amBX to breathe life into PS3 games?
- Posted February 4th, 2009 at 17:41 EDT by Steven Williamson
- 41 Comments
When amBX technology was announced back in 2005, its creator, Philips Research, claimed that it would revolutionize gaming.
Four years later and the technology, which comes in the form of peripherals that produce light, color, rumble and air flow, has been employed in the PC gaming market, but hasn’t quite taken off.
That could be about to change following the announcement that Sony Computer Entertainment has signed a deal with Philips, which will allow the company to develop its peripherals for the Playstation 3.
Most recently Philips released a PC pro gaming bundle for Ubisoft’s Brothers In Arms: Hell’s Highway, which consisted of a central lighting/control station, a pair of 40W satellite speaker lights, and a powerful 80W subwoofer. It also offered an optional extension kit that consisted of a desktop variable speed fan that simulated wind speed from soldier movement on foot, in the air and in vehicles, as well as punches of airbursts from explosions and object collision.
Sounds pretty impressive, right?
Well, we don’t know anyone who has personally bought into amBX technology and we haven’t heard it mentioned very often, but we did see it being showcased at the Games Convention at Leipzig last year and at that point Philips was saying that it was working on smell technology to bring the likes of burning rubber, smoke, and gunpowder into the living room.
Having recently completed the brilliant Killzone 2, we could see the value of amBX on the Playstation 3. Potentially, it could help to make games feel even more absorbing than they are now. With Sony’s backing, Philips is now going to have even more reason to improve and develop its range more quickly, and it looks like it's us, PS3 owners, that will see the final benefits.
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Comments
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Silent_gig
- 12:50pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 3
Oh come on, i dont need this. The only revolutionary add-on i need for games is Rumble
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Craig-Handley
- 1:00pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 7
This is something worth looking at, its sort of like virtual reality, but it really isn't o.o.
Crazy, could be either really good, or just all out fail.
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RagingStorm
- 1:03pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 8
So on one of those japanese dating sim games, would they be able to bring the smell of ...... nevermind, I think I am reading to far into this lol.
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coverlord
- 1:19pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 11
wow what will the future bring?
sony has some killer stuff coming our way.
I'm pretty sure my PS3 already has wind,smell and sound simulation,(a rotating fan next to my couch, munchies all over the floor and a neighbour that screams out all the time,"turn it down."
Ad killzone 2 to the mix and that's all the simulation I need!
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Altercode
- 1:29pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 13
I need a trackball i cant really aim good with analogs... lol...
I think in future, they could implement somekind of trackpad replacing the analogs... it could work as analog and drag... would be a lot better!!! the idea is in my mind right now!!! WOW AMAZING!!! LOL
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pizzamonkio
- 2:00pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 18
couldn't you just hire a couple of mexican day laborers to blow on you and shine flashlights in your face while they pass gas? seriously though it sounds alright but i have a feeling it would just distract you from the game.
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robby_diesel
- 2:16pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 20
this sounds crazy prolly gunna be mad expensive though
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GrugNorg0606
- 2:36pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 21
lol sounds lame. I disable rumble when i play. it gets annoying
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edward_moffet
- 2:46pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 22
it sounds interesting but the thing that scares me is that it doesn't sound like a centralized system and thats a problem, i don't want to have to setup and buy a different set of perephrials for every game i own
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jigglespsu
- 4:02pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 25
the air flow thing maybe cool, but smell should really be avoided. The lights seem like more of a distraction ... on the whole, seems like a periph that is probably left well alone, but then again ... dafter ideas have gained ground
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1solidsnake |
solid1snake67- 4:09pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 26
i need this, like i need a new 100" sony bravia lcd television!! if the ps3 had it for sure it would be in the number 1 spot and kill the 360. maybe not kill it but, you never know, the ps3 needs updated technology to comptete or destroy the othe consoles. what's wrong with having an elite console with to many games and the best graphics and sound you could ever have nothing!!!!!!
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supamariobrotha
- 4:15pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 27
wow now thats getting into the game but the experience sounds expensive. im good with my dualshock3 for now.
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gameoholic
- 4:31pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 29
Yeah, just what we need, a device that puts out a smell, according to the gameplay. What happens if a character in a game farts, does that mean we are stuck smelling it? I don't know about that man, I would have to shut it off, then my wife would blaim me.
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Thanatos465
- 5:10pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 31
I like cake, do u like cake, this is diffenently not cake..............
I think its gonna fail, everything that comes from Phillips is a failure
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HARDCOREPS3
- 8:03pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 34
Cool! Now PS3 had 3D and now amBX? WOW! what about 360??? Xbox 360 still sucks! Loser, M$!
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michaelcorleone
- 10:09pm EST - February 4th, 2009
- 35
nice...i can see it bein a great add on to games like GT5, MOTORSTORM, GTA and of course KZ2.
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spawn of stumpy
- 12:24am EST - February 5th, 2009
- 36
Hmm i dont need any additional peripheral devices to create the smell of burning rubber in my room, just feed me a can of baked beans & park myself on my leacher couch.
Bingo, thunder effect & Gas leak`s all in one !! :-)
official perihperal`s wont be cheap i reckon which could be a problem.
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netherdragon
- 2:58am EST - February 5th, 2009
- 38
i can see the point of doing this BUT there is no way in h3ll i would want smell burning rubber or whatever other smels it can make while gaming, (visions of walking in to a toilet on a game and someone hasn't flushed) :P that and i think the wind thing would just be anoying (or refreshing at times on a hot day i guess...)
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DeepHorizon00
- 3:57am EST - February 5th, 2009
- 40
Who wants to smell burnt rubber while there trying to play a game??
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