High-tech Sony Patent Has Possible Gaming Applications
If you have this weird habit of browsing through the US Patent & Trademark Office’s application filings, you’ve probably came across Sony’s patent application (#20060099808) for an electrorheological fluid device and an electronic apparatus, which realize satisfactorily changeable hardness or tension in a portion of the device or apparatus which a human body touches, enabling application to a product that needs to have portability.
That’s quite a mouthful. But it seems to describe flexible electronic device and displays that can be rolled up or folded when not in use, but become rigid when a small electric current is passed through them. Though it still doesn’t say much, the patent suggests it could be used in cellphones, PDAs, PCs, remote controls, clocks, glasses and game systems. The last one surely sparked your interest and you’d endure hieroglyphics-like patent wordings just to squeeze out more information. So, here’s a generous helping of patent lingo:
The electrorheological fluid device can be applied to, for example, part of a controller of a home-use game machine as another example of the electronic apparatus of the present invention. A user touches a control section of the controller by fingers, and the feeling of touch is controlled by the electrorheological fluid device. For example, if a game player is defeated in a fighting game, the electrorheological fluid device is controlled to become soft in order to improve the realistic sensations in the game.
Sony has yet to comment on the technology’s planned applications. Until then, let your imagination run wild.
Via Gamespot
If you have this weird habit of browsing through the US Patent & Trademark Office’s application filings, you’ve probably came across Sony’s patent application (#20060099808) for an electrorheological fluid device and an electronic apparatus, which realize satisfactorily changeable hardness or tension in a portion of the device or apparatus which a human body touches, enabling application to a product that needs to have portability.
That’s quite a mouthful. But it seems to describe flexible electronic device and displays that can be rolled up or folded when not in use, but become rigid when a small electric current is passed through them. Though it still doesn’t say much, the patent suggests it could be used in cellphones, PDAs, PCs, remote controls, clocks, glasses and game systems. The last one surely sparked your interest and you’d endure hieroglyphics-like patent wordings just to squeeze out more information. So, here’s a generous helping of patent lingo:
The electrorheological fluid device can be applied to, for example, part of a controller of a home-use game machine as another example of the electronic apparatus of the present invention. A user touches a control section of the controller by fingers, and the feeling of touch is controlled by the electrorheological fluid device. For example, if a game player is defeated in a fighting game, the electrorheological fluid device is controlled to become soft in order to improve the realistic sensations in the game.
Sony has yet to comment on the technology’s planned applications. Until then, let your imagination run wild.
Via Gamespot