Two New Xbox Patents Reveal Microsoft Is Working On VR Tech
We recently reported that Microsoft says it is not working on creating a new camera for Xbox Scarlett. But lest you think that means that the company is losing interest in virtual reality or movement tracking, think again. If two recent Xbox patents are any indication, Microsoft may actually be trying to revolutionize this technology. Perhaps that means that we will be getting advanced VR features in the Xbox Scarlett.
What We Know From the Xbox Patents
There are two patents. They were filed last year, but were just published on October 3rd. You may view the first patent here. It is for a “Virtual Reality Floor Mat Activity Region.” You can view a picture of it below, which you can use to visualize the basic concept. For further details, you can view the patent to learn more about how this technology might work.
The second patent is for a “Six DOF Input Device,” i.e. a six-degrees-of-freedom stylus. You can check out pictures below. If you have the stylus in your hand and you rotate it, you can move an object in virtual space.
These devices look pretty exciting, at least in terms of the possibilities they could lead to. But they appear to be quite experimental, as one would expect given that VR is still very much in its infancy.
So, will these devices be available for the Xbox Scarlett? It is hard to guess at this point. Being as the patents exist, it is sure possible. But is it likely? Maybe not, since this seems like it would be a big investment area for something which the average gamer still is not necessarily in the market for. It could be a long-term project, and maybe eventually we’ll be able to get these items for the Scarlett. But it is hard to imagine them being available at launch.
As we get closer to the Xbox Scarlett hitting the market, we will probably learn a lot more about what we can expect. Keep up with all news and rumors here on VGR concerning Xbox Scarlett as well as the PlayStation 5.