A newly discovered Sony patent has us very intrigued. The use of peripherals is steadily becoming less appealing, but the application of this new, strange technology could open up new avenues of AR gaming. The new patent details,

A block tool, which can be assembled by a user, is configured with multiple types of blocks and is shot by a camera for capturing a still image or a moving image. The position coordinates of a marker of the square-pillar block in a three-dimensional space are obtained by image recognition. Also, a connecting position and the type of each block, a gradient vector of the square-pillar block, an angle between two blocks constituting the square-pillar block, and the respective blocks’ lengths are obtained so as to derive the shape, posture, and position of the block tool, and corresponding information processing is then performed.

The rest of the verbiage within the patent goes into detail of how this specific invention could be utilized in an AR environment. This “build your own” style controller could be used in conjunction with the PlayStation Camera to bring a solid, interactive object into an augmented reality environment.

Many of the diagrams show different objects built using the block assembly method. Sensors located at pivot, or connection points would help the item take shape in the AR environment. The most practical of the diagrams shows the use of the block tool to create weapons. Different assemblages are interpreted by image recognition.

In my estimation these items could hypothetically be skinned to represent actual combat weaponry, or in the case of FIG.10 an animal. In effect, these items would help immerse the player into the projected AR environment by creating a physical connection to it, and possibly physical feedback if the controller makes use of haptics.

As always, there’s no guarantee this patent will see the light of day, but when we stumbled upon what we coined as PlayStation Remix, it turned out to be PlayStation Now.

This could be interesting, Follow the link to see the diagrams http://www.igameresponsibly.com/2014/01/16/sony-patents-a-new-and-strange-controller-design-new-ar-applications/