14 DAY TRIAL // Sony has apparently decided to buy the Belgian software house Softkinetic Systems to become an internal Sony subsidiary. Softkinetic builds a ToF (Time-of-Flight) range image sensor that measures the distance to an object.
Today, the Japanese giant has finalized acquiring Softkinetic Systems. Being developer of 3D vision and gesture recognition solutions, this year the company managed to build a VR headset project as well, called Vrvana Totem VR together Vrvana company. The Vrvana headset contained Softkinetic DS536 module, with its Time of Flight (ToF) sensor, to enable positional tracking and natural hand interaction in the smallest footprint available.
Now that Softkinetic's patents, tech and plans belong to Sony, it is very likely the Japanese company will use the tech it acquired from the Belgian company and implement it in Sony's following PlayStation VR.
Softkinetic's tech was advanced enough to prompt Sony to snatch it immediately
ToF tech is a method to resolve the distance to an object. It measures distance pixels, which then are laid on top of the sensor in two dimensions, and then the flight time it takes for the light to leave the source of the light, bounce off the object and then return to the image sensor is measured. Pretty complicated stuff.
It seems Softkinetic's tech and development were so advanced that Sony plans to not only build the next generation of image sensors but also apply the know-how to broader applications as well. Overall, ToF will allow the best immersion in mobile VR applications.
You won't need ridiculous treadmills, external joysticks and controllers to move around inside a VR area. With what Softkinetic is developing, real-time movement will be translated inside a VR area just by walking since the sensor will detect the depth area around you and will translate that into the VR environment.
If Sony brings this new tech into its existing VR headset, it will clearly have a major advantage against its rivals, but it's highly unlikely it won't. Even more, the Japanese company has bought Softkinetic in order to have it work on its next iteration of PlayStation VR.