Wearables are getting ubiquitous, from our wrists to our heads, they’re finding a place in our everyday connected life. Sony’s PlayStation 4 team today announced a new wearable concept called PlayStation Flow for use underwater. The new accessory will combine gaming on the PlayStation 4 with real-life swimming.
PlayStation Flow sounds too good to be true, right? It’s the company’s April Fool’s Day prank. Even though the concept sounds hilarious, it isn’t too far from reality, and an accessory most PlayStation 4 customers probably wouldn’t really mind purchasing.
Sony isn’t new to creating highly immersive gaming experiences. The company built Remote Play and Share Play, and is already working on a virtual reality headset called Project Morpheus. Sony is indeed looking at adding more ways to make gaming more exciting for its next-generation console owners.
The company’s PlayStation Wearable Entertainment Technology (P-WET) group is behind the PlayStation Flow concept. When players are in an underwater gamleplace sequence, they can hit the pause button, and head to a real swimming pool. The players can then resume gameplay while swimming in the pool using PlayStation Flow strapped to their bodies.
According to Sony, the PlayStation Flow system comprises of sensors that have been built using composite fabrics. These can be strapped around on a player’s biceps and thighs to help track the movements during swimming. These sensors can then send updates of the body’s movements in real-time back to the PlayStation 4 console via Remote Play.
Apart from the sensors, there’s PlayStation Flow Goggles for the eyes that will stream game data from the PlayStation 4 via Bluetooth to mirror the actual gameplay once a player is inside the pool. The system also comprises of waterproof earphones that will stream audio from the console to the user. There’s also a body dryer so players can get back to the actual gaming session, all dried up.
For starters, PlayStation Flow could be an obvious extension to keeping players fit as they swim in the real world while also doing progress in the actual game, in the background. Flow can be the answer to those who argue about gaming consoles making people sit for longer period of time, and therefore considering gaming an unhealthy experience.
Sony is already working on a virtual reality headset which can assume the role of the Flow Goggles if it’s made waterproof. A simple wearable band can be deployed to measure a player’s movements while swimming. So the PlayStation Flow concept isn’t really too far away from reality, and would be an exciting accessory if Sony gets serious about it sometime in the future.
