--- key: mechanic/phone-magnetometer--family-08 type: mechanic id: phone-magnetometer--family-08 lang: en title: Objects and physical tokens summary: >- A physical overlay maps magnet position to a command. In the MagBoard prototype, a printed grid defines keys for a phone application. updatedAt: '2026-10-22' status: active url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-magnetometer--family-08/' jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-magnetometer--family-08.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-magnetometer--family-08.md aliases: - Objects and tangible media tags: - Phone magnetometer interactions - Mechanics catalog sourceIds: - source-ee9f12adfc1daf72 sources: - id: source-ee9f12adfc1daf72 title: MagBoard prototype / Calculator url: 'https://arxiv.org/abs/1605.00284' verifiedAt: null relations: [] placements: - catalogId: phone-magnetometer id: family-08 title: Phone magnetometer interactions url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-magnetometer/#family-08' categoryIds: - section-1 supersededBy: [] attributes: preview: updatedAt: '2026-10-22' title: Objects and tangible media description: >- A physical overlay maps magnet position to a command. In the MagBoard prototype, a printed grid defines keys for a phone application. image: src: images/mechanics/sensor-magboard-photo.webp width: 709 height: 651 game: MagBoard prototype / Calculator sourceUrl: 'https://arxiv.org/abs/1605.00284' originalUrl: 'https://arxiv.org/pdf/1605.00284' credit: 'Heba Abdelnasser, Moustafa Youssef and Khaled A. Harras' rights: >- Photo from the authors’ MagBoard paper, arXiv:1605.00284, PDF page 2. Third-party application imagery retains its own rights. All rights reserved; excluded from portal MIT and CC BY 4.0. caption: 'MagBoard: a printed overlay and the resulting calculator input' alt: 'MagBoard: a printed overlay and the resulting calculator input' markers: - x: 54 'y': 57 label: A magnet over a cell selects the corresponding command tips: - >- Register overlay placement and do not promise unique recognition of arbitrary objects. examples: - title: MagBoard prototype / Calculator url: 'https://arxiv.org/abs/1605.00284' endsAt: null provenance: >- Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review. license: CC-BY-4.0 codeLicense: MIT attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors catalogKey: catalog/phone-magnetometer --- # Objects and physical tokens id: phone-magnetometer--family-08 type: mechanic key: mechanic/phone-magnetometer--family-08 lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-magnetometer--family-08/ A physical overlay maps magnet position to a command. In the MagBoard prototype, a printed grid defines keys for a phone application. ## At a glance ![MagBoard: a printed overlay and the resulting calculator input](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/sensor-magboard-photo.webp) [MagBoard prototype / Calculator](https://arxiv.org/abs/1605.00284) · Photo from the authors’ MagBoard paper, arXiv:1605.00284, PDF page 2. Third-party application imagery retains its own rights. All rights reserved; excluded from portal MIT and CC BY 4.0. 1. A magnet over a cell selects the corresponding command - Register overlay placement and do not promise unique recognition of arbitrary objects. - [MagBoard prototype / Calculator](https://arxiv.org/abs/1605.00284) ## How it works Prepared objects receive distinguishable magnetic characteristics; recognition depends on location and calibration. ## Variants ### Variants and applications - Inserting a physical key. Action: Insert a magnetic object into the only prepared slot. Application: Open the door, start the plot, activate the artifact. Limitations: A familiar field configuration is detected; copy protection is not provided. Equipment: Magnetic props with a given geometry. Preparation: Needs setup. Type: Game rule. - Selecting an item by signature. Action: Insert prepared objects with different magnetic templates into one slot one by one. Application: Character figures, physical inventory, tool selection. Limitations: Classes may overlap; you need a small proven set and exact position. Equipment: Magnetic props with a given geometry. Preparation: Experimental. Type: Input method. - Side or orientation of the token. Action: Flip or rotate one token in a fixed location. Application: Selecting the face of the card, the state of the hero, the direction of action. Limitations: Distinction of orientations must be checked on a specific design. Equipment: Magnetic props with a given geometry. Preparation: Needs setup. Type: Input method. - A chip on a marked path. Action: Move one magnetic chip along known points or cells. Application: Tabletop labyrinth, route, local tactical task. Limitations: One sensor does not provide a reliable complete picture of several chips on a large field. Equipment: Magnetic props with a given geometry. Preparation: Experimental. Type: Input method. - Sequence of presentations. Action: Apply prepared items one at a time in a given order. Application: Potion recipe, story from cards, assembling a team. Limitations: The application stores the order; it does not detect all objects lying nearby at once. Equipment: Magnetic props with a given geometry. Preparation: Experimental. Type: Game rule. - Magnetic code scanning. Action: Guide media with large magnetic marks through the guide. Application: Physics program, toy command, code page. Limitations: Special slow code; reading banking magnetic stripes is not expected. Equipment: Magnetic details with a given geometry. Preparation: Experimental. Type: Input method. - Opening a page or flap. Action: Move a magnet along with a known fold or a separate page. Application: Interactive book, box, drop-down object. Limitations: Many magnets give a total field; start with one moving part. Equipment: Magnetic props with a given geometry. Preparation: Needs setup. Type: Input method. - Assembly step control. Action: Bring the next module to a single reading zone before installation. Application: Educational constructor, sequential assembly of the device, repair in a quest. Limitations: The presentation of the module is confirmed, and not the correctness of the entire structure. Equipment: Magnetic props with a given geometry. Preparation: Experimental. Type: Game rule. ## Context and limits Author's working classification for designing games and interactions. Options can overlap and combine; the list is not a generally accepted standard or proven exhaustive list. Application examples are conditional unless a specific verifiable observation is indicated nearby. Sources support individual techniques and technical limitations. ## Connected materials ## Sources and provenance Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review. - [MagBoard prototype / Calculator](https://arxiv.org/abs/1605.00284) (id: source-ee9f12adfc1daf72) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors