EyeToy

Specifications[1]
Platform:	PlayStation 2
Interface:	USB
Connector:	USB 1.1
Power consumption:	50 mA
Dimensions (mm):	44 × 53 × 89
Weight:	173 g
Cable length:	2 m
Resolution:	640 × 480 pixels
Lenshead:	Manual focus ring
Sensor:	OV7648
Chip:	OV519

The EyeToy is a color digital camera device, similar to a webcam, for the PlayStation 2. The technology uses computer vision and Gesture recognition to process images taken by the camera. This allows players to interact with games using motion, color detection and also sound, through its built-in microphone.

The camera is manufactured by Logitech (known as "Logicool" in Japan), although newer EyeToys are manufactured by Namtai. The camera is mainly used for playing EyeToy games developed by Sony and other companies. It is not intended for use as a normal PC camera, although some people have developed unofficial drivers for it.^[1] As of November 6, 2008, the EyeToy has sold 10.5 million units worldwide.^[2]

History

The EyeToy was conceived by Richard Marks in 1999, after witnessing a demonstration of the PlayStation 2 at the 1999 Game Developers Conference in San Jose, California.^[3] Marks's idea was to enable natural user interface and mixed reality video game applications using an inexpensive webcam, using the computational power of the PlayStation 2 to implement computer vision and gesture recognition technologies. He joined Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) that year, and worked on the technology as Special Projects Manager for Research and Development.^[4][5]

Marks's work drew the attention of Phil Harrison, then Vice President of Third Party Relations and Research and Development at SCEA. Soon after being promoted to Senior Vice President of Product Development at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) in 2000, Harrison brought Marks to the division's headquarters in London to demonstrate the technology to a number of developers. At the demonstration, Marks was joined with Ron Festejo of SCE Camden Studio^[5] (which would later merge to become SCE London Studio) to begin developing a software title using the technology, which would later become EyeToy: Play. Originally called the iToy (short for "interactive toy") by the London branch, the webcam was later renamed to the EyeToy by Harrison. It was first demonstrated to the public at the PlayStation Experience event in August 2002 with four minigames.^[4]

Already planned for release in Europe, the EyeToy was picked by SCE's Japanese and American branches after the successful showing at the PlayStation Experience. In 2003, EyeToy was released in a bundle with EyeToy: Play: in Europe on July 4, and North America on November 4. By the end of the year, the EyeToy sold over 2 million units in Europe and 400,000 units in the United States.^[4] On February 11, 2004, the EyeToy was released in Japan.

Design

The camera is mounted on a pivot, allowing for positioning. Focusing the camera is performed by rotating a ring around the lens. It comes with two LED lights on the front. A blue light turns on when the PS2 is on, indicating that it is ready to be used, while the red light flashes when there is insufficient light in the room. There is also a microphone built in. A second, newer model of the EyeToy provides similar features, but sports a smaller size and silver casing.^[6]

On computer

Because the EyeToy is essentially a web camera inside a casing designed to match the PlayStation 2, and it uses a USB 1.1 protocol and USB plug, drivers have been created to make it work with many operating systems. The type of driver required depends on the model of EyeToy camera. There are three different types:

• SLEH-00031
• SCEH-0004
• SLEH-00030

The model information is included in a label on the bottom of the camera.

In addition, the red LED that normally signals inadequate lighting is used as the active recording indicator. The blue LED is lit when the EyeToy is plugged into the computer

Technical limitations

Due to the camera's need to "see" the player as they play, the camera needs to be used in a well-lit room. To help let the player know when there is not enough light, there is a red LED on the front of the camera that flashes when it is too dark. Some of the games utilise this feature, requiring players to place their hand in front of the camera to quit a certain mode.^{[citation needed]}

In response to this limitation, Sony has filed a patent for a "wand" controller capable of illuminating different colored LEDs in order to communicate the controller's position and simple commands to the camera.^[7]

Games

Designed for EyeToy

These games require the EyeToy to be played. All produced by Sony unless noted.

Enhanced with EyeToy

These games may be used with the EyeToy optionally. They typically have an "Enhanced with EyeToy" or "EyeToy Enhanced" label on the box.

• AFL Premiership 2005 (IR Gurus, 2005)
• AFL Premiership 2006 (IR Gurus, 2006)
• AFL Premiership 2007 (IR Gurus, 2007)
• AND 1 Streetball
• Buzz! The Music Quiz (Sony, late 2005)
• Buzz! The Big Quiz (Sony, March 2006)
• CMT Presents: Karaoke Revolution Country
• Dance Dance Revolution Extreme (North America) (Konami, 2004) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• DDR Festival Dance Dance Revolution (Konami, 2004) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• Dancing Stage Fusion (Konami, 2004) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2 (Konami, 2005) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• Dancing Stage Max (Konami, 2005) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• Dance Dance Revolution Strike (Konami, 2006) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova (North America) (Konami, 2006) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova (Konami, 2007) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• Dancing Stage SuperNova (Europe) (Konami, 2007) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova 2 (North America) (Konami, 2007) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova 2 (Konami, 2008) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• Dance Dance Revolution X (North America) (Konami, 2008) - EyeToy mini games, players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• Dance Factory - players can optionally see themselves dancing, additional mode with 2 camera targets.
• DT Racer (XS Games, 2005) - photo taken by EyeToy can be used as a custom avatar
• Formula One 05 (Sony, mid 2004)
• Flow: Urban Dance Uprising
• Gaelic Games: Football
• Get On Da Mic (Eidos, 2004) - players can see their performance
• Gretzky NHL 2005
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (EA, 2004) - features EyeToy minigames
• Jackie Chan Adventures (Sony, 2004) - features Eye Toy minigames
• Karaoke Revolution Party
• Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol
• Lemmings (Team 17, 2006)
• LMA Manager 2005 (Codemasters, 2004) - players can have their pictures on in-game newspapers
• MLB 2005
• MLB 2006 - use to create a player
• MLB '06: The Show
• MLB '07: The Show
• MLB '08: The Show *MLB '09: The Show
• MLB '09: The Show NBA 07
• Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix (Genki, 2005) - Used to capture textures to be used as car stickers in the bodypaint interface^[8]
• SingStar series (Sony, 2004-2008) - singers can optionally see themselves when singing
• The Sims 2
• Stuart Little 3: Big Photo Adventure
• The Polar Express (THQ, 2004)
• The Sims 2: Pets
• The Urbz: Sims in the City (EA, 2004) - players can have their faces on in-game billboards
• This Is Football 2005
• Tony Hawk's American Wasteland (Activision) - Used to import the player's face onto a created skater.
• Tony Hawk's Underground (Activision/Neversoft, 2003) -Player can capture an image of their face and map it onto their character.
• YetiSports Arctic Adventures (JoWood Productions, 2005) - EyeToy multi-player games
• Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Party Edition (Eidos, late 2006) - players can have their 'mugshots' on a winning check
• World Tour Soccer 2006

Cameo

EyeToy: Cameo is a system for allowing players to include their own images as avatars in other games. Games that support the feature include a head scanning program that can be used to generate a 3D model of the player's head. Once stored on a memory card, this file is then available in games that support the Cameo feature. EyeToy: Cameo licenses the head creation technology Digimask.

See also

• List of EyeToy games
• Augmented virtuality
• Dreameye - The very first camera accessory for a home gaming console, used on the Dreamcast
• PlayStation Eye - The successor to the EyeToy for the PlayStation 3
• Xbox Live Vision - A similar camera made for the Xbox 360
• Kinetic user interface

References

External links

• EyeToy official site
• EyetoyOnComputer Project Free Automatically Installing Drivers and capture programs to make the EyeToy work on Mac OS X, Windows and Linux computers. This project has not yet released any files for Linux, use the below link for Linux drivers.
• ov51x-jpeg The ov51x driver for Linux, modified to support the EyeToy.
• EyeToy webcam drivers for XP Free drivers and tutorial for using the EyeToy as a webcam for Windows XP.
• EyeToy webcam drivers, tutorial and FAQ for Windows 98SE, Millennium, Windows 2000, XP 32Bit and Vista 32Bit.