Sony Patented VR Gloves


02/29/2016

Being able to see your hands in virtual reality is an indescribable feeling. Many VR-headset manufacturers understand this. Some try to solve this problem with the help of smart sensors, and some suggest using just conventional controllers with buttons. Next month, Sony plans to reveal the date of commencement of sales and the final price of its headset PlayStation VR, but it seems that it's not all the company’s secrets. Probably, the Japanese engineers seriously reflect on the idea to revive creation of a glove-controller for virtual reality.



BagoGames via flickr
NeoGAF portal’s user nicknamed Rosti found an interesting patent, recently booked by Sony. This is a concept of a gadget, made as a glove for position tracking a user's hand and his fingers in space. The device seems to be working in conjunction with a camera (PlayStation Camera) since it is equipped with a luminous sphere, familiar from the controller PlayStation Move. However, the most interesting is hidden in the text of the patent specification.

Apparently, the sphere is just the tip of the iceberg, as the glove contains a variety of flexible sensors to track not only position of individual fingers, but also contacts between them. In other words, the game or application would be conscious if you pressed one finger to the other. This opens up opportunities for developers implementing virtual interface. To heighten the realism, the bracelet attached to the glove contains a mechanism for tactile feedback, which means it will vibrate during interaction of virtual hands and certain objects. Just imagine that you are clutching a virtual gun in your hand, pressing the trigger and feel the physical impact of the shot.

Gloves will also track different gestures. For example, if your phone ring and you need to answer - you can spread wide pinky and thumb (so people usually depict the handset) and the game will be on a break immediately.