Electronic dice for playing board games on mobile devices

The mems powered electronic dice technology by STMicroelectronics allows mobile phone users to play board games. While the board is displayed on mobile phone screen, the e-dice generates the number 1-6 just like the traditional dice. The number is digitally displayed on the dice as well as passed on to the mobile wirelessly. Players hold DICE+ in their hands, shake it and roll it, just as they would with traditional dice. ST says cheating is not possible; holding the device in a particular position and then rolling it gently to achieve a desired result will not work because this smart dice knows when it has been properly rolled. “Whether the game is being played with physical pieces or on a tablet, a major part of the enjoyment is the moment when the dice is rolled and everybody holds their breath and waits for it to settle. And everyone who rolls a dice hopes that if they throw it right they will get the result they want,” said Patryk Strzelewicz, Board Member at Game Technologies S.A. “We chose ST as our key technology supplier because they offered best-in-class solutions in all key areas and, because they were all available from the same supplier, we benefitted from focused, committed application support.” ST is supplying four key devices in DICE+: a combined 6-axis accelerometer/ magnetometer to detect and measure movement and orientation, an ultra-low-power STM...