Sony has been granted patents for biometric sensor technology that monitors heart rate to adjust game difficulty and NPC behavior based on players’ emotional responses.
Four new patents recently published by Sony Interactive Entertainment focus on biometric sensors such as heart rate monitors. These patents aim to adapt games based on players’ real-time emotional responses, dynamically adjust difficulty, make NPCs more or less reactive, and even automatically highlight key moments.
Difficulty Level Can Be Adjusted According to Pulse Rate
Sony’s first patent suggests games could detect a player’s heart rate and adjust difficulty accordingly. When the game detects a rising heart rate, it can lower the difficulty level so as not to overwhelm the player, or make things more intense when it feels the player is too comfortable.
“For example, in a scene that causes higher pulse rates, up to two game characters can be allowed into a virtual room in the game,” the patent states. Additionally, “Weapon aiming difficulty may be increased or decreased in response to biometric feedback,” he says.
The second patent introduces technology that uses heart rate data to automatically highlight the most exciting moments of the game. When the player’s heart rate exceeds a certain threshold, a bookmark will be added to the game recording and a clip of a certain period of time before and after the selection of the clip will be created.
The patents also highlight the potential for using machine learning to control NPC behavior based on the player’s heart rate. An NPC’s behavior may change depending on the player’s physiological state.
These innovative patents from Sony open up exciting opportunities to personalize and make the gaming experience more immersive. We look forward to seeing whether these technologies will be integrated into future PlayStation games.