Sony Shows Off Revolutionary PS4 Augmented Reality Technology Introducing Realistic Lighting & More

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan and Asia is scheduled to introduce a new PS4 Augmented Reality technology today at the Nico Nico Chokaigi 3 event, and they just released two videos showing it off.

In addition to the ones shown in the videos, three more tech demos are being showcased on the show floor, including PS Vita content too.

[sigfredod]

Rub a duck 3 confirm! lol

[Shnooze]

I'd buy that day-one for sure.

[Sethry101]

That is very good tech, I have always been extremely interested in augmented reality, VR is popular at the moment, but AR is also very interesting and could be very big one day.
Good to see Sony focusing on both VR and AR.

[Why o why]

....for a dollar

[kparks]

Can you imagine how this could change Porn! WOW just WOW!!

[SirBradders]

Yea baby and all you gotta do is switch of the light to hide it.

[fullmetal156]

That was preety sweet!!!

[frostypants]

Yeah, the first video was kinda cool, kinda meh...we've seen similar from them before.

But the dinosaur demo where they used a real flashlight to illuminate a virtual character...holy frak...that was pretty sweet.

[Walker]

Looking really good !

[deep_fried_bum_cake]

That lighting is pretty spectacular.

[Pixel_Enemy]

I literally said "WOW" when seeing the second video. The first one wasn't nearly as impressive to me. That lighting is amazing!

[randomass171]

The fact that they can make the game engine respond to changes in light is pretty amazing. I loved the bit with Miku. <3

[stuna1]

Seems like Sony is covering all bases! Makes for a very interesting competition all around.

Virtual Reality, check.
Augmented Reality, check.
Motion Controls, check.
3d, check.
3 systems on the market, check.
Indies check.
Etc,Etc. Etc, check.

[TheCaptainKuchiki]

4 systems on the market actually. You forgot PSP.

[stuna1]

Check.

[chikane]

@TheCaptainKuchiki

this is staring to worry me. Case and Point (Sega) they try to do this in the late 90s and look at what happen to them. Trying to manage to many systems on the market at once.

[Crystallis]

you forgot the high quality exclusives.

[stuna1]

Double check. Damnit I think I'm all checked out!

[sonic989]

to say the truth .
only Sony and nintendo can make great exclusive games .
they both have legacies they dont just throw their IPs around .
Sony beats nintendo on everything else 3rd party support and stuff but when it comes to games its always Sony or nintendo ( even though i am not their fan ) for me at least

[randomass171]

While I think it's still in its infancy, I think game streaming should also be on that list. :D

[stuna1]

Damnit! I'm going to have to ask for you to take over! My checks done bounced.

[skydragoonity]

It only gets better

[Am-No-Hero]

Anyone tell me what is that ?

what for ?

[andibandit]

Problably just a proof of concept project, but im not sure it's as revolutionary as the headline would make us believe.

[frostypants]

Watch both videos...especially the second. Now, imagine a fighting game where the arena is your living room, and everything in it is an in-game obstacle, and the ambient lighting in the room translates to the game. That would be pretty sweet. Imagine getting angry and stomping on your opponent's fighter...

[violents]

It's just a tech demo. Just showing off the stuff they can do really.

[Abriael]

Reading an article helps.

[MeteorPanda]

omg...that lighting.

[candy_mafia]

OMG Miku girl dancing!!!

Agree awesome lighting, Miku girl's so dang cute too, I like totally wanted a virtual Barbie beater since forever :))))

#cuterocks!!

[Fishermenofwar]

Is there a reality where I'm married to Sophia Vargas?

[MysticStrummer]

According to some variations of Multiverse theory, yes, but there would also be a reality where you are married to…

http://1000funnypictures.co...

[johndoe11211]

MY EEYYEEEES!!!!!!

[Sitdown]

Is that a nipple or a bullet wound?

[Master-H]

@Sitdown why can't it be a bullet-wounded nipple

[TheGrimReaper0011]

YOU ARE SICK X_X

[Rhythmattic]

Somethings cannot be Unseen.

[alexg587]

My eyes....forever unclean!!!!

[Hicken]

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT??????

[MysticStrummer]

lol Just pointing out the highs and lows of Multiverse theory. If you're having a bad day/week/month/year/life you can always think that somewhere another you is living it up in style with your dream girl.

But in some situations, as with the picture I posted, that thought might be a very small consolation, and it could make you downright bitter.

[randomass171]

@MysticStrummer

Well, I'll be over in the corner puking my guts out. Thanks buddy. :D

[maniacmayhem]

SON OF A....!!

[Skate-AK]

Close to bubbling you down for a personal attack on my eyes. Jokes.

[AgentSmithPS4]

I couldn't look away....

[MasterCornholio]

Wow the one with the flashlight is extremely impressive.

[Eonjay]

Agreed.

[kneon]

After watching the first one I was thinking, so what, we've seen this already.

But that second one is amazing. I'm surprised how well they can determine the direction of the light source in order to figure out the right shadows.

[fr0sty]

Yeah, richard marks(I think that's his name at least) demoed the first one with PS3 back in 2005! Using 2 cups instead of AR cards.

[aerisbueller]

I don't think that's a real flashlight. I think it's a Move, and it's using AR to make it look like a flashlight, and the room is actually well lit. I think it's faking the darkness for the rest of the room, and then calculating the fake shadows, lightcone, etc, according where it knows the ground is(and the Move of course). That's why there's no shadows for the paper that he holds for the lava, and the shadows there for the leg of the couch never move or shift when he changes the flashlight angle.

[Shakengandulf]

It looks as though the camera is picking up the bright spot on the floor and casts a shadow depending on where it is, slightly behind the character would cast it in front etc.
just a theory.

[kneon]

If they used the move it would be much easier, but I think it may really be a flashlight. I would have expected to see some residual glow from the ball on the move but I don't see that.

[rainslacker]

It's definitely a real flashlight. There are times when the presenter holds it you can tell.

It's pretty impressive since it's dynamically casting the light on the AR model and creating shadows based on the information it's getting from any random source. All in real time.

This pretty much means that no matter what the environmental light of the AR room is in, the models displayed will always mesh up with it, thus making it look more a part of the actual AR scene on the screen.

This kind of thing could be huge for certain types of games. Imagine people uploading their own Miku videos with sets they create themselves and setting up their own dynamic lighting.

I could see this type of tech being used for some new genre of horror game as well. Make the player a part of the game and give some real frights.:)

[Kidmyst]

Seems like a Monster Hunter type demo with the T Rex. I would have laughed if on the second he shined the flashlight behind him to expose a Creeper standing there who blew up and the camera showed his floor getting cracks and splinters in it.

[CartBlanche]

@aerisbueller I don't think it is Move. I believe in both parts of the 2nd demo it is a real flash light. If they were using Move, it is a lot less impressive because Move gives you all the positional data you need and there would be less of a delay between when he moved the flashlight to when the rendering corrected itself.

[aerisbueller]

Look at the shadows on the couch next to him when he's sitting on it, look at the shadows behind the couch. None of the shadows ever shift at all. It's definitely not a real flashlight.

[DanielGearSolid]

Can't watch the vid right now, but I really wanna know, is it actually revolutionary, or is this the usual Dualshockers hyperbole?

[Eonjay]

Its actually pretty impressive. The augmented reality renders can receive lights and shadows from real world lighting sources. Thats impressive.

[MasterCornholio]

The first video is kind of Meh but the second one is amazing. Basically in the second video the demonstrator uses a real flashlight to cast shadows of virtual objects. Pretty neat in my opinion.

[kneon]

oops. double post

[incendy35]

It is hyperbole lol. First demo is a web cam sample with physical objects, which have been done pretty much since web cams were invented. Second demo is controlling the light source with the light captured from the web cam. Which I have to give them credit for being creative but hard to see it having any application in anything real. Basically just silly but fun tech demos.

[xpressyoself]

I agree. It looks pretty cool but it doesnt do anything. It just sits next to you and casts shadows when you flash a light on it? Its a start for sure but nothing to get hyped over yet. I'll save my hype when they start showing stuff that is able to interact better with you

[incendy35]

@xpressyoself: yeah, there is no application for it. Much easier and much more freedom controlling a light source with a controller. It is just a tech demo, which to be fair that is all Sony is calling it too. It won't be used in anything game related, just a fun research project.

[MonsterChef]

I'm wondering if the camera can see and render accordingly to the light in put from that flashlight can you use that as a tool in a survival horror game that uses Morpheus? So you don't have to buy a move?

[Death]

Morpheus includes the move camera. It's still using a light on the headpiece for tracking purposes just like the controller.

[rainslacker]

The tech is intended for Augmented reality, so there is a definite use for it. Looking at current AR applications, the models they use never truly mesh with the environment that's being captured.

I can't see practical application for the current model of AAA games, but it's a pretty impressive demo if you understand what's going on and how game engines render lighting. The idea isn't being able to control the lighting within a game, it's to be able to control the natural lighting of the AR environment, which would be impractical with a controller.

[andibandit]

First video is meh, but the second one is pretty good, until you start thinking about practical applications for it, then you go "meh"

[ShinMaster]

So kinda like how Kinect is good for anything except gaming?

[styferion]

pretty much the same can be said for space exploration really, or many numbers of science experiments for that matter.

and those cost billions, have little to no practical applications, what do you say about that?

[andibandit]

"So kinda like how Kinect is good for anything except gaming?"

Im not really sure the kinect is good for anything, except gimmicks.

@Styferion
Not sure where you are going with "Space exploration and Science".
The lighting thing is cool, but in it's basic form it's about capturing a lightsource through a camera. In a game I think it would be interesting for the first 15 minutes, but then I think the sensation would wear off.

[CartBlanche]

@ShinMaster Agreed.

[redcar121]

The lighting on ps4 is annoying try playing killzone shadow fall

[Ninjatogo]

You say that like every PS4 game uses the same engine for lighting. Killzone is a GOOD example of great lighting; don't see why one would consider it, "annoying".

[MasterCornholio]

Try playing Infamous Second Son which is an example of great lighting on the PS4.

So no its not the hardwares fault that some developers have "annoying lighting" in their games.

[kneon]

The real world is full of annoying lighting, get used to it or file a complaint with your deity of choice :)

[r21]

Damn well impressive. Very interested to see how future AR games will use this tech.

[troylazlow]

If only every PS4 came with a camera

[Hicken]

If only Sony gave people a choice...

[rainslacker]

Can't wait to see the sets people make for Miku.:)

[troylazlow]

Why is he in a lab coat?

[sAVAge_bEaST]

Because,.

"Rocket Science"

[troylazlow]

Sience!

[maddskull]

because its a lab that he is working in or cant you see what is written up

[bleedsoe9mm]

pretty cool , is my subscription to playboy going to come with a virtual table top playmate of the month , the weird stuff the Japanese do with VR is going to awesome and scary .

[Vithar]

whoa that lighting is pretty impressive :) love it

[Pancit_Canton]

Sony is the number 1 innovative company in my opinion.

[dmeador]

I think you need to check out more companies.

[XboxFun]

So what kind dof PC's were being used? How will this benifit games? What type of living space is needed? How much will be the cost?

how come no one is asking questions when this TECH DEMO is shown?

Once again sony shows something and N4G stands up and applauds. MS shows a tech demo and no believes it, questions must be asked, and blogs must be written about MS fanboys misplacement of excitment.

[aerisbueller]

Don't see any questions you asked that need any answering. This is obviously the Eye on a PS4, and not a PC. People have seen the AR in games before, and anything that's new in these vids, like the lighting, will obviously benefit games by providing the option to use them in AR games. The amount of living space needed is the amount the eye currently takes. The eye will cost it's current price.

No one is standing up and applauding. It's a neat little demo, and they're responding like it's a neat little demo.

I don't remember anyone doubting any MS tech demos, either, except you know, the one's that actually turned out to be fakes in the end, like the original Kinect demos at E3. The more you lie, the less people trust you. The more you come through with what you promise, the more people trust you. Pretty basic stuff.

[Death]

I'm not sure how much I would label these demos as augmented reality. This is a game from 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[rainslacker]

@Death

Your link points out why this demo is impressive. Notice how in that link none of the computer generated members of the AR scene match anything that is actually real? With the lighting scheme being used, the rendered objects can now appear to be much more a part of what's going on. Overall it's just rendered objects using their own lighting on different layers. It's about immersion.

Kinect and X1 could probably do all this as well. I don't really see it as a console war thing. The actual quality of the lighting, and how well it looks on the models will depend on the hardware and tools used.

[scott182]

"how come no one is asking questions when this TECH DEMO is shown?"

They have done it before in games, like the eye of judgment and eye pet, this is just basically a much improved version of it for the PS4.

Sorry that nobody believes the X1 will be 4X more powerful because of the cloud, I will start believing that if it will make you feel better, k?

[ShinMaster]

Do you honestly think the PS4 is incapable of rendering what you saw in the video? They're obviously using a PS4 devkit and the PS Camera. A lot of this comes down to the software.

Watch the second video and you'll notice that living and lighting conditions are unimportant. Dark and cramped good enough for you?

People believe this because Sony has been invested in AR for years now.

[MysticStrummer]

Come on man. If you're honest you know what the difference is. The others explained it quite well so I won't repeat.

Once again a troll tries to stir things up and fails.

[styferion]

'How will this benifit games? What type of living space is needed? How much will be the cost?'

science always revolves around 'what can be done' not 'what it can be used for'. They just show it for the sake of showing the innovation man, not to forcefully sell it for extra $100, relax..

[djplonker]

@Xbox

all those questions you asked sound very kinect related... atleast vr will be optional if you remember what that means.

;)

[HugoDrax]

I remember being excited about the potential of Eye Of Judgement. Thinking, how cool it would be for a Yu-Gi-Oh game to use AR. Oh well I guess the tech will be adopted fully soon.

Trailer:
http://youtu.be/6tEqM4BEvLY

Gameplay:
http://youtu.be/SU-1FJHU3ZE

[DarXyde]

I see so much potential for some mind-bending, Psycho-Mantis-level, fourth-wall-shattering effects using this technology.

Consider me optimistic.

If Psycho Mantis is a boss in The Phantom Pain, I HOPE he incorporates this tech.

[randomass171]

Augmented Reality Miku. I like this a lot. :)

[Clown_Syndr0me]

Really cool technology but for me I'd rather it stayed out Rocky games.
Call me old fashioned but I still prefer the old TV and controller combo. None of these cameras and VR gizmos.

[SharnOfTheDEAD]

Anyone who played that Demo disc on PS1 might of had some major nostalgia in the 2nd video!

[wampdog29]

Is that one of the Animal Crossing characters laying on the couch??? lol

[_LarZen_]

AR as it's now is kinda pointless. But with VR it could be incredible cool.

[maniacmayhem]

I've always said that Yu-Gi-Oh or Magic should have went this route. At least have the option in the cards if anyone had the tech at home to do it.

I thought Eye of Judgment would take off because of it but sadly it didn't have the support or popularity.

But with Skylanders and Infinity being such big hits, who knows. Maybe card games will make a comeback in the vide game AR space.

[Kivespussi]

It looks amazing. But I don't know how it will be anyhow implemented to gaming. Children's games would be a great way to use this tech but I don't see it being used anyway else.

I could be wrong. Just have to wait and see

[masterfox]

awww cool ?

[hkgamer]

it's quite cool, but you can tell the PS4 doesn't know what angle the light is actually coming from therefore the shadows are reflecting on the wrong side.

Not something I would use anyway. Hopefully others would find it useful.

[badarcade]

Imagine a horror game using this tech on a flashlight in the game. OMG

[rbluetank]

I would like to see a Yugioh card game with this tech. it would be amazing.

[baodeus]

I dont know about these demos are revolution as claimed by the article title, but real holographic object manipulation with Kinect seem like a better idea for AR. Like this demo:

http://m.youtube.com/?#/wat...

[ShAkKa]

Second video was impressive.

[thexmanone]

Is just a Tech DEMO, nothing to see here. At least this generation.

[finito82]

realistic lightning is pretty cool.

[PSN_ZeroOnyx]

Neat demos, the lighting effects alone would be awesome in any game.

[Dustinf11]

This is definitely cool... but how does it make games better? I feel like the novelty would wear off really fast for me.

[calactyte]

AR and VR will be combined in 5 to 10 years when a front facing camera can track a room and its objects at 60-90 fps and in HD. Imagine if you will a Morpheus/Occulus with a front facing camera which detects real life rooms and objects in your home and then instantly motion tracks in perfect perspective 3d generated objects, monsters and such. Imagine playing something like COD zombies where you use your real windows and doors to fight incoming intruders. Imagine hammering imaginary nails and wood to build baracades. You look down at your real hands and find an axe or machine gun in the virtual world. Trust me when I say these technologies with unite to make some incredible experiences.

[annus]

This is hardly 'revolutionary', especially the first video.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

I would say both of these videos are far more impressive.

[baodeus]

sorry for posting incorrect youtube video earlier:

Here is a microsoft demo of their holo deck using kinect (doing most of the work for mapping hand movement for 3d object manipulation.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[HaHa_Ostrich]

Wow, that reminded me the PS1 demo disc. There was a moving Trex and a Ray fish. That was awesome.

[TitanUp]

imo these videos are a bit strange and not the best way to show this technology off.