Patent shows a Sony PS5 controller using solar power to boost battery life

The DualSense controller offers innovations, like nuanced haptic feedback and precise adaptive triggers. Even so, with a battery life of 12 hours or less, the peripheral spends much of its existence tethered. In a recent Sony patent discovered by Tech4Gamers, an upcoming PS5 controller could operate using solar power.

In the patent published on March 6, a controller resembling the DualSense is shown with integrated solar cells. The photovoltaic system converts sunlight into electricity, providing a constant power source. Theoretically, gamers would never need a DualSense charging station or USB-C cable for recharging.

Ironically, diehard gamers often spend as little time as possible touching grass. The practicality of charging a PS5 controller with solar power depends on indoor charging efficiency. Large windows are an alternative for players fortunate enough to live in sunny climates. Light bulbs can serve the same purpose but consume power in the process. However, windows and bulbs recharge solar-powered devices much more slowly than direct sunlight.

The controller depicted in the Sony patent would likely need to support traditional recharging methods. Still, as manufacturers create more green products, gamers will have an environmentally-friendly option.

Both Microsoft and Sony are thinking of ways to innovate their controllers. A 2024 patent suggested that Sony could incorporate a silicone-gel-like material into the handles of its controllers. With a connection to electrical circuits, the material would heat or cool hands depending on in-game events. Meanwhile, for the Sebile controller, Microsoft has proposed a new haptic feedback system that rivals the DualSense.

Many patented technologies never find their way into tangible products. Nevertheless, Sony is striving to address its PS5 controller battery life deficiencies in a creative way.