Sony Develops a Universal Game Console Controller 62
Go Rumors has discovered that Sony recently applied for a patent on a "universal game console controller." According to the patent filing, the controller "includes a hand-holdable housing and a touch sensitive liquid crystal display (LCD) on the housing. The LCD is caused to present, depending on what type of game console a user has selected, a controller key layout for a first type of game console or a controller key layout for a second type of game console. A key layout includes plural keys selectable by a user to input commands to a game console."
Useless (Score:2, Interesting)
Somehow I doubt the LCD could stand the amount of pressure a typical controller button receives. And who would be able to play without feeling the button? I don't want to have to look at the controller only to make sure my finger is over the correct button.
Re:The haptic hell waits for them ... (Score:3, Interesting)
I agree.
Here's a blue-sky idea that could help.
Ferrofluid touch interface
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Ferrofluid_20touch_20interface [halfbakery.com]
Another idea that could help is having analog buttons and joysticks with tiny OLEDs mounted on the keys/buttons/sticks (like the Optimus keyboard). Perhaps even the physicals components could be reconfigurable like the Rubik cube.
Also wonder if it would be possible to build constructive interference with several piezo sensors to generate feedback
Anyway, here's to ideas and inventions
[everything here is public domain]
mistitled (Score:3, Interesting)
Wouldn't this be better titled "in another desperate attempt to control a marketplace, Sony is developing new controller which they will tout as 'universal' but in actuality will be used by less than 5% of their own console's owners because it sucks so bad"