Following confirmation that Sony acquired SoftKinetic, speculations say the PlayStation VR headset could get the tracking sensor firm's "time-of-flight" tech to enable hand-tracking.
Like Sony, the Belgian start-up is an expert in camera sensors. What makes their cameras unique however is "time-of-flight" that works similarly to Microsoft's Kinect motion camera for the Xbox gaming console.
According to Re/code, the technology works by sending out a diffused laser and measuring how long it takes for that to come back.
"What that means in consumer terms is that a person would be able to see and use his or her hands to grip, manipulate or otherwise interact with virtual objects while wearing a headset that might otherwise make them impossible to see," the website said.
Per VentureBeat, the Japanese conglomerate "will focus on combining Softkinetic's time-of-flight range image sensor with its own technologies to design next-generation image sensors and solutions for broad sensing-related applications."
With the acquisition, SoftKinetic is now a subsidiary of Sony. The Japanese tech giant didn't say how much it spent to buy the Belgian start-up. However, it reportedly said it won't affect its financial results in this fiscal year.
Ars Technica sees the start-up's technology eventually making its way to Sony's PlayStation VR headset, due out in early 2016.
As the website noted, early PSVR prototypes tracked hand movement by having players hold PlayStation move wands.
"SoftKinetic's technology would allow for natural hand-tracking without the need to constantly grip a controller."
Apart from the PS4 VR headset, Ars Technica said the technology also has applications in augmented reality devices such as Sony's own SED-E1 smart glasses.
But don't expect the first wave of PlayStation VR headsets to come with the technology just yet.
"It should be noted that the final hardware for Project Morpheus/PlayStation VR has already been finalized so this acquisition may not directly affect the first iteration of the hardware," KitGuru said.
The PlayStation VR headset is set for release early next year. Estimates put its retail price at around $400.
