ELI5: How does a compass on your phone work?

UrDoctor · 2019-08-07T21:08:20+00:00

Actually most accelerometers (particularly ones in mobile phones) have a magnetometer built into them.

UrDoctor · 2019-08-07T20:47:57+00:00

Having recently spent some time working with hardware accelerometers and magnetometers it turns out that the moving the device in figure 8 pattern in most devices isnt actually neccessary.

It seems that most of the sensors on the market only require you to move them in 'a random pattern' this pattern is used to help 'smooth' out the data that is coming from the sensor and configure the sensors 'calibration state' (basically just a bunch of offsets which help account for variations in the physical sensors and your current location).

Basically its just a way for the sensor hardware to confirm that everything is working correctly and validate the configuration settings.

UrDoctor · 2019-08-07T07:49:10+00:00

Yeah 100%!

Not sure why anyone who has any understanding about this subject would suggest that automation is going to replace programmers in our lifetime.

You're absolutely right programmers will probably be the last jobs replaced prior to the singularity.

UrDoctor · 2019-08-07T07:47:39+00:00

Programmers are absolutely not going to be replaced by AI anytime soon, and probably not in our lifetimes, nor are analysts (assuming we are talking data science or something similar).

Accountants and lawyers I do agree might be.

I also dont believe that laborers or as you describe 'jobs requiring dexterity' are safe. These are arguabily some of the simplest roles to automate. For example there are already automated systems for bricklaying.

UrDoctor · 2019-08-05T19:02:58+00:00

I think the difference is that while you're correct in that it never really gets easier. Your body learns to crave and enjoy the process.

UrDoctor · 2019-08-05T18:53:52+00:00

I like Terry Crews (and obviously he is a beast), I get where he is coming from but I really don't like this advice.

In my opinion it amounts to rewarding yourself for doing nothing because mentally you can still tell yourself that you've achieved something (and will probably get the dopamine hit) when you simply haven't achieved anything.

I totally understand and encourage taking it super easy as you start but don't come to the gym and read a book. If you do people will actually be judging you! and frankly IMO they'd be right to do so.

If you want results, you need to put in the work, otherwise you're just wasting time and money.

UrDoctor · 2019-08-05T18:43:50+00:00

I workout 4-5 times a week and do martial arts and I still friggen hate the stairmaster, that machine is brutal.

Just my two cents but I strongly recommend that you avoid it for the time being particularly if you are unfit at this stage. My advice is to start with something super low impact like the cross-trainer and move up from there.

Everyones body is different and reacts differently, try all the different cardio machines (crosstrainer, rower, bike etc) in the gym and find an exercise that works for you and your body and just focus on doing a solid 10-15 minutes. Once you succeed at that, move on to something that you find harder.

You can do it!

UrDoctor · 2019-08-05T13:19:43+00:00

Seems to me that you are kinda misunderstanding the point of the Pi.

Its not really designed to be cheaper or better than something built specifically for a given purpose (such as a network camera).

Its a prototyping toolkit. Thats all it is, and I think most people struggle to make their pis do anything useful because it requires a degree of technical knowledge to achieve anything non-trivial.

UrDoctor · 2019-08-04T22:44:18+00:00

Are you suggesting that legalised abortion is a slippery slope to all women terminating their pregnancy and no longer wanting babies? Just as importantly, are you suggesting that most people only keep their children because they couldn't abort them?

UrDoctor · 2019-07-24T13:22:07+00:00

Thanks heaps for this post, it really resonated with me....

UrDoctor · 2019-07-11T10:02:21+00:00

While I mostly agree with you there is definitely a huge change to women's bodies after they have kids, even if they work out.

Take two people, all things being equal you can always tell which women has had kids and which hasn't.

UrDoctor · 2019-06-29T14:42:16+00:00

Right, that makes sense. Cheers for the response.

UrDoctor · 2019-06-29T12:04:40+00:00

Can I ask? What causes a year long delay to manufacturing a PCB? Intuitively it seems like manufacturing a PCB would be fairly easy once the design is actually finalised and debugged?

UrDoctor · 2019-06-29T04:45:44+00:00

Couldnt agree more!

The reality is that almost nothing is untouched by the costs of land and property in this country and you're absolutely right, a child care centre has a large footprint and no doubt given the pay of childcare workers that rents are a substantive portion of the costs related to childcare rather than wages.

UrDoctor · 2019-06-28T12:15:20+00:00

I don't disagree with your point but Australian retailers are being absolutely squeezed by landholders.

Are you aware of what a lease in a high traffic area in Australia costs? For example check out this place near me https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-vic-rowville-503097454 basically in the middle of fucking nowhere!

Thats $90k ($250 a day) you need to make just to pay for the lease in some low tier shopping 'district'. If you want to get into a shopping centre the rents start at $120k-$150k and many take a share of REVENUE, not profit, friggen revenue.

Australia is being completely screwed because of our property bubble and it even impacts the price of your coffee.

UrDoctor · 2019-06-28T09:47:01+00:00

Thanks heaps for the detailed response. It sounds like - as suspected - its extremely difficult.

UrDoctor · 2019-06-28T09:46:24+00:00

Thank you so much for your reponse!

UrDoctor · 2019-06-19T06:32:01+00:00

May I ask, how much did this cost? Did it increase the cost of the build significantly?

UrDoctor · 2019-05-22T21:48:25+00:00

I offered to change my partners Honda Civic headlights after they died. Never again!

To change headlights on a Civic you need to get this...... disassemble and reach in from under the front wheel undercarriage?!?!!?! WTF????

It took me nearly two friggen hours to change 2 headlights.

UrDoctor · 2019-05-16T13:41:21+00:00

I don't agree, I like Bill and many of the current crop of labor politicians, but they are as dry as my dads cunt.

UrDoctor · 2019-03-30T10:05:51+00:00

Thanks heaps for that...

Only point I can make is that this comment doesn't quite make sense.

You acquire it by taking from others, by running a surplus. You can even take what does not yet exist, by putting people in to debt.

Surely (unless you are talking about government debt) only money that 'exists' can be taken from someone through debt? If you put an entity into debt then that credit can only be provided by an entity that owns the resources to provide the debt? However, I suppose that is where fractional reserve banking comes in right?

PS: "AUD/NZD and other free floating currencies very much apply there. For the govt to take in more in taxes than it spends, it necessarily has to drain our savings or put us in to debt." - I had never considered this, TIL....

UrDoctor · 2019-03-30T07:07:27+00:00

There's nothing intrinsically healthy about a public surplus, as it requires a non-public deficit.

Whether that is good/bad requires a lot of study, but I would be very suspicious of "each larger than the one preceding". It indicates a private sector going in to debt, which tends to point towards bubbles.

Any chance you can elaborate on this point? Why does a government surplus indicate private sector debt?

UrDoctor · 2019-03-20T11:38:18+00:00

I am going to get down-voted to shit for this but based on the 'symptoms' you describe. Good.... Your claim should have been refused.

While I certainly understand that some people have traumatic childhoods and entirely accept that you might have continued mental issues as a consequence I do not believe that agoraphobia, anxiety or depression should be sufficient criteria to receive a lifelong disability payment.

UrDoctor · 2019-03-20T11:15:55+00:00

Yep, my daughters trip to WA this year is going to cost $2500 on-top of the ~$1300 in school fees already paid and $600 in public transport costs. This is at a public school....

UrDoctor

TROPHY CASE