Sony’s working on something astonishing—a PlayStation controller that charges with solar power. They’ve filed a patent for a design that builds tiny solar panels right into the controller.
That means it could soak up light and keep running longer without needing to plug in as often.
This could be a game-changer for players who hate dealing with dead batteries. If it works well, it might make gaming a little greener too.
Let’s take a closer look at what this means for the future of gaming.
Details of the Patent
Sony is working on something pretty amazing for PlayStation fans—a new kind of controller that can charge itself using light. They’ve filed a patent for an “Operation Device,” which is basically a PlayStation controller, a controller packed with photovoltaic elements.
These tiny solar cells are placed around the buttons and analog sticks to soak up light while you play. The energy it collects gets stored inside, giving the controller a renewable power source. That means less time plugging it in and more time gaming.
Because regular controllers rely on batteries, whether rechargeable or replaceable, and without them, they won’t work. Therefore, to solve this, Sony has come up with this idea. Their patent describes a way to charge the controller’s main or backup battery using an external power source, making gaming more convenient.
Sony quoted: “A plurality of photovoltaic elements disposed in a [controller], and a power storage unit for storing power generated by the plurality of photovoltaic elements. […] the photovoltaic element has a solar power generation function and generates electric power used by the [controller].”
Here is the diagram of the controller:
Source: tech4gamers
So, if this design becomes a reality, players could rely less on regular charging and keep the action going just by letting their controller sit in the light.
Sony’s Previous Innovations
This is not the first patent PlayStation has published. For a long time, Sony and Microsoft have both been working on new types of game controllers to make gaming better and more accessible.
Last year, Sony filed a patent for a controller that uses conductive ink, which means players could customize the buttons and layout to match how they like to play. This would make the controller more personal and flexible.
On the other hand, Microsoft released the Xbox Adaptive Joystick, a special one-handed controller made for players with limited mobility. It costs $29.99 and can be used with regular gaming setups.
Having said, Sony’s new patent could mean controllers that charge themselves just by being in the light. Sounds cool, right? But is this really a game-changer, or just another flashy idea that won’t make much of a difference? Only time will tell if this tech actually improves gaming or just adds to the list of features no one really uses.
