Google first announced Android Experiments for this year on March 25, with the challenge inviting developers to submit their crazy and helpful Android apps and services. Well, the challenge is now finished, and the winners have been announced.
Three top winners are featured on the Experiments website, including an autonomous Android-based robot, and a 3D controller that allows you to use your phone to add to the number of sensors available to the Chromecast.
Perhaps the coolest of the winners is the automated robot, which uses an Android-based phone as its brain. According to Google, while there were a few vehicle submissions, this particular one was interesting because of the fact that it used Android’s OpenCV and the phone’s infrared sensors to detect obstacles and follow objects.
The 3D controller for Chromecast could seriously expand on the device’s functionality. For example, it could be used to expand its gaming offerings, allowing you to stream games and control them straight from your phone. The app basically tracks your phone’s orientation in 3D space, then making that information accessible to the Chromecast through an API.
Perhaps the most random of the experiments is a game called Hungermoji, which uses Android’s notifications API to play. That’s right, the entire game takes place in notifications. You basically have to “feed” your emoji by dismissing any non-food notifications and collecting notifications that offer bonus points. You’ll need a phone that uses stock Android, since non-stock notifications can mess up how the game works. It’s certainly an interesting idea, and shows that developers can think outside the box when it comes to using the notifications API.
Winners will get a trip to the Google I/O developer conference, or a Nexus smartphone. To see the full list of winners, head to the Android Experiments winners page.
