--- key: mechanic/phone-microphone--family-sonar type: mechanic id: phone-microphone--family-sonar lang: en title: Speaker and microphone as an acoustic probe summary: >- The phone emits a sound pulse and records its reflection. Return-signal delay is used to estimate obstacle distance. updatedAt: '2026-10-22' status: active url: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-sonar/ jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-sonar.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-sonar.md aliases: - Speaker and microphone as a probe tags: - Phone microphone interactions - Mechanics catalog sourceIds: - source-b0f0f5dae74bfce2 - source-3cd3d0111315b387 - source-2a4797d398583c78 sources: - id: source-b0f0f5dae74bfce2 title: 'FingerIO: active sonar for finger movement' url: 'https://homes.cs.washington.edu/~gshyam/Papers/fingerio.pdf' verifiedAt: null - id: source-3cd3d0111315b387 title: 'CMU/Disney: Acoustruments' url: >- https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2015/april/acoustruments-for-handheld-devices.html verifiedAt: null - id: source-2a4797d398583c78 title: phyphox url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebj3v701HE0&t=185s' verifiedAt: null relations: [] placements: - catalogId: phone-microphone id: family-sonar title: Phone microphone interactions url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-microphone/#family-sonar' categoryIds: - section-1 supersededBy: [] attributes: preview: updatedAt: '2026-10-22' title: Speaker and microphone as a probe description: >- The phone emits a sound pulse and records its reflection. Return-signal delay is used to estimate obstacle distance. image: src: images/mechanics/sensor-phyphox-sonar-185.webp width: 1280 height: 720 game: phyphox sourceUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebj3v701HE0&t=185s' originalUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebj3v701HE0' sourceFrameSeconds: 185 credit: RWTH Aachen University / phyphox rights: >- © RWTH Aachen University / phyphox. Frame from the developers’ sonar demonstration. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0. caption: 'phyphox Sonar: reflected signal on a distance scale' alt: 'phyphox Sonar: reflected signal on a distance scale' markers: - x: 31 'y': 47 label: The echo peak is mapped to distance in centimeters tips: - >- Check multiple reflections, device latency and the sound speed under experiment conditions. examples: - title: phyphox url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebj3v701HE0&t=185s' 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-microphone --- # Speaker and microphone as an acoustic probe id: phone-microphone--family-sonar type: mechanic key: mechanic/phone-microphone--family-sonar lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-sonar/ The phone emits a sound pulse and records its reflection. Return-signal delay is used to estimate obstacle distance. ## At a glance ![phyphox Sonar: reflected signal on a distance scale](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/sensor-phyphox-sonar-185.webp) [phyphox](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebj3v701HE0&t=185s) · © RWTH Aachen University / phyphox. Frame from the developers’ sonar demonstration. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0. [Source recording](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebj3v701HE0), 185 s 1. The echo peak is mapped to distance in centimeters - Check multiple reflections, device latency and the sound speed under experiment conditions. - [phyphox](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebj3v701HE0&t=185s) ## How it works This is active acoustic sensing. The phone emits a known signal and analyzes the reflection; support, accuracy and audibility require testing. ## Variants ### Variants and applications - Contactless button. Signal: Change in reflection from a close hand. Application: By waving over the phone, activate the game action. Access level: R. - Approaching the palm. Signal: Estimation of changes in distance to the reflector. Application: Control a virtual theremin without touching. Access level: R. - Movement to and from the telephone. Signal: Doppler or phase signature. Application: Push and pull a game object with your hand in the air. Access level: R. - Finger trajectory. Signal: Echo changes on multiple channels. Application: Draw next to the screen or expand the work area. Access level: R. - Circular or side gesture. Signal: Classification of reflector trajectories. Application: Switch pages or cast a circular spell. Access level: R. - Changing obstacles. Signal: The difference in reflections of the reference signal. Application: Notice the appearance of an object in a small play area. Access level: R. - Acoustic resonator. Signal: Change in response of a prepared object. Application: Assemble musical castles from tubes and cavities. Access level: R. - Distance between devices. Signal: Sound travel time, taking into account delays and synchronization. Application: Solve a cooperative problem with the mutual arrangement of telephones. Access level: R. ## Context and limits Author's design map for mobile games and interactive applications. 144 techniques in 18 groups, including basic signals, rules and combinations. Applications are design ideas and not a list of released games. ## 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. - [FingerIO: active sonar for finger movement](https://homes.cs.washington.edu/~gshyam/Papers/fingerio.pdf) (id: source-b0f0f5dae74bfce2) - [CMU/Disney: Acoustruments](https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2015/april/acoustruments-for-handheld-devices.html) (id: source-3cd3d0111315b387) - [phyphox](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebj3v701HE0&t=185s) (id: source-2a4797d398583c78) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors