Stefan Mileschin

A redesigned PlayStation Move? Sony's taken a stab at it before -- but this time around, it's imagining a controller with ultrasonic location analysis and Wiimote-like IR tracking. A new patent application details a "method for determining location of a controller," which proposes tracking controller depth by measuring the travel time of sound emitted from the device to the television. Two-dimensional tracking would be managed via the existing Move's visual spectrum camera, or by using a display-mounted IR emitter in conjunction with a remote mounted sensor (again, just like the Wii controller).

Although not technically part of the patent, the application's attached visual aids are pretty creative too -- showcasing a completely redesigned Move wand with swappable button faceplates. One embodiment shows two Move controllers attached end-to-end, mimicking a sword, while another shows a pair side by side, linked by a full gamepad sized faceplate. One bold image shows a player with two devices strapped to his ankles, performing a backwards flip to kick a digital soccer ball -- Sony is apparently very confident about the patent's potential tracking accuracy. We'll reserve judgment until we see the technology in practice, but feel free to read the claims for yourself at the source link below, or simply mosey on past the break to see the aforementioned athlete trying to break his neck.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/12/s...-with-ultraso/