Sony is working on patenting a method that uses video games to detect ADHD and other disorders like bipolar, depression, and OCD. Using video games to diagnose psychiatric disorders might seem like a stretch, but the method is based on previous research linking eye perception and disorders like ADHD.

The technology is based on the concept of binocular rivalry, which is something that happens when the left and right eyes are seeing different images. When this happens, a person's dominant eye will switch rapidly, going back and forth between eyes about every 0.5 seconds, which means the dominant image they're seeing will also change. Studies have found that people with ADHD will have the switch much slower than average, and that slow switch times can also potentially be a sign of depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, autism, and schizophrenia.

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Sony has taken this idea and put it in the context of gaming. Instead of showing people random images during a test, it has people play a video game designed to cause binocular rivalry. It can then measure how quickly the person's dominant eye changes, which could then potentially help diagnose the person being tested.

sony patent detecting adhd and other disorders

The patent specifically mentions the benefits the method would have for diagnosing children. Current diagnostic tests are often inconvenient or uncomfortable for the person being assessed, especially for children. Many of the people being tested for ADHD, autism, and some other disorders are children, and Sony hopes to create a test that works well for them. This is not the first patent it has filed regarding the health and safety of children, having also filed a patent for smart parental controls to ensure parents can monitor their children's gameplay without disrupting them during important in-game moments.

Overall, there has been an increased awareness of mental health issues in the gaming community, and Sony's new patent reflects that. People are starting to care about how gaming impacts mental health, both negatively and positively, for players and developers alike. One mental health foundation called for better mental health support for players from developers, and there has also been a push for better working conditions for the developers themselves. Players also want to see mental health better represented in the games they play. Sony's decision to focus on psychiatric disorders and mental health issues is part of positive trend, and hopefully its patent will be able to diagnose and help those in need.

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