It seems that the means through which we interact with our games may be about to change for good. Forget joysticks, joypads, steering wheels and the trusty mouse, the new ultimate controller will be your own body.
Research into alternative, more high-tech methods of playing games is ongoing and many such revolutions have been trumpeted before, only to slip into oblivion some short weeks later. The suggestion that this discovery may be the real thing is premature but the fact remains that the majority of current research focuses in ways of utilizing our own senses during gameplay.
Japanese telecoms giant NTT has announced a breakthrough in such research through the development of clip-on electrodes that can be used to control feelings of balance. This development would probably be used on making feedback from game controllers a lot more interactive. Using a very small electrical current NTT researchers have managed to make people feel like they are moving or going round corners while standing still.
If developed, such a device would allow games to better convey movement with driving and flying games being the first to benefit. A tight turn in your Ferrari or flying upside down in your fighter jet could prove a lot more challenging using the electrodes. If further tests prove satisfactory and the device becomes marketable expect further use of our bodies in gaming.
The way we control our gaming alter-egos has been the most stagnant aspect of gaming with no major change since the times of Atari's stiff long stick with the one red button. Even if this proves to be another over-hyped excuse for increasing a scientist's budget, it is about time the big gaming companies invest in order to deliver some innovation.
