Sony may be gearing up to release a new control option for PlayStation VR, as the company has filed three different patents for a glove controller.
According to Sony Computer Entertainment’s trio of patent applications (via NeoGAF), the controller is designed to be used with a head-mounted display—presumably its upcoming virtual reality headset.
It’s important to bear in mind that the existence of a patent is not confirmation that a product based on it when ever be released. Still, it’s exciting to see what Sony might be at least exploring.
The patents in question are:
- 14/517733 | Thumb Controller
- 14/517741 | Glove Interface Object
- 14/503275 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO A USER WHILE INTERACTING WITH CONTENT
According to the “Glove Interface Object” description, the device features a flex sensor that tracks the position of your fingers, as well as a contact sensor to register when and if you’re touching something, and a communication module to transmit the data to a head-mounted display.
“In still other embodiments, virtual gloves may be worn by multiple users in a multi-user game. In such examples, each user may use one or two gloves,” reads a line from the description. “The users may be co-located or interfacing in a shared space or shared game from remote locations using a cloud gaming system, networked device and/or social networked collaboration space.”
“In some embodiments, a glove may be used by one or more remote users to interact in a collaborative way to examine documents, screens, applications, diagrams, business information, or the like. In such an implementation, users collaborating may use their gloves to touch objects, move objects, interface with surfaces, press on objects, squeeze objects, toss objects, make gesture actions or motions, or the like.”
