author: Bart Swiatek
Patent Suggests PS5 DualShock May Check the Player's Heart Rate
A patent registered with the U.S. Patent Office reveals a technology that may appear in DualShock 5 - a function that would enable us to measure the heart rate and sweat rate of a player in order to better adjust the gameplay.
IN A NUTSHELL:
- The patent suggests that DualShock 5 will measure our heart rate and sweat rate;
- The information would be used to create a more engaging gaming experience.
A patent registered by Sony Interactive Entertainment with the US Patent Office suggests that DualShock 5 - the controller for PlayStation 5 - will check some of the player's biometric data, such as heart rate and sweat secretion. Based on this information, the console will modify the user experience.
"Controller attachment containing a biometric sensor. It consists of one or more sensors that are designed to acquire biometric information when at least one of them are in contact with the user's hand during normal use of the controller, and an output unit that is designed to transmit biometric information obtained through measurements made by one or more sensors," as the patent reads.
It is not known how exactly games would use this type of gadget, but you can imagine various possibilities and interesting applications. For example, one option is to adjust sudden twists (or terrifying moments in survival horrors) so that they appear at times when the player feels overly relaxed. Biometric data could also allow the level of player involvement and emotion to be checked in individual sections of the game.
It is worth noting that the patent also mentions virtual reality technology, emphasizing that players want more and more immersive and interactive experiences.
"There is a desire in computer gaming to provide an immersive engaging and highly interactive experience for players, so as to enhance the enjoyment of the player. This has become of particular interes with the increasing availability of head-mounted displays (HMDs) [e.g. VR goggles - editorial note]," we read.
It should be noted that patents are not always used by the companies registering them, so it is difficult to say whether the technology in questio will actually be implemented in the the PS5 controller. It is also uncertain whether all players would accept this kind of gadget. For some people, the reading of biometric information can be an activity that goes beyond the limit of comfort and violates their privacy - especially since when playing on a console we log in to an account that is often linked to our name (either directly or through a payment/credit card attached to it).
We would like to remind that the PlayStation 5 console will launch during the holiday season this year, just like the competing Xbox Series X. According to confirmed information, the Dualshock 5 will have a number of other interesting technologies, such as adaptive triggers and a new haptic (vibration) system.