As if the insane features of the PS5 DualSense were not enough, it looks like Sony could be looking at temperature control on its controllers. The DualSense already features a ton of new tech in it that gives it a leg up over the competition. The controller features adaptive triggers, haptic feedback and a touchpad to boot. It’s a true evolution of the DualShock controller in every imaginable way. And with this new patent, it looks like Sony could be aiming at even more features in the next iteration of the DualSense controller. In fact, Sony went so far as to launch its own Edge controller to compete with the Microsoft accessory. You can read the full review of the DualSense Edge controller, here.
A new patent filed by Sony shows us that the Japanese giant is definitely working on new tech for its next-gen controller. These include a membraneous sensor that will allow for more precise haptic feedback. It will also give users different textures that could change according to the game being played. It’s still in its early stages but we could see more innovative uses of the feature. For example, the membrane could be heated or cooled depending on the game, which will give the user the feeling of a hot or cold controller. Like if you pick up a hot object, the controller will reflect that and get a little warm. Say you pick up a snowball in a game, and the controller will become cooler. It’s a novel idea that will be put to the test in the future.
One of the few issues that could pop up is the battery life. If Sony is going to shove the kitchen sink and more into its controller, the battery is going to struggle to keep up with the energy demands. Maybe Sony will add a new, larger battery to accommodate the new features but as of right now, there is no way the current battery will be able to take the load. But, this is Sony we’re talking about so we’re sure they have something in mind to counter the power consumption.
Again, do take this with a grain of salt as Sony has only filed these patent and have not intimated that they intend to do anything with them. But, it’s always fun to speculate what could be possible in the near future.