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Thanks to a few patent applications that have emerged in the past two years, we’ve had the idea that Sony has been messing around with finger-tracking technology for a line of new VR motion controllers. It is still unclear whether these controllers are intended to be a successor to the PlayStation Move or part of the kit for the unannounced PlayStation VR 2 or something completely different, but at least now we can see them in action thanks to a new video from Sony researchers.
As seen by UploadVR Earlier this week, Kazuyuki Arimatsu and Hideki Mori with Sony Interactive Entertainment, the division of Sony behind the development of PlayStation, recently released a research work Entitled “Evaluation of machine learning techniques for estimating hand posture on a portable device with a proximity sensor.” In it, the researchers detail how they have equipped a prototype for the controller with capacitive proximity sensors to determine how the player’s hands are positioned, information that is then replicated in real time in virtual reality. The team developed training data sets by using an optical tracking system to record a variety of different hand poses of 12 people with different hand sizes.
A demo video accompanying the newspaper shows his work on the move. You can see a researcher stacking blocks in virtual reality with the prototype controllers strapped to the back of his hands, which seem to work similarly to Valve’s Index Controllers (they even look like a reduced version). The team also notes that this technology could also be used for “non-verbal communication” in the virtual world, although it does not go into more detail. I imagine that any sensor that is responsible for the middle finger will have a lot of use. Just a hunch.
You can watch the full clip below, courtesy of UploadVR.
As shown in the video, researchers are still struggling to replicate certain hand poses, especially when the player’s fingers are further from the surface of the controller. However, it still maintains its precision even if the player’s hands start to sweat or if they wear rings, watches or other jewelry.
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However, Sony ends up implementing these drivers, don’t expect them to be implemented with the PlayStation 5 launch this winter. Sony has already confirmed that the PS5 will be compatible with existing PSVR technology and, as I mentioned before, a successor has yet to be officially announced.
As for what we do know: Last year, the company licensed the advanced haptic technology license for VR controllers that is capable of simulating “push, pull, grip and press sensations” according to the technology patent holder, Immersion Corp. Sony also publicly announced that it is currently investigating next generation VR headsets, it is likely to be paired with these new finger tracking controllers.
