Comment on The New York City Subway Is Using Google Pixels to Listen for Track Defects
BastingChemina@slrpnk.net 3 days agoI would imagine they use the microphone, accelerometer, some processing power and internet connectivity (WiFi or mobile).
Trying to set up a dedicated hardware with ask that would cost way more than just buying a bunch of pixel phone.
Same for the software, on a smartphone you can just create an app that will record and process all the information vs creating a custom firmware on a custom hardware.
Zonetrooper@lemmy.world 3 days ago
This. I think people are way, way underestimating the integration costs for all of this. It’s not as simple as “buy the pieces, plug them into each other, instant sensor system!”
Especially for riding around in a rough environment, a Pixel is sensors, communication, storage, power, all wrapped up in a reasonably robust case and featuring premade software to run the whole mess when you purchase it.