Introducing PlayStation Eye

Two of the key figures behind the development of the revolutionary new camera for PS3 share their thoughts on this exciting product.

As PlayStation Eye ushers in a new range of entertainment opportunities on PlayStation 3, eu.playstation.com catches up with Dr Richard Marks, the man behind the EyeToy USB Camera on PlayStation 2 as well as PlayStation Eye, and Jonathan Alpine, Senior Designer at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

What is the thinking behind PlayStation Eye on PlayStation 3?
Dr Richard Marks: PlayStation Eye was designed primarily as an interactive and communication device. EyeToy also had the same focus, though with PS2 the network was not as paramount, so the communication aspect definitely took a back seat to the interactive capabilities.

What are the major new features of this next generation camera?
RM: The biggest new feature is the microphone array, which allows for high-quality voice input to PS3 (for chat or other purposes). Another big feature is the built-in dual-zoom lens; the first setting allows for upper torso imaging (similar to EyeToy), while the second, wider-angle setting allows for full-body imaging. And finally, there are several video quality enhancements, including: much improved low-light imaging, no blocky compression artifacts, and 4 times the pixel resolution of EyeToy.

In layman's terms, how does the camera compare to other cameras and recorders currently on the market?
RM: It is like a high-end PC webcam, but it produces faster, smoother video than other webcams; in low light, it produces better-looking video than other webcams and it has two lens zoom settings; and its microphone audio quality is much, much better than other webcams.

The Eye of Judgment is a game that wouldn't be possible without the camera – did you consult the games development team regarding design and technological ability?
RM: The Eye of Judgment is a very different style of game than previous EyeToy games, and the initial PlayStation Eye specifications were created before the details of The Eye of Judgment were known. Luckily, the PlayStation Eye was already fairly well-suited for EoJ due to the high quality camera image. However, the PlayStation Eye design was later adjusted slightly to accommodate some requirements for EoJ. In particular, the fixed-focus range of the lens was adjusted to work with the EoJ scenario.

The camera and games like The Eye of Judgment look great but what else will PS3 and PlayStation Eye be able to do?
Jonathan Alpine: We are always working on new ideas and new interactive experiences. At launch, you'll be able create and manipulate media using the EyeCreate application. This has lots of cool effects and capture modes and it lets you save your creations directly to the PS3 Home Menu. You can use the camera to capture photos and then attach them to the messages you send to friends through the PS3. We've got some more relaxing experiences coming out as well. The camera is great for these type of non-competitive interactions as you can just leave them running and have your TV react in interesting ways whenever anyone steps in front of it. One area we are really excited about combines Sony's face-detection technology with PlayStation Eye and PS3.

The microphone has changed as well as the camera – was this easy to do and what sort of sound quality are we talking about now?
RM: The microphone array technology in PlayStation Eye is really state-of-the-art. In effect, it allows PlayStation Eye to listen digitally in a certain direction, and ignore sounds from other directions. This, combined with other noise-cancelling technology, allows for sound quality on par with very high-end speakerphones or video-conferencing equipment.

Does the camera support High Definition?
RM: The camera can be used with High Definition games, and the video looks great when displayed on High Definition televisions. Though the camera pixel resolution is not High Definition, the video quality looks very good because the camera has such a high frame-rate, good sensitivity, and no compression artifacts.

When playing games online, will you be able to use the camera to see your opponents?
RM: This is a decision that we leave up to each game developer to make. Either way, the PS3 has built-in audio/video chat via the Home Menu, so you can always choose to see your online opponents before or after a game.

What do you see the PlayStation Eye leading to in terms of gameplay - and in terms of PS3 as an entertainment hub?
JA: In terms of gameplay, we see the PlayStation Eye innovating by opening up new ways to interact with your PS3. We also want to make sure that we build on our key strength of intuitive controls and create gameplay that absolutely anyone can enjoy – so gamers and non-gamers can enjoy games together. In terms of entertainment, we see it coming from two angles. The first is the concept of communication; getting PS3 users seeing and hearing each other whether that's in-game or in a standalone context. The second angle is the idea of media creation; using the camera's core functions to capture videos, photos and audio and then use that media in different ways. It really broadens the idea of user-created content because it's so easy to do.

Will online upgrades/updates be available?
RM: Future PS3 system updates could potentially improve PlayStation Eye performance, or even enable new PlayStation Eye capabilities in existing applications.