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Nintendo patents periscope-esque Wiimote touchpad attachment

by JC Fletcher on Nov 4th 2011 10:28AM

A Nintendo patent shows that Nintendo is, or was, considering the graft of Wii U-like features onto the regular old Wiimote. The company applied for a patent for a device that adds a touch panel to the Wiimote, using an infrared LED and mirrors to feed info about the position of your finger into the Wiimote's IR sensor. The patent describes using it as a mouse pointer or a drawing interface. You know, touch panel stuff.

The tech doesn't exactly emulate the WiiPad, as the touch panel is just for controls, and isn't a screen. It's unclear whether this is something Nintendo is planning for the future -- for enhancing Wiimotes for use on Wii U -- or if it's just an idea someone cooked up.

Source: Siliconera

Tags: nintendo, patent, wii, wii-u, wiimote

Reader Comments (42)

Am I the only one who thought this was a toilet at first glance?

@NinjaJesus

Yes.

@NinjaJesus

I was thinking "a testicle scanner" actually.

@CaptainProtonX

....II'm equally repulsed and curious regarding the applications of the testicle scanner.

@NinjaJesus They are just riding this pooptrain as far as it will go. Nobody wants to have to buy tons of peripherals when the kinect does it all with just one.

@The Blank Mage Returns
I'm told the TSA was looking into applied use of this sort.

@(Unverified) Just... stop

@legacybush Stop what? If anything needs to stop, its the pouring of these ridiculous peripherals.

When did Nintendo become Fisher-Price?

@Calatia

NA November 19, 2006
JP December 2, 2006
AUS December 7, 2006
EU December 8, 2006

@Calatia

About 5 years ago.

@Calatia

When they had to package a toy robot with their console so North American stores would stock thier product?

When they packed in a toy lazer gun?

When they released a mario paint?

Or when they sold a bazooka shaped controller for the Snes?

When dudes when?

You people...

@CaptainProtonX

Badum-tish.

that looks even bulkier than the 3DS analog stick attatchment. honestly nintendo, what are you thinking?

@pedasn
This is obviously just a patent and not a product they are actually considering releasing.

...don't they have BIGGER issues at the moment?

@CaptainProtonX

Yes, but I get the impression that they're making things like that to avoid thinking about them. It's probably a bit of an elephant in the room at meetings.

"We've developed this touch pad for the Wii! It's not completely hideous, and it should allow for some forwards compatibility for upcoming WiiU titles!"
"....But we still have no titles for the WiiU, do we?"
"...Nooo, but when we DO, they'll be compatible, so..."
*Awkwards Silence*
"What's next on the agenda?"
"Adding LEDs that light up in the presence of moisture."
"....Get to it."

@CaptainProtonX

You honestly think this is something that they intend to sell? The far more likely idea is that this was the starting point for the Wii U controller.

@The Blank Mage Returns

"...didn't we lose nearly 1 billion dollars this year?"
"WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU! THIS LED THING IS LOUD!"
"The money...1 BILLION."
"WHAAAAAAAAAA??? TOO LOUD!"

Whoa.... It looks almost like a nail in a coffin....

"Have you ever been high as f**k?"

JUST STOP IT NINTENDO!

looks like a meat grinder lol

@onlyonthurs ...now I can NEVER un-see that.

@AwRy108

haha

@onlyonthurs

Move over, R.O.B.! Here comes something meatier!

WTFmote

Likely, this was the starting point of the Wii U controller. Even more likely this will never see the consumer side of things.

Cooking Momma garlic crusher peripheral.

Aprils Fools on November?

As terrible as it looks the actual idea I don't think is too bad. Like other comments said though they have other things they should be working on outside of more periphs for the Wiimote. Like some software for this new handheld I have. Or some launch software for Wii-U, since I bit on what they did for 3DS (Showing a ton of great games for the system and then being like "Oh those games? They'll be out by holiday 2012", and or over pricing rereleases $40 for OoT is unacceptable). But yeah I like the idea and if they hadn't released so many cheeky periphs at this point I'd almost be behind it... almost

so this is how you make a million dollars

While this doesn't look much like a 'product' the actual use of tech is really damn clever.

@Kamalot

I just realized... this is a mini Microsoft Surface... minus the screen. :D

I'm beginning to wonder if Nintendo has lost their way

Batten down the hatches!

it is happening! Nintendo is gonna patent troll in the next 10+ yrs. We've seen the signs (more recycling of titles, lesser number of new ones, too much accessories for their accessories)

DIY Colonoscopy!

Thanks Nintendo!

And they wonder why they are losing money.

This is why I love Nintendo. Thinking outside of the box is what they do best. As long as they keep their prices low and have that same imagination, I don't think they will fail. I think now what matters is properly implementing their ideas.

O.o Uhm .... really?

That Looks horrible!!

Breaking News

Nintendo patents periscope-esque Wiimote touchpad attachment

Reader Comments (42)

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:29AM NinjaJesus said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:34AM DekuTree said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:41AM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:04AM The Blank Mage Returns said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:23AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:36AM foxhound said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 12:02PM legacybush said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 12:41PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:30AM Calatia said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:37AM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:40AM Shockwave said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:36AM TwEE said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 12:12PM DekuTree said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:33AM pedasn said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 12:14PM KaBob799 said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:33AM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:14AM The Blank Mage Returns said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:24AM Suichimo said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:36AM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:33AM Timjoy said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:35AM Zoot Suit Jedi Grammar Hammer En said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:36AM King Johngie the Fourth said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 10:54AM onlyonthurs said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:02AM AwRy108 said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:05AM onlyonthurs said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 1:48PM Ruinkind said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:00AM Design by Adrian said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:12AM Suichimo said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:18AM Dick Socrates said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:30AM Koming said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:44AM Grimbear13 said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 11:50AM singleandlovinit said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 12:09PM Kamalot said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 12:10PM Kamalot said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 12:42PM Starcade said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 12:43PM RuleBook said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 1:02PM balbonits said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 2:06PM tyrant1224 said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 2:57PM imtheman said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 3:37PM Cryonaka said

Posted: Nov 4th 2011 5:45PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Nov 5th 2011 2:27AM Hatchet said

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