DS Directional Sensing Card Used For Stargazing

By Spencer . January 23, 2009 . 8:05am

While digging through Japan’s trademark database last week we discovered Nintendo registered a trademark for a DS card that could detect direction. The unique card is real and now we know what it’s being used for. Sorry to disappoint anyone, it’s not for a new Zelda game with a realistic compass feature.

AstroArts is using the technology for Hoshizora Navi literally translated as “Starry Sky Navigator”. This Nintendo DS title is not a game, it’s software that helps users appreciate the night sky. Hoshizora Navi has star charts covering 9,300 stars, planets, suns, and moons from 1900 to 2099. While you can use the software to analyze past and future of deep space AstroArts seemed to design it with the present in mind. Hoshizora Navi uses the DS direction sensing card to figure out you current orientation and it adjusts the on screen star chart accordingly. So, when you move the screen changes to fit your view. A very neat concept that reminds me of the PSP star gazing software Homestar, which was made by Sega for Japan only.

Images courtesy of ASCII Media Works.

TAGS: AstroArts, DS Direction Sensor Card, Gadgets, Hoshizora Navi, Nintendo, Nintendo DS

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matty

Let’s roll up to be a single staaar in the sky~
I live in the city so the only stars I see at night are like The King from Spaceballs, Jaleel White and the like.
It would be cool if it could detect U.F.O.s!

MadMirko

Oh, handy for serious stargazers. Still waiting for a game developer to license the direction sensor, though.

JeremyR

Cool idea, but I think the screen is a little small for practical use. I have one of those planisphere things (stars on a wheel) and its about twice the size of the DS itself (not just screen) and can be a little hard to read.

Also note that it doesn't seem to have any labels for the Constellations.