A new PlayStation patent shows Sony wants to continue investing in haptic feedback beyond the PS5 DualSense controller’s current capability and create a new type of immersion not beholden to a VR headset or AR glasses. The patent, published on Oct. 13, 2022, (which SegmentNext first uncovered) outlines Sony’s plans to create haptic vibrations in midair using ultrasonic soundwaves, possibly for the PS VR 2 or potentially for other, non-gaming uses as well.
You can view the full patent on Scribd.
“There is a need in the art for a mid-air haptic interface that imparts a degree of realism equal to that implemented by an immersive computing experience without the need for complex physical installations or other custom-designed venues,” Sony said in the patent application.
Rather than emitting these waves from a controller, Sony plans on creating some kind of projection and tracking device. The patent includes an image showing a person interacting with a virtual object whose parameters are, presumably, defined by the haptics.
Another image shows the user interacting with objects in a larger room, and it seems Sony is looking further than just gaming applications for this new device. In the application’s background section, Sony outlines gaps in VR, AR, and traditional gaming technology – including the DualShock controller and Nintendo’s Joy-Cons – that make its new device worth creating, along with needs it can help meet in immersive cinema and other areas.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF
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