count on it to work.
It’s another matter when there is an “Auto-rotate” option in the control center, and the camera has a panoramic shooting mode. This is indirect evidence of the presence of Gsensor. In this case, sensor failure may be caused by mechanical damage to the gadget. Unfortunately, this problem can only be solved by replacing the sensor. But don’t rush to take radical measures. Try calibrating the gyroscope. It is possible that after this the sensor will work.
If we are talking about the incorrect operation of the gyroscope, when the interface is turned in the wrong direction, then calibration is the only solution. However, when a cheap sensor is used on the phone, even such an operation cannot lead to an improvement in the result.
Personal settings
Personally, I have been using the gyroscope for many months now. This feature allows me to do things in combat that I couldn't even think of before. So, let's start with what exactly a pubg mobile full-gyroscope
. In the settings you can activate the gyroscope in two modes.
When aiming
By selecting this option, the gyroscope will be activated immediately after you enter the scope. This allows you to control the recoil of the weapon not only with your finger, but also with the position of your hands in space. Everything here is exactly the same as with finger control; each sight has its own sensitivity, which you can adjust to suit you.
And at this point I would immediately like to draw attention - the sensitivity of the gyroscope is extremely different on different devices, so experiment and move the sensitivity slider until you feel as comfortable as possible when playing. One way or another, 80-90% of players who use this function, one way or another, secure their shooting with a finger.
Pay special attention to high-power sights like x4 and x6, because with their delicate settings, you will be able to shoot almost to the point at medium distances, which will give you an unreal advantage. Also worth noting is the x8 sight.
Personally, I turned the sensitivity of the 8x sight in the gyroscope to zero, since after two weeks of playing I could not get used to such delicate aiming of the sight. Most people use such a gyroscope as an aid in clamping, and also as a safety net in cases where there is not enough finger sensor.
I think everyone has found themselves in situations where you start shooting, move your finger down for greater recoil control, but the device screen doesn’t seem to notice this and sends the sight flying. Well, this will never happen with a gyroscope, because it is controlled as an internal mechanism of the device and has absolutely nothing to do with the lags of the game client.
Full-gyroscope
When you turn on this mode, the gyroscope will always be active, except when you are driving a vehicle. Roughly speaking, you have the ability to change your point of view simply by shifting the position of your hands in space. Most experienced eSports players prefer this use of a gyroscope.
This simply gives an unrealistic advantage in a close-range shootout, because when the enemy is two or three meters away from you, the quality of your clamp is completely neutralized in the shootout. The only thing that matters is how you move.
Actually, a full-gyroscope makes it possible to free your fingers from the need to point at the enemy, allowing you to fully concentrate on feints, such as squatting, bending, running, and so on.
Most players have a question: how to get used to using a gyroscope in this way? I'll answer your question. First, take a very responsible approach to setting the sensitivity. It should allow you to move the viewing camera to the extreme position from the center without sudden movements.
On the phone, as a rule, 200 sensitivity units are enough
, so be guided approximately by this value. This point is oh-so important, because the less hand movements you make, the less likely it is that you will move the phone off the base axis and lose the stability of the camera.
In fact, at this point, phone players are very lucky because the devices are small and light, therefore the camera hardly deviates when moving. After we have adjusted the sensitivity, we move on to training. In the game mode, we select a training ground, take any gun and go to the moving targets.
Your task here is as simple as possible - to learn to aim with your hands behind a moving target. We just sit and aim the sight at the targets, simultaneously tightening or vice versa unscrewing the sensitivity of the gyroscope for convenience. Personally, it took me about 30 minutes to get used to it a little, and also to calibrate all the settings for my device.
So you can then move on to shooting and clamping from the hip. You can also do this on targets, being in the same position. We just continue to move the sight behind the targets, but at the same time press one of them once every five seconds.
A brief excursion into history
The gyroscope is an invention of the French scientist Leon Foucault. The prototype, according to the operating principle of which modern devices operate, was used by the physicist to monitor the characteristics of the daily rotation of the planet.
Innovative gyroscopes are used not only to track the specific vibrations of various bodies. Nowadays, the main purpose of the device is to determine the angles of deviation of objects in relation to planes. Why do you need a gyroscope in a smartphone? Combining such a module with an accelerometer opens up the possibility of tracking phone movements in three-dimensional space.
For the first time, Apple presented a cellular communication device with such a module on board. This happened during the presentation of the iPhone 4 smartphone model. Subsequently, a variety of phone developers began to imitate the innovative solution.
What do you use it for
Now that we have a better understanding of what kind of gyroscope is in phones, it's time to find out if it's really that widely used today, in addition to knowing if it's really necessary in today's terminals. Thus, this internal device allows for more accurate recording of both the position and movement of the smartphone. Additionally, if its data is combined with accelerometer data along with other sensors, it can provide fairly accurate information about where the mobile phone is located, and even if it is moving or rotating on any axis.
For example, the use of this internal component is very common in games where by tilting your smartphone you control the action, as might be the case in driving games. However, the term began to become increasingly viral with the launch of Niantic's Pokémon GO, as those who did not have it were unable to use the AR mode, which is augmented reality.
Although this is not the only case where we can use this gyroscope . We may find that some social networking applications such as Instagram or Snapchat require the smartphone to have this in order to be able to apply some of its filters that have virtual reality objects in order to be able to apply them correctly.
It will even be necessary to use 360-degree vision in applications such as Google Maps. For this reason, it is important that the gyroscope of mobile phones is well calibrated , since it is not only disposable, but can also serve multiple functions.
A small life hack
If, during a firefight, the enemy moves too quickly and leaves the zone within which you can turn the camera with a gyroscope, at the extreme point of rotation, press the “Lie Down”
, after which the camera itself will move in the direction of your movement, and you will calmly clamp down on the enemy.
In conclusion, I would like to say that you should not be afraid to use additional functions of the game, because they are not added for beauty. Most importantly, if you decide to learn to play with a gyroscope, then play with it all the way, without turning off this function after each unsuccessful clip or leaked game. Believe me, your hands and head need some time to get used to the new control format.
And if you are persistent, then in a couple of weeks you will be able to destroy enemies no worse than eSports athletes. I hope this article was useful and interesting for you.
