DualShock 4

As we mentioned in our recent hands-on article, the PlayStation 4's controller is an outstanding refinement over the DualShock 3. However, platform holder Sony trialled a number of ideas before settling upon the current configuration – including a device that detected your stress levels based on how much you’re sweating. Sounds sort of gross, doesn’t it?

Basically, the concept was to include a couple of sensors on the unit capable of reading your galvanic skin response. As Stuff magazine points out, this is a measure of how conductive your flesh is at a given moment, which varies depending on how much you’re sweating. In most cases, you’re likely to be more stressed when you’re excreting additional fluid, so this data could then be employed by developers.

"We had a long research project where we looked at pretty much any idea that we could think of,” lead architect Mark Cerny explained. “Would it help to measure the galvanic response of the skin? We tried out a tremendous number of things – and then we went to the game teams to ask them what they thought they could use from the controller.”

The so-called stress sensor didn’t make the cut, but other new additions such as the touchpad did. And Cerny added that he’s delighted with the response to the device. "I haven't heard a negative comment about it yet," he beamed. "For a controller with a very different form factor, that’s just amazing to see."

But don’t just take the industry legend’s word for it – you can read our first impressions on the peripheral through here. Are you looking forward to wrapping your fingers around the DualShock 4? Let us know in the comments section below.

[source stuff.tv]