PlayStation Controllers Could Run on Solar Energy in the Future

A new PlayStation patent describes a controller that can be charged with solar energy, which might solve all your battery-related problems.

Spotted by Tech4Gamers, Sony Interactive Entertainment has published a new patent called ‘Operation Device’. The patent is for a PlayStation controller that features “a plurality of photovoltaic elements” on its housing and a storage area that “accumulates power generated by the plurality of photovoltaic elements”, which in turn will charge the device with solar energy.

The diagrams provided on the website suggest that the photovoltaic elements will be placed on the top half of the body, around the analogue sticks and the different buttons. This controller can then be placed under sunlight to charge itself.

PlayStation solar controller

Sony Interactive Entertainment has also mentioned the problem they are trying to solve with the solar-powered PlayStation controller. Sony has stated that a conventional controller needs a replaceable or rechargeable battery to run, and without this power source, it cannot operate. With their new patent, they wish to solve this problem with technology that charges a controller’s secondary or primary battery through an external power source.

This is not the first patent PlayStation has published. Last year, we saw a controller concept that uses conductive ink. Also, Xbox’s one-handed ‘adaptive joystick’ controller is now available. What are your thoughts on a solar-powered PlayStation controller?