Mind-Blowing Sony Patent: Unleashing the Next Level of Gaming with Intuitive Player Gaze Recognition
Sony patents game system that tracks players' eye movements, allowing in-game responses to be triggered based on their gaze direction A groundbreaking innovation enhancing player immersion and interaction
Highlights
Sony has recently submitted a patent application for an innovative eye-tracking system to enhance the immersive experience of virtual reality (VR) games. This cutting-edge technology not only tracks the direction in which players look but also monitors their pupil dilation and other eye-related movements in order to provide engaging in-game responses. Notably, the patent explores the potential use of this feature in multiplayer games, showcasing an intriguing example involving eye contact with characters, which could unlock diverse dialogue options for players to explore and discover.Sony's filing of a patent has garnered attention due to the unique technology explained and the intriguing example given by the company itself, raising concerns about potential applications and censorship attempts. Recently made public, the patent suggests that Sony is working on an eye-tracking system for virtual reality (VR) games, enabling in-game responses based on the player's gaze. Titled "Using Gaze Tracking to Effect Player Choices in Multi Player Interactive Narratives," the patent was initially filed on December 21, 2022, coinciding with other companies like Microsoft announcing similar eye-tracking patents.
Virtual reality technology has made significant advancements in recent years, with Sony leading the way in innovative VR solutions for gaming. Their PlayStation VR headset is renowned in the market, and the company has previously filed patents for various VR technologies.
However, this latest patent is quite unusual. Not only does it describe a system that enables a VR headset to track the wearer's eye movements, but it also suggests peculiar applications for this technology. Essentially, the patent proposes a system that provides feedback based on the direction of the wearer's gaze, pupil dilation, and more. Although primarily focused on multiplayer games, Sony's previous projects have already showcased the potential of eye tracking in single-player VR horror games.
What is particularly peculiar about the patent filing is that Sony provides a rather unusual example of how their technology could be utilized, specifically by mentioning the act of ogling someone's cleavage. Commencing from paragraph 26 of the patent's Description section, a situation is described involving two players engaged in a multiplayer game, with one player assuming the role of a customer and the other as the shopkeeper. In this particular scenario, the shopkeeper character is depicted as "a female character wearing a revealing blouse," and different dialogue options may be offered if, during their conversation, "the customer player directs their gaze towards the shopkeeper's revealing blouse (staring at her cleavage)." As per the patent, these dialogue choices may include responses such as "Please maintain eye contact" or intriguingly, "It seems you're enjoying the view." It remains unclear how Sony's attempts to censor age-restricted content in virtual reality could manage to control the suggestive interactions suggested by this example.
This filing is peculiar even without delving into the speculation it seems to invite. Recently, several gaming companies have been announcing unusual patents, but Sony's eye tracking technology in this filing stands out due to its eyebrow-raising implications. Inappropriate ideas about potential uses will inevitably arise when it comes to systems like this, but it is truly bizarre to witness a company seemingly making such suggestions in its own patent filing.
