Another interesting Nintendo patent has been found, that could point to technology that they will use on the Switch 2, or not.
As always, Nintendo filing a patent for a specific technology does not necessarily mean that they will be bringing the patent forward to a product or service. For those who have always wondered why that is, of course, companies in general will want to protect their ideas. And it’s not so much that every company is paranoid that they need to make sure they had an idea first, as much as they want to make sure their ideas and patents are clearly defined so that they can defend how they are unique.
As reported by GoNintendo, the new patent describes a form of motion control than what Nintendo had in the Wii and Wii U, a technology that varied in reliability and accuracy. While the WiiMote communicates to Wii & Wii U consoles via Bluetooth, it also reads the LED lights in the Sensor Bar to detect motion. However, the Sensor Bar itself does not send signals to consoles. Many gamers have found that two well positioned candles to the sides of a TV can do the same job a Sensor Bar does.
The illustrations that came with the patent make it seem similar to the Wii, but we really should go straight to the patent itself, because there is one technology that this patent calls out by name: MEMS mirrors.
MEMS is an abbreviation for microelectromechanical systems. MEMS mirrors are microscopically sized mirrors that also use electricity to deflect and control light signals. To explain it plainly, this patent describes using MEMS mirrors as replacements for the LEDs in the Wii Sensor Bar.
Is that good? MEMS mirrors are accurate enough that they’re used in medical devices, and in the industrial sector in safety detection systems for workers. We found this video that demonstrates and explains how MEMS mirrors can be used to make a set of AR glasses work.
To be honest about it, MEMS mirrors sound like overkill for something like motion controls for entertainment. But if Nintendo found a way to supply these parts for cheap, it may well be worth it.
We had been reporting on Nintendo’s recent VR related patents. It’s possible that this new motion control technology that uses MEMS mirrors isn’t just intended to upgrade WiiMotes, but to help Nintendo realize their VR or mixed reality technology.
Is the Switch 2 secretly a VR or mixed reality device too? If you may remember, Nintendo did the bare minimum in confirming the Switch 2’s appearance in their introduction video. They have yet to say anything about its technical specs or functionalities.
But it’s also possible that Nintendo has VR ambitions that they will launch as accessories for, or even separate from, the Switch 2. Given how many VR-related Nintendo patents have recently been filed, we can guess that Nintendo has at least been experimenting with VR.
With all the steep expectations Nintendo has to meet with the Switch 2, we’re sure everyone would be astounded if it turned out that it also has something to do with Nintendo VR.
