Sony tested sweat sensor for PlayStation 4 controller

Mark Cerny says the company experimented with galvanic sensors to measure stress response in the PlayStation 4 controller.

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If you have an affinity for trivia about oddball patents, you might remember a few years ago when Sony had designs for a biometric controller. Apparently, that wasn't just a flight of fancy, as PlayStation 4 lead architect Mark Cerny said it was among the ideas they tested for the system.

"We had a long research project where we looked at pretty much any idea that we could think of," Cerny told Stuff.tv (via PushSquare). "Would it help to measure the galvanic response of the skin? We tried out a tremendous number of things--and then we went to the game teams to ask them what they thought they could use from the controller."

Apparently the stress sensors didn't make the cut. The original patent called for three sources of bio-feedback: skin moisture, heart rhythm, and muscle movements. These could be used, according to the patent, to make a sniper rifle become more or less steady depending on your stress, tense up to withstand an attack, or get an adrenaline boost for faster movement. It could also take a more background role, like shifting difficulty level of music dynamically.

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  • reply
    July 15, 2013 9:20 AM

    Steve Watts posted a new article, Sony tested sweat sensor for PlayStation 4 controller.

    Mark Cerny says the company experimented with galvanic sensors to measure stress response in the PlayStation 4 controller.

    • reply
      July 15, 2013 9:27 AM

      I wonder if they had takeb the reception to the Wii Vitality Sensor and Nintendo Horse Bag into account. Those were classic targets of ridicule by 2009-era Idle Thumbs.

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      July 15, 2013 9:32 AM

      Imagine what Hideo Kojima could have done with this!

      • reply
        July 15, 2013 11:36 AM

        It's doesn't take Psycho Mantis to figure out that the guy playing your game is fat and sweaty.

    • reply
      July 15, 2013 11:55 AM

      My hands sometimes get bizarrely sweaty just randomly while playing some games, not even in response to anything. Hello dripping wet xbox controller, nice to meet you. Why can't my palms get sweaty like that while I'm jerking off? Free lube.

      • reply
        July 15, 2013 12:26 PM

        Same. I don't think this would work as they hoped. At least not for us sweaty westerners.

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        July 15, 2013 12:40 PM

        I dont have that problem with my hands, but with my arm pits, thats a different story.

        When i play HoN, after a game, i will literally be pitting out. If im not wearing a shirt, its dripping down my sides. I dont even sweat that much after playing 3 hours of basketball. Its so weird.

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        July 15, 2013 1:10 PM

        yah my hands get really sweaty sometimes... hate it.

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        July 15, 2013 1:13 PM

        I had this problem when I lived in a vero hot room without A/C. I have remedied the situation by using white cotton gloves which I bought in nearby photography store.

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