A recently discovered PlayStation VR patent has lifted the lid on Sony’s potential plans for VR, with a new headset that can be connected to the console wirelessly.
As first discovered by Dutch tech site Lets Go Digital (who recently created a mock-up of what Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons could have looked like), the patent goes into great detail about what could be included in a new PlayStation VR headset .
When it comes to the wireless capabilities of this headset, the patent states that the device can be used wirelessly or wired. “In operation, a video signal is provided for display by the HMD [head-mountable display]. This could be provided by an external video signal source such as a video games machine… in which case the signals could be transmitted to the HMD by a wired or wireless connection.”
On top of that, the patent also details how the device features three cameras, two on the front of the headset and one on the back, that can be used to show you your surroundings while wearing the headset or display ‘stereoscopic images’, which would would be a 3D image. There’s also mention of Augmented Reality, where visuals are layered over your view.
Another part of the patent also shows off a PlayStation Move controller that also has a camera attached to it. When it comes to audio, the headset includes a microphone and in-built earphones, which isn’t so surprising given the latest version of PS VR added in the latter.
It’s not the first patent we’ve seen this year regarding future PSVR tech. One that was made public earlier this year went into detail about a VR glove. This latest patent also refers to “the user wearing one or two so-called haptic gloves”, and later mentioning “a so-called Haptic suit may be worn by the user”. While the legalese use of ‘so-called’ made me giggle, it does seem that haptic feedback is a key theme emerging from Sony’s future plans.
While patented technology doesn’t always translate into future tech, it seems likely that VR will be a part of the console’s plans, as Mark Cerny confirmed to Wired earlier this year that current headsets will work with the PS5.
Sony’s future plans have come to the fore recently, with yesterday’s news of the PS5 Holiday 2020 release date, as well as a collection of PS5 new details emerging from a Wired article. While this patent might not have been timed to coincide with those two stories, it does give us an indication that VR remains a key focus for PlayStation.
Got a PS VR and looking for some immersive experiences to make the most out of it? Check out our list of the best PlayStation VR games here
