Sony Seems to Have Found a Way to Utilize Gamer Sweat

The latest patent from Sony indicates that future controllers might know a little more about you than you'd think. According to these patents, a new sensor for DualShock controller could detect your emotions via your heart rate and even your sweat.

The patent, as first discovered by RespawnFirst, indicates a "biofeedback sensor attachment for a controller," comprised of several sensors. These sensors would be in contact with your hands while you play, and send feedback about the user's biometrics.

The patent says the attachment will gather biometric feedback including heart rate measurements and "electrodermal activity measurements," or how much you might be sweating and thus causing skin conductance. The patent says this information could then be used to, for example, modify game parameters like lighting in a horror game for players who seemed too afraid to continue.

Sony's patent also mentions integration with a camera, which may be able to capture "images of the user that are able to be used to help identify an emotion that the user is experiencing." Certain facial expressions or body language could indicate that the user is experiencing "emotional arousal," which Sony notes may be "particularly effective" when combined with heart rate monitor readings.

Several Sony patents have given us mild glimpses of what the DualShock 5 could be. Past patents have indicated it might have back paddles. Another patent indicated a finger-tracking controller for virtual reality, which could theoretically integrate with a PlayStation VR headset. Other Sony patents point towards new ideas for microtransactions.

We haven't seen much of the PlayStation 5 yet, and it doesn't seem like we will for a while longer. Sony recently cancelled its presence at both GDC 2020 and PAX East, citing concerns over the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak.