Just in case you weren’t completely freaked out by the satellites in space detecting you every move (or Google) Nintendo is joining the party.
In 2014, Nintendo filed for a patent for a device with the ability to find objects and use them as IRL game controllers. This patent was made public on Tuesday (April 5) and details the technical specs for a device that uses both cameras and mirrors to detect objects in its immediate vicinity.
The new device, though similar to the technology already present in the 3DS, uses its cameras to detect objects and the light around it. It also has a light-source projector and is able to wirelessly transmit data directly to a computer. It focuses on information processing, similar to how our eyes intake information and process it through the brain.
A fully detailed account of the patent can be found on NeoGAF.
With three other Nintendo patents already burning a hole in his pocket, Fumihiko Inoue is pleased with the progress of the current patent. Some speculate the new device is linked to the upcoming release of the Project NX console, but Nintendo has refused to comment.
The patent was originally filed in Japan via the JPO/INPIT application, titled, “Information processing system, information processing program, information processing method and imaging device.”
While the original patent text is in Japanese, JPO/INPIT put the text through a machine they claim is better than Google Translate. The end result is readable, but a full English version will soon be provided by the USPTO.
Several users on the NeoGAF website have speculated how the device might be used. Some think it is a way to battle multiple Amiibos, while some think it’s a way to play a game without looking at a screen (by way of projection). In any case, it’s an interesting patent!
What do you think about the patent, or is it too Big Brother? How cool would it be to use real objects in a game thanks to an interactive camera?
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