Sony patents tech that can transform banana into PlayStation controller

The latest PS5 console and even the rival Xbox Series X for that matter come with one controller with the retail box, but there won't be much fun if we just play alone at home. It has to play with a passionate group of friends to enjoy the gaming. But, to buy another controller or head-mountable display or any accessories, people have to shell out close to Rs 10,000 if not more, given that there is a huge supply problem due to the shortage of chipset caused by Covid-19 induced lockdown in 2020, the companies are still struggling to get components to streamline production. Some scalpers are selling the controllers and consoles for double the price of the MRP.

Well, it looks like Sony seems to understand the players' budget constraint and has come up with ingenious technology and filed a patent at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It is capable of transforming a banana into a PlayStation controller.

"Currently, there exist a number of video game peripherals on the market. These range from e.g. head-mountable displays (HMDs), motion controllers, handheld games controllers (e.g. the DualShock.TM. 4), steering wheels, gun peripherals, balance boards, etc. Whilst peripherals such as these can enrich a player's video game experience, the technical complexity (and therefore cost) associated with such devices can often act as a barrier to entry in terms of players accessing such equipment. Most video game consoles come with at least one controller and for some players, this may be the only controller in their possession. As will be appreciated, a limited number of peripherals may limit a player's ability to access all of a video game's features (e.g. multiplayer, VR, etc.). Even if a player is in possession of multiple peripherals, each of these may need to be charged regularly in order to be usable. It would be desirable if a user could use an inexpensive, simple, and non-electronic device as a video game peripheral. The present disclosure seeks to address or at least alleviate some of the above-identified problems."-- reads Sony's patent description.

The patent document shows a schematic diagram showing a banana, where power controls, probably laser lights projected on the two ends of the fruit.

We have already seen some companies using laser technology integrated with a display monitor to project a virtual keypad in front of it and take input just like a physical keyboard.

Sony can transform a simple Banana into a gaming controller. (screen-grab of Sony patent document on USPTO website)

But, with Sony's patented tech, the company believes it can incorporate a highly sensitive video camera, laser projector, and motion sensors paired with a console to project virtual control keys on to a banana or any household objects (non-luminous in nature) for users to play the game normally just as they would do with Sony DualSense Wireless Controller.

(Screen-grab of Sony patent document on USPTO website)

"The video game playing device illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 is an example of a video game playing device that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure. In FIG. 1, an additional peripheral device, in the form of a banana 49, is also shown. The ways in which such an object may be used as a controller will be apparent from the embodiments described below. As mentioned previously, motion controllers are one means through which a player may provide input to a video game playing device. Typically, motion controllers incorporate an internal sensor (e.g. gyroscope, accelerometer) or a light source to enable the position of the controller to be tracked. In the former example, the motion controller usually transmits an indication of its position and orientation to a video game playing device, which updates the actions of a virtual character accordingly. In the latter example, the light source is usually tracked by a video camera, which detects the location of the lights in the video images and determines corresponding user inputs based on changes in the locations and/or separation of the light sources, e.g. via constellation tracking. Whilst motion controllers such as these may allow for accurate tracking of a player's movements, a player may find the cost of such devices prohibitive, or that their motion controller has insufficient power and therefore cannot be used immediately. A system for alleviating these problems will now be described in relation to FIG. 2. The video game playing device described in relation to FIG. 1 may correspond to or form part of such a system-" reads the Sony patent document.

This is a welcome move by Sony as this will lessen the burden on gamers in terms of expenditure spent on buying additional peripherals for a new console.

However, it remains to be seen how soon Sony will be able to bring the technology to the market.

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