Microsoft Patents Pressure-Sensitive Controller

But will the designs become a reality?

The patent was discovered by Engadget and states that the device will be able to create “personalization using a hand-pressure signature” unique to each gamer.

It goes on to explain that once the gamer has been identified, they may then be automatically signed in to their personal profile, granting swift access to their gamertag, friends list, social groups, customised skins for the Xbox360 dashboard and more.



The official abstract for the device describes it as, “A hand-held device having a body with a pressure-sensitive exterior surface. At least a portion of the pressure-sensitive exterior surface is designed to be grasped by a user's hand. The pressure-sensitive surface contains a plurality of pressure sensors operative to provide an output signal proportional to a pressure applied by the user's hands to the exterior surface of the hand-held device at the area the pressure sensor is located. The device also includes a memory for storing the output signals provided by the plurality of pressure sensors and a processor for comparing the output signals provided by the plurality of pressure sensors against stored pressure profile signatures for positively identifying the user.”

Though originally filed in March 2009, the patent has only just been approved. Microsoft has not suggested that the design will become an actual piece of hardware yet, but with E3 in less than a month, it’s not too late to rule out a last-minute reveal.