--- key: mechanic/phone-microphone--family-space type: mechanic id: phone-microphone--family-space lang: en title: Position and multiple microphones summary: >- Acoustic signals can help locate a source or obstacle. Phone movement and additional channels can expand the observations. updatedAt: '2026-10-22' status: active url: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-space/ jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-space.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-space.md aliases: [] tags: - Phone microphone interactions - Mechanics catalog sourceIds: - source-1832ac5904392e64 - source-8e91d420272de1ac - source-2a4797d398583c78 sources: - id: source-1832ac5904392e64 title: 'Android AudioRecord: active microphones' url: >- https://developer.android.com/reference/android/media/AudioRecord#getActiveMicrophones() verifiedAt: null - id: source-8e91d420272de1ac title: 'Apple QA1799: microphone selection' url: 'https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/qa/qa1799/' 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-space title: Phone microphone interactions url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-microphone/#family-space' categoryIds: - section-1 supersededBy: [] attributes: preview: updatedAt: '2026-10-22' title: Position and multiple microphones description: >- Acoustic signals can help locate a source or obstacle. Phone movement and additional channels can expand the observations. 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: - >- A single stationary microphone without a model does not reliably provide a full 3D direction. 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 --- # Position and multiple microphones id: phone-microphone--family-space type: mechanic key: mechanic/phone-microphone--family-space lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-microphone--family-space/ Acoustic signals can help locate a source or obstacle. Phone movement and additional channels can expand the observations. ## 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 - A single stationary microphone without a model does not reliably provide a full 3D direction. - [phyphox](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebj3v701HE0&t=185s) ## How it works Physical direction and distance require suitable channels or a controlled procedure. A regular mono signal does not guarantee them. ## Variants ### Variants and applications - Source side. Signal: Time and level difference between channels. Application: Select left or right target with real sound. Access level: D. - Source direction. Signal: Angle estimation from microphone array. Application: Use your phone as an acoustic compass. Access level: R. - Approaching and moving away. Signal: Changes in a known source signal. Application: Move the phone to the lighthouse in the game "hot and cold". Access level: D. - Direction through scanning. Signal: Changes when the phone is rotated and IMU data. Application: Rotate the phone to search for the most distinguishable signal. Access level: D. - Selects front or rear input. Signal: Supported sources and charts. Application: Switch the game “receiver” between the sides of the device. Access level: D. - Focus on the source. Signal: Directional processing of available channels. Application: Select one of the pre-placed sound beacons. Access level: R. - Source trajectory. Signal: Change of inter-channel features over time. Application: Move a sounding object around the phone as a game gesture. Access level: R. - Room response. Signal: Reflection of the control pulse. Application: Compare gaming room acoustic profiles after calibration. 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. - [Android AudioRecord: active microphones](https://developer.android.com/reference/android/media/AudioRecord#getActiveMicrophones()) (id: source-1832ac5904392e64) - [Apple QA1799: microphone selection](https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/qa/qa1799/) (id: source-8e91d420272de1ac) - [phyphox](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebj3v701HE0&t=185s) (id: source-2a4797d398583c78) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors