RidePods – Race with Head, a game that uses head movements to control a vehicle through Apple AirPods, has been released on the App Store for iOS and iPadOS. The project was developed by Ali Tanis, who managed to use the spatial audio sensors in the headphones to implement the controller function. Tom's Hardware writes about this.
The idea for using sensors reportedly came to the developer a few weeks ago while working on another app. Tanis suggested that the sensors responsible for spatial sound could be used to track head movements. After reverse engineering this feature, he created a game that passed Apple's review and was added to the App Store.
In RidePods, the player controls a motorcycle by tilting their head left or right to make turns. They can also accelerate or brake by moving their head forward or backward. The game involves avoiding cars, trucks, and other obstacles while trying to score the most points.
For correct operation, headphones with spatial audio support are required. AirPods Pro and third-generation AirPods are supported, in particular. If using other models, functionality may be limited.
Earlier, it became known about another case where a developer used the capabilities of a hidden sensor in Apple equipment to create an application. Engineer Sam Henry Gold gained access to control the undocumented LidAngleSensor lid opening angle sensor in MacBook laptops. He created a creaking door simulator that played a sound depending on the angle of the lid opening. Later, he expanded the experiment by adding a theremin mode, an electronic musical instrument.