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Sony patents biometric controllers

Devices would measure heart rate, skin moisture.

Sony has filed a patent for biometric game controllers.

As spotted by Siliconera, the listings describe sensors built into the DualShock 3 and Move controllers, as well as a proposed handheld, which measure skin moisture, heart rate and muscle movement.

Included in the filing are a number of possible implementations for the system.

  • Weapon handling could change depending on how nervous the player is. For example, when using a sniper rifle, the more relaxed your heart rate, the steadier your aim.
  • Players could tense their grip to withstand an attack or charge a shield.
  • An in-game character could start sweating if the player's heart rate increases.
  • Your in-game health bar could deplete more rapidly if you're nervous.
  • A player's attacks could differ depending on heart rate.
  • Background music and scenery could change depending on your stress level.
  • A game's difficulty could adapt to a player's stress level.

It all sounds rather similar to what Nintendo was shooting for with the MIA Wii Vitality Sensor add-on shown off at E3 a few years back.

Sony has given no indication as to when, or if, it actually intends to implement the tech.

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Fred Dutton avatar

Fred Dutton

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Fred Dutton was Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

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