Sony Wants to Use the PS5 Controller to Output Braille

A recent patent publication has revealed that Sony is working on a braille integration system for the PlayStation 5 controller, which would allow visually impaired players to use the PS5 controller touchpad to feel vibrations that can be read as braille. This latest patent joins a growing number of recent Sony patents targeting accessibility that have given audiences some insight into the company's research and development efforts.

An undeniable powerhouse in the technology and gaming industries, Sony has pioneered a number of developments over the years in television, sound, and gaming hardware. Its software achievements have been of key focus in recent months, with a variety of patent systems revealing the potential for exciting new features.

According to a patent filed by Sony, the company is working on a way to integrate vibrations in the PS5 controller touchpad to mimic braille, allowing visually impaired players to read subtitles on the controller. The system would utilize the PS5's haptic feedback and vibration function to replicate braille text in the form of pulses on the touchpad. Visually impaired players would be able to drag their finger across the touchpad and feel these pulses, similar to feeling printed braille. In doing so, these players would be able to read subtitles and other on-screen text, improving accessibility in gaming. However, it is key to note that patents are frequently filed by Sony and other companies that are then never fully developed, so there is no guarantee that this braille system will ever be made available to the public.

As detailed in the Sony braille system patent, the pre-existing haptic feedback and vibration functions of a PS5 controller could be utilized to mimic braille. Players would have the ability to read braille using the PS5 touchpad and would even be able to control the speed of the text and related cutscenes, based on how slowly or quickly they drag their finger across the touchpad. Text would start once the player