London, Aug 3 (IANS) If your smartphone alarm is unable to make you jump off the bed in the morning, read on. Researchers in Japan have revealed a 3D-printed wheeled smartphone case that lets your device move away from you when the alarm goes off and will also roll toward you whenever a notification pops up.
So far, the case is equipped with three functions -- Runaway Snooze, Hard Push and Scale Trace, dailymail.co.uk reported on Wednesday.
Runaway Snooze is an alarm application enhanced by motion. When the user tries to hold the phone to snooze, it senses his hand and escapes from it.
Hard Push is a new way to inform the user of incoming important notifications and when an important notification comes, the phone moves toward the user to encourage him to check.
Scale Trace allows the case to take accurate measurements of a given space.
The 3D-printed prototype case contains a circuit board, made up of a micro-controller, USB-serial converter, motors, motor drivers and rotary encoders, the report added.
Combined with a set of 3D-printed wheels, these features allow a smartphone to drive across flat surfaces, with control over the linear and rotational movements of the phone.
