Professional Android Sensor Programming

Introduction

Androids are alive. They can locate themselves, see, listen, and understand speech. They can sense radio signals and detect orientation, movement, and environmental properties. Can your computer do all of that?

The availability of sensors is one feature Android devices have that makes them different from other computers. Without sensors, an Android device is just an underpowered, mobile web browser with a screen that is too small and has an awkward input mechanism.

Sensors also allow apps to do amazing things. For example, sensors can help save users from painfully slow manual input and manipulation, and sensors can help users do tasks that they could never do before. Because of this, it may be essential for an app to incorporate sensors to be successful.

Sensors will continue to be an important part of the Android platform. As the hardware specifications of Android devices improve, so do the number of available sensors and their quality. While this happens, users will continue to expect apps to use any existing and new sensors when possible. Therefore, using Android's sensors is a crucial skill for any Android programmer to master. This book gives you the knowledge and code you need to develop this skill and make great apps that use sensors.

Programming with Android Sensors

Writing apps that use Android's sensors involves understanding the sensing capabilities of an Android device, selecting which sensors to use in an app, and implementing an app that can acquire ...