On December 6, it was Sony Technology Day at which Sony gave an online presentation on the theme of Technology that inspires emotion. It announced eight technologies with which Sony wants to fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology.
At Sony Technology Day, Sony presented eight technologies, all under the theme “Technology that inspires emotion”. By this is meant that different activities of the Sony Group are linked together and which support the evolution of the company. Using the power of creativity and technology, they want to fill the world with emotion.
Amalgamation of the physical and virtual world
Many developments have taken place in the world of virtual production. Virtual production is actually a general term for new video production technology. Live action videos and computer images in real time are linked together. Using In-Camera VFX, a form of virtual production, 3DCG (Three-Dimensional Computer Graphic) images are linked to the movement of a camera projected onto an LED display as a background. This happens, for example, in a studio with the making of advertisements.
Crystal LED is also used here. This is an LED display that combines Sony’s LED control technology with signal processing technology. As a result, high-resolution images are projected on the LED display that contain high brightness and a wide viewing angle. A new device made by Sony that also has it is the Sony camera Venice 2. This camera features an 8.6K image sensor, high-resolution images and a wider color gamut. As a result, color can be captured even better in photos and images appear even more realistic.
Also discussed was EPTS which stands for Electronic Performance Tracking Systems and belongs to Sony Group Hawk-Eye Innovations Ltd. These are video feeds that are used in (European) football, the NBA, baseball and tennis matches. With football you can think of when someone is offside. It is then rewound and it is checked where all the players were. They convert the real images into a virtual representation, also known as skeleton data, to position the players and the ball accurately to the millimeter to evaluate the possible offside. Tracking the positions and attitudes of the players is also called player trafficking named. Every movement on the field is converted into data that is recorded by the cameras that follow everything on the field. Furthermore, EPTS works a lot with AI analysis technology and 3D tracking technology. Sony’s goal is to later use EPTS in the entertainment industry, such as for music.
The pursuit of reality
Here Sony named the OLED Microdisplay. By this they mean that there have been developments in creating a more realistic image while wearing VR glasses. Partly thanks to the removal of crystallization, the image is more realistic than ever. These glasses achieve 4K image with one eye and 8K image with both eyes. Also, the high quality of the image has been achieved through the use of multi-pixel and miniaturization, i.e. the reduction of image size without the loss of form, quality and functionality. The process time of VR glasses has been reduced through the use of multiple sensors that integrate data. In addition, the number of traced rays has been reduced. This OLED microdisplay is expected to be used for industrial and entertainment applications. This display accurately tracks head movements and displays the texture of materials and human expressions in real time in high definition.
Furthermore, Sony talked about the balance between high resolution and production efficiency. For 3D content with a large amount of data, it is possible to reduce production time 100 times more by reducing the number of beams used and rendering images based on information such as character shape, texture and lighting. Sony’s goal here is to expand and develop the reach of 2D and 3D applications in the entertainment industry.
Finally, they talked about three different technologies used in the Playstation 5: Tempest 3D audio, haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Tempest 3D audio is designed with a digital single processor. This ensures accurate audio positioning. When you play a game on the PS5, you can hear the sounds around you. Think of birds suddenly flying and chirping behind you because of this 3D sound, instead of just hearing the sound in your ear. Haptic feedback means that it provides a realistic gaming experience through the vibration of the newly developed dual actuator. This actuator changes automatically and adapts to the specific situation in the game. With this they want to ensure an optimal user experience. Sony suggested playing Astro’s Playroom pre-installed on the PS5 for the ultimate haptic feedback experience. The adaptive triggers are located in the L2/R2 buttons of the DualSense controller. This enables powerful real-time tactile sensation when you play a game. Sony Interactive Entertainment is eager to continue developing these technologies. The goal is to create the best place to play games against everyone.
Contribution to people, society and the planet
Sony also introduced sensors that can accurately detect the distance of surrounding objects by capturing low levels of light energy. The sensors consist of three elements. First of all, SPAD pixels (Single Photon Avalanche Diode) that capture light and convert it into electrical signals. In addition, Cu-Cu connections that transmit those signals. And finally the logic chips equipped with the circuits that derive distance measurements from the signal. With this Sony wants to achieve to create a safe mobile society by contributing to the LiDar technology in a car and the detection and recognition of objects.
They also want to imitate the tenderness of a human hand on a robot. This is a technology that allows robots to detect where an object is and how hard or soft an object is. An example of a rose was given in the presentation. The robot took the rose and held it without breaking or bending anything. Thanks to the sensors in the robot, the robot itself knows where the object is and where it must be gripped. The sensors in the fingertips allow the robot to know how fragile an object is. By combining AI and advanced sensor technology in robots, Sony aims to enrich human lives. In the presentation they indicated that they want to use these robots in the long term in understaffed places, such as nursing homes, agriculture, factories, etc.
Finally, Sony introduced MIMAMORI. This is a system that is committed to the sustainability of our planet. This platform strives to build a sustainable society. In addition, they want to use this platform to prevent environmental problems and disasters before they have occurred. The system would consist of various Sony Group technologies. It was told that MIMAMORI expects to be launched and used in 2030.