Razer’s Project Ariana Takes Gaming to Immersive New Levels


The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is our annual opportunity to get a peek at the future of gaming, computing, and all things electronic. This year ushered in some stunning ideas and innovations in an array of technological fields, but one of the most wow-inducing concepts introduced was the room-altering Project Ariana. Razer is widely known for its use of bright colors and immersion-enhancing features, dabbling in everything from first-of-its-kind haptic feedback to full-spectrum lighting systems that tie in even your computer’s most basic accessories (keyboards, mice, and headphones). Their latest concept device ups the awe-inspiring ante, turning your entire game room into a colorful and mesmerizing experience.

The concept Chroma projector, dubbed Project Ariana, uses a wide-angle fisheye lens to broadcast real-time video of the game you’re playing onto an adjacent wall. It works more smoothly than you might expect, thanks to a pair of 3D depth-sensing cameras which automatically detect and account for variables such as the lighting in the room and furniture placement. Essentially, they work to “bend” the light around perceived objects, so that the result is an image that appears flat and clear. The cameras also make sure that your screenplay remains unaffected by the peripherals, and works to block out any light that might make it to your actual screen display. It truly expands your field of vision as well, and I can see how it could be an amazing accessory for gamers wanting an extra edge. It illuminates upcoming curves when driving or racing, and can give added awareness when facing distant enemy attacks which otherwise might not be in your field of vision. The whole thing resembles a technique called “foveated rendering”, in which the highest quality output remains at the center of your eyes, while less precise graphics appear around the screen “We see Project Ariana as the future of gaming immersion and a great showcase of what our Razer Chroma lighting technology can do,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer CEO and cofounder, in a statement. “It’s great to see that consumers and editors agree on how exciting this innovation is for gamers. Project Ariana is able to offer a virtual reality experience without a headset and which can be enjoyed by everyone in a room.”

Another brilliant move on the part of Razer was to gather actual, real-life input from avid gamers and Razer consumers about how they could enhance and put to better use the current prototype. The company has posted YouTube videos that give viewers an actual demo of Project Ariana in action, and the company is asking for feedback via their Facebook and Twitter pages from anyone who might be interested in shaping the future of their amazingly immersive projector prototype. This is key, as it allows them to take the temperature amongst their most devoted gaming fan base for such a project, and also allows them to make the best and most-wanted tweaks to the room illuminator before they attempt to launch the consumer-ready model at the end of this year as planned. As an added bonus, and to create a more widespread consumer base for the product when it does finally hit shelves, it will function as a regular 4K projector as well, only better - thanks again to those depth-sensing cameras. And if you’re more into focused, laser-sharp images, you can always check out Razer’s newly announced Project Valerie, a gaming laptop boasting three stunning 4K displays.

Topics: Technology News Display Screen Technology Gadgets & Peripherals Inventions & Innovations Laptops & Ultrathin Ultrabooks

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