Sony’s Playstation 5 Controller Could Monitor Your Heart Rate & Sweat: Report

Each new console generation takes controllers to new places and the 5th generation of Sony’s playstation is proof of that. It was reported this week that Sony has filed a patent for an accessory that players would attach to a Playstation 5 controller for the purpose of acquiring feedback for one’s health measurements. These measurements could include things like heart rate, & sweat, with the purpose of tailoring gameplay around them.

According to the patent, Sony wants to use your heart rate and sweat production as “biofeedback” signals in games. The patent says this could lead to a more immersive experience. For example, a game could plug into the stats collected by the DualShock 5 to adjust the gameplay. As you get more anxious or excited, a game could ramp up the action. Or if you’re exceptionally calm, a game could throw something surprising at you.

The patent’s description goes on to state that the reason behind the add-on is to keep up with the ever-evolving arms race that is the gaming industry. “There is a desire in computer gaming to provide an immersive and highly interactive experience for players, so as to enhance the enjoyment of the player,” Sony says within the description. “This has become of particular interest with the increasing availability of head-mountable displays (HMDs), which are provided with the intention of fully immersing a player in the in-game environment.”

Look for Playstation 5 to be released prior to Holiday 2020.