Daily Debate: How Could Alarmo’s Technology Be Implemented in the Switch Successor?
Posted on October 16 2024 by Nick Miller
Last week, Nintendo announced the Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo to mixed reception and general confusion. Why was Nintendo making an alarm clock? Why are they releasing this now? Is this even a product that the market wants? Although early access sales have been good, many consumers are still befuddled, questioning what prompted Nintendo to develop this product in the first place.
In an Ask the Developer interview, two of Alarmo’s developers acknowledged that they didn’t the start the project with the goal of creating a clock. Rather, they were tasked with researching applications for radio wave sensors. Alarmo Director Tetsuya Akama describes this technology, saying:
“To put it very simply, it uses the reflection of radio waves to measure the distance from and speed of an object. Self-driving cars, drones, and robots are equipped with sensors like these to help avoid collisions. The key feature is that it can recognize very subtle movements, and unlike cameras, it doesn’t need to film videos, so privacy is better protected compared to cameras. Since it uses radio waves, it can be used in dark rooms. It can also detect movements even if there are obstacles, as long as the radio waves can pass through.”
Alarmo Producer Yosuke Tamori added:
“This sensor can detect the movement of a person in bed even when they’re covered with a comforter, and it doesn’t need to use images or video like a camera.”
So, this technology has the benefit of picking up subtle movements, even when some obstacles may be obscuring a direct line of sight. Given that Nintendo’s last three home consoles — and even the 3DS — implemented some form of motion control, it seems likely that Nintendo is researching radio wave sensor technology for more than just an alarm clock. In a sense, it would be impractical for Nintendo to pour resources into researching this technology if the only thing to come out of it is a clock, especially when Nintendo themselves are the pioneers of motion-controlled gaming.
Some of the applications described by the developers sound similar to Xbox’s Kinect, but with the added benefit of not requiring a camera and thus respecting the user’s privacy. Some broader applications include turning off a device without touching it and controlling a device hands-free, without the need of a device like a controller. Tamori elaborated:
“Without being bound to alarm clocks, we asked hardware and software team members to pair up and freely come up with ideas. There were ideas such as leveraging the motion detection function to recreate “Daruma-san ga koronda” [a Japanese variation of the game “Red Light, Green Light”] or performing music by moving your body in time with the rhythm.”
Again, they were looking into applications “without being bound to alarm clocks”. Is it crazy to think that radio wave sensors will be implemented in the Switch’s successor to improve upon the motion controls that we’ve already seen on previous Nintendo consoles? Perhaps this is part of what Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto was alluding to when he told Famitsu (via IGN), “I hope that they will understand Nintendo and not get involved in what is sometimes called the ‘game war,’ such as high specs and how to improve the performance of game consoles . . . Nintendo will continue to make products that are uniquely Nintendo using various technologies available in the world today and we will continue to create not only games but also entertainment content.”
If Nintendo isn’t trying to compete with Sony and Microsoft on performance or graphical fidelity, then perhaps they will continue to pioneer new ways to play games. If radio wave sensors can proficieintly do what Alarmo’s developers say it can, then it seems Nintendo is looking to innovate motion-controlled gaming further, and broaden it’s capabilities. So, while Alarmo itself may not be the most exciting product to come out of Nintendo, it may just be a bellwether for some of the new features in Nintendo’s next home console.
Tell us what you think. Is the technology behind Alarmo a sign of what’s to come in Nintendo’s next console? How Could Alarmo’s Technology be Implemented in the Switch Successor? Let us know in the comments below.
Nick is a writer for Zelda Dungeon and a longtime fan of the Zelda franchise. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, archery, skateboarding, and some good ol’ fashioned family time. He’s an advocate for physical media and an avid video game collector. His favorite Zelda game is Ocarina of Time, though Breath of the Wild and the Link’s Awakening remake are close contenders. His other favorite video games series include Kingdom Hearts, Fallout, and Ratchet & Clank.
