Wii Remote
Development of a motion-enabled controller began when development of the Wii console started in 2001. In that year, Nintendo licensed a number of motion-sensing patents from Gyration Inc., a company that produces wireless motion-sensing computer mice. Gyration had previously pitched their idea and patents of a motion controller to Sony and Microsoft, who both declined. Nintendo then commissioned Gyration to create a one-handed controller for it, which eventually became the "Gyropod", a more traditional gamepad which allowed its right half to break away for motion-control. At this point, Gyration brought in a separate design firm, Bridge Design, to help pitch its concept to Nintendo. Under requirement to "roughly preserve the existing GameCube button layout", it experimented with different forms "through sketches, models and interviewing various hardcore gamers". By "late 2004, early 2005", however, Nintendo had come up with the Wii Remote's less traditional "wand shape", and the design of the Nunchuk attachment. Nintendo had also decided upon using a motion sensor, infrared pointer, and the layout of the buttons, and by the end of 2005 the controller was ready for mass production.
During development of the Wii Remote, video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto brought in mobile phones and controllers for automotive navigation systems for inspiration, eventually producing a prototype that resembled a cell phone. Another design featured both an analog stick and a touchscreen, but Nintendo rejected the idea of a touchscreen on the controller, "since the portable console and living-room console would have been exactly the same". Coincidentally, this idea would later be implemented on the Wii U's GamePad controller, as well as the Nintendo Switch.
The Wii Remote has the ability to sense acceleration along three axes through the use of Analog Devices MEMS-based three-dimensional accelerometers. The Wii Remote also has a PixArt optical sensor that allows it to determine where it is pointing. Unlike a light gun that senses light from a television screen, the Wii Remote senses light from the console's Sensor Bar (RVL-014), which allows consistent usage not influenced by the screen used. The Sensor Bar is about 3 inches long and has ten infrared LEDs, five at each end of the bar. The LEDs farthest from the center are pointed slightly outwards, the LEDs closest to the center are pointed slightly inwards, while the rest are pointed straight forward. The Sensor Bar's cable is 6 feet in length.
The bar may be placed above or below the television, centered horizontally, in line with the front of the television or the front of the surface the television is placed on. The Remote should be pointed approximately towards the Sensor Bar; precise pointing is not necessary so long as it is within the limited viewing angle of the Wii Remote. Use of the Sensor Bar allows the Wii Remote to be used as an accurate pointing device up to 5 meters (approx. 16 ft) away from the bar. The Wii Remote's image sensor is used to locate the Sensor Bar's points of light in the Wii Remote's field of view. The light emitted from each end of the Sensor Bar is focused onto the image sensor which sees the light as two bright dots separated by a distance "mi" on the image sensor.
The Nunchuk (model number RVL-004) was the first attachment Nintendo revealed for the Wii Remote at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show. It connects to the Wii Remote via a cord 1 to 1.2 m (3.5 to 4 feet) long. Its appearance when attached resembles the nunchaku weapon, hence the name. It also resembles the middle handle of the Nintendo 64 controller. Like the controllers of the Wii's two predecessors, the Nunchuk has an analog stick whose movement is restricted by an octagonal area. The Nunchuk also has two trigger buttons (a last-minute modification changed the two triggers to one trigger and a C button, as described below). It works in tandem with the main controller in many games.
At the 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo Nintendo introduced the Classic Controller, which plugs into the Wii Remote via a cord in a similar fashion to the Nunchuk. Unlike most accessories, the Classic Controller largely usurps the Remote's functionality, with the Remote's buttons duplicated on the Controller. The Remote is used primarily as a wireless transmitter for the Controller and where applicable retains its pointing-device functionality. It can also still be used as a valid, active controller by another player in multiplayer modes of games like Bust-A-Move Bash! and SpeedZone. The Classic Controller is reminiscent of the Super NES controller, being the same size and having the A, B, X, Y buttons and directional pad in the same location.
Video game web site IGN reported that the strap tends to break under heavy use, which would potentially send the Wii Remote flying. WarioWare: Smooth Moves also sometimes requires the Wii Remote to be dropped, which would cause problems in the event of a strap failure. In response, Nintendo has posted guidelines on proper use of the strap and the Wii Remote. On the 8th of December 2006, units with thicker straps began to appear in some areas of the world. On the 15th of December 2006, Nintendo denied reports of a Wii wrist strap recall. While Nintendo denied claims that three million straps had been recalled, it replaced broken wrist straps free of charge.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission became involved in the "replacement program". The old 3/4 inch diameter strap is replaced by a larger, 7/8 inch diameter version. Nintendo's online "Wrist Strap Replacement Request Form" allows owners to receive up to four free straps when a Wii serial number and shipping details are provided. On the 3rd of August 2007, a new wrist strap was found to be supplied, with a lock clip instead of a movable slide to prevent the strap from working loose during prolonged play; the lock clip strap became the standard form.
Programmer Johnny Lee posted video demos and sample code at his website related to the use of the Wii Remote for finger tracking, low-cost multipoint interactive whiteboards, and head tracking for desktop VR displays. He demonstrated several such applications at a TED conference. The WiimoteProject forum became the discussion, support and sharing site for Lee's Wii Remote projects and other newer developments. Studies have been conducted to use the Wii Remote as a practice method to fine-tune surgeons' hand motions. Utilizing DarwiinRemote, researchers at the University of Memphis adapted the Wii Remote for data collection in cognitive psychology experiments.
Autodesk released a plugin that allows the Wii Remote to control orientation of 3D models in Autodesk Design Review. Many third-party applications are currently in development through Wii homebrew. One popular Windows program called GlovePIE allows the Wii Remote to be used on a personal computer to emulate a keyboard, mouse or joystick. Connecting the Wii Remote to a personal computer is done via a Bluetooth connection. The Bluetooth program BlueSoleil has been proven to successfully connect a Wii Remote to a PC.
Interlink Electronics filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Nintendo in December 2006 over the pointing functionality of the Wii Remote, claiming "loss of reasonable royalties, reduced sales and/or lost profits as a result of the infringing activities" of Nintendo. The lawsuit was terminated in March 2007. On the 19th of August 2008, Hillcrest Laboratories Inc. filed a complaint against Nintendo with the U.S International Trade Commission, alleging that the Wii Remote infringed on three of its patents. A fourth Hillcrest patent (for graphical interfaces displayed on television screens) was also allegedly violated. Hillcrest sought a ban on Wii consoles imported to the U.S.
Starting in December 2012, iLife Technologies sued several large companies over patent infringement over a set of patents they held related to "systems and methods for evaluating movement of a body relative to an environment", principally aimed at the medical field; Nintendo was sued by iLife in December 2013 for the Wii Remote's infringement on their patents, with the lawsuit seeking $144 million in damages, based on a $4 fine for the Wii units it had sold to date. A jury trial was heard in August 2017, and the jury ruled in favor of iLife Technologies and Nintendo was forced to pay $144 million in damages. While Nintendo attempted to appeal this ruling, the United States Court of Appeals upheld the jury's decision in December 2017.
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Common questions
When did development of the Wii Remote begin?
Development of a motion-enabled controller began when development of the Wii console started in 2001. Nintendo licensed motion-sensing patents from Gyration Inc. that same year to create the one-handed controller.
What technology does the Wii Remote use to sense movement and pointing?
The Wii Remote uses Analog Devices MEMS-based three-dimensional accelerometers to sense acceleration along three axes. It also employs a PixArt optical sensor to determine where it is pointing by detecting light from the Sensor Bar.
How long is the cable on the Nunchuk attachment for the Wii Remote?
The Nunchuk connects to the Wii Remote via a cord that measures between 1 meter and 1.2 meters or 3.5 feet to 4 feet in length. This accessory was first revealed at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show as model number RVL-004.
Why did Nintendo replace the original wrist strap on the Wii Remote?
Nintendo replaced the original 3/4 inch diameter strap with a larger 7/8 inch version because reports indicated the strap tended to break under heavy use. The replacement program began on the 8th of December 2006, and a new lock clip design became standard on the 3rd of August 2007.
When did the jury rule against Nintendo regarding the iLife Technologies patent lawsuit?
A jury trial heard in August 2017 ruled in favor of iLife Technologies, forcing Nintendo to pay $144 million in damages. The United States Court of Appeals upheld this decision in December 2017 after Nintendo attempted an appeal.