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Sony patent virtual reality technology

August 18, 2007 in News comments 11

Virtual reality, it seems so very far away doesnt it? Well maybe its not as far away as you think. Just recently Sony with a group of scientists in San Diego have patented non-invasive brain targeting devices which use ultrasound waves to stimulate the brain and simulate touch, taste, sight, smell and sound.

Remember the older commercial from Sony that was intended to show off the power of the PS2 by showing a fully immersed virtual reality gaming situation? The commercial showed a young man in the future battling people on the streets, swimming in a vast ocean and even playing Jai-Alai across the towering buildings. It was dubbed the Playstation 9.

Well as outlandish as the commercial may have looked at the time, far be it from Sony to think of it as merely a well thought out marketing scheme. Sony, in cooperation with scientists in San Diego have patented a technology for non-invasive brain targeting devices that essentially shoot ultrasound waves to stimulate brain tissue and create "sensory experiences" such as touch, taste, sight, smell and sound. One additional claim is that this technology could be used for a more noble cause such as allowing the blind to see, or the deaf to hear.
Bale Fire via afterdawn.com »
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  • 0
    teodortenchev Aug 19, 07
    A device which allows the blind to see and enables the deaf to hear? Now that's something! Far more important than virtual games. I hope they can really manage to come up with something like this in the near future.

    This article this is based on is from 2005 but this one seems to bring in some fresh information, and it is a worth reading it anyway. First time I hear about this.
    • 0
      Riku31069 Aug 19, 07
      Agreed. Now this device is getting somewhere! And this is also my first time hearing this. Hopefully other companies will do something like this in the future, just like you said.
  • 0
    Final Blade Aug 19, 07
    Does this also apply to Video games, cause that would mean no one else can have it in there games.
  • 0
    black doom Aug 19, 07
    I think the final paragraph explains they are only doing that thing that some small jackass companies do where they copyright something they are far from underway with yet and are aware someone else could do at some point. That way they can sue.

    Fortunatly their are bound to be other ways they did not copy right. However if Sony actually do go ahead and design such things to help they blind and deaf, then it will be quite a respectable feat.

    Before you give me a thumbs down just picture a random small company doing this. There practically the same thing just with a company we all have preformed opinions on.
  • 0
    JJBDude Aug 19, 07
    I didn't think of that black doom but I think your quite right, well at least what your saying does make sense that they just wanted to copyright it early on to stop others copying.
  • -1
    Mnmfan Aug 19, 07
    So PS9 is going to be a little ball??
    • 0
      Final Blade Aug 19, 07
      That could be the new PS system lol hahaha, highly doubt its going to be a ball. They just did that for show.
  • 0
    Capn Droid Aug 20, 07
    Pretty impressive, for Sony.
  • 0
    Revenger of Wastelan Aug 21, 07
    Wow impressive indeed.
    If they could actually make the blind see, and the deaf hear, that would make them the richest in the world i guess.
    And it could be used for virtual gaming too... but how...?
  • 0
    Supernouva Aug 21, 07
    Sounds good and bad to me. I just can't help getting a bad vibe from "virtual technology," considering all the other things you can do to people with it.
  • 0
    Shadow of Death Aug 21, 07
    Yeah, there would be a number of safety considerations...a number of people probably won't be able to use it, due to medical reasons...

    But if they could get it to work for the public at large, it would be the next step towards more immersive gaming experiences...

    LOL, and imagine 'pleasure' games >_> By the time the this technology comes to use with games, there will probably be more 18+ games out...

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