Sony has some new technology rolling out for their tragically underutilized PlayStation Eye. MTV Multiplayer is reporting that this new tech allows for the system to automatically detect where the player's face is and track its motion.
Whereas previous technology like this required players to wear some kind of strange apparatus on their heads while they played in order for it to be effective, this new tech does not. All you need is a face.
Sony speculates that this could have great innovative and immersive impact on games like first-person-shooters and boxing titles. They say that it could be used to peek around corners, or dodge incoming punches. So far though, no one has announced any specific plans on how they are going to integrate this technology into their games.
It's a shame they couldn't get this out in time for Konami to put it into Metal Gear Solid 4. You know how much they love adding little pointless additions to MGS4 (i.e. rolling around in barrels with the SIXAXIS).
I believe, however, that this technology has more important ramifications than just for gaming. Finally, for the first time in history, people who have gotten used to being called names like, “butt head”, or “a** face” will have the necessary technology to provide verifiable, empirical data to refute the claims of their verbal assailants.
[via next-gen]
Kyle Stallock
Updated June 4th, 2008
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You mean I can do more with it than play a so-so card game?
There is tracking technology used in the apache helicopters helmet that lets you "shoot what you see". This would swing the balance of power from the pc fps player to the console player.
Headshot. Player one. Headshot. Player one. Player 2 (pc) has left the game.