By Eric Vezzoli : Associate Director - Haptics, GM Interhaptics
FEBRUARY 26, 2024
FEBRUARY 26, 2024
Gamers love watching live streams, seeing their favorite players make incredible plays and get the wins – but what if we could take the action to the next level, and not just see and hear the stream, but feel it too? Imagine the new heights gamers can go to if they’re enveloped in the game, the sights, the sounds and the sensations. The key to unlocking this dream is haptics, and at CES 2024, Razer turned this dream into reality with the unveiling of Project Esther – the World’s First HD Haptics Gaming Cushion, powered by our latest innovation, Razer Sensa HD Haptics.
Streaming Haptics – bringing the viewer into the game: Razer is delighted to showcase, in partnership with global wireless, video, and AI research and development company InterDigital, the world’s first MPEG haptics streaming experience at Mobile World Congress 2024.
Showcased at InterDigital’s booth at Hall 7 Stand 7B31 in a haptic-enhanced immersive streaming demo, this new gaming experience has to be felt to be believed. The demo will be shown on a Razer Sensa HD Haptics setup which includes the multi CES Award winning Project Esther, a modified version of the Razer Kraken HyperSense V3 headset, and an HD haptics controller, giving a total of 20 haptics endpoints, and will be streamed via InterDigital’s contributions to MPEG haptic and immersive video codecs
The game we’re showcasing at Mobile World Congress 2024 is a prototype racing game, meticulously designed to bring the exhilarating world of racing to life with unparalleled precision. This isn’t just about speed on the track; it’s about feeling the roar of the engine, the friction of tires against the asphalt, and the heart-pounding moments of overtaking an opponent, all through the nuanced power of Razer Sensa HD Haptics. Each in-game event, from the rush of acceleration to the intensity of cornering, is associated with distinct haptic experiences. This pioneering demonstration will highlight the capabilities of Razer Sensa HD Haptics, showcasing both Multidirectional Haptics that mimic the complex forces at play in a high-speed race, and Multi Device harmonized haptics that synchronize the sensory feedback across the gaming cushion, headset, and controller for an immersive racing adventure unlike any other.
The Current Landscape of Haptics: The haptic landscape has long been confined to local experiences or proprietary networks. While gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox offer immersive experiences at home, the same level of haptics was not possible simultaneously across a wide audience. Now, Razer’s vision—building upon our Chroma RGB ecosystem—has expanded haptics to new horizons with Interhaptics technology integrated.
Envisioning a Haptic-Powered Future: Haptics streaming isn’t just limited to gaming, there’s a wealth of possibilities for immersive entertainment, streamed across the globe:
- Haptics Streaming on Twitch: Viewers can feel the action in real-time while watching their favorite streamers, enhancing the overall viewing experience.
- Movie Streaming with Haptics: Movie nights at home, replete with the same haptic sensations as high-end theaters thanks to Project Eshter and haptics streaming.
- Full-Body Haptics in Cloud Gaming: Cloud gaming sessions that offer a full-body sensory journey, putting you truly “in-game.”
- Remote Meditation Sessions: Haptics technology is not limited to gaming; it can also facilitate wellness and focus, imagine a remote meditation session where gentle vibrations guide you into a state of deep relaxation.
- Immersive Music: Music that’s not just heard but felt, with bass lines that resonate in the soul. Gamers have experienced a version of this already with the Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense.
- Immersive Live Events: Imagine sports events where you feel the stadium’s roar, right from your living room.
Transporting Haptics Everywhere: The challenge lies in ensuring that the immersive haptic experience transcends physical boundaries and device limitations. Razer’s acquisition of Interhaptics, a company specializing in haptic software and development, was a strategic step toward this all-encompassing haptic vision and has paved the way for a collaborative technology ecosystem. Interhaptics has been instrumental in initiatives such as the MPEG haptics standard, alongside partner InterDigital, collaborating with collaborative consortium like Khronos to bring immersive haptics APIs to the OpenXR standard, and launching the Interhaptics Platform in 2024 to enable third-party OEMs to create seamless peripherals like Project Esther on a USB-HID protocol.
These initiatives complete the necessary technology pieces to enable haptics transport on every system as imagined by the Haptics Industry Forum in 2021.
Generic media transport system architecture proposed by the Haptics Industry Forum
MPEG Haptics Streaming: In partnership with Razer, InterDigital will be showcasing MPEG haptics streaming from the show floor at Mobile World Congress 2024. This demonstration underscores the advancements made possible by the MPEG Haptics standards, incorporating Interhaptics technologies. The MPEG haptics standard is now at Final Draft International Standard advancement, and ready to be incorporated in the market.
Key highlights of the showcase include encoding and transcoding content created with Interhaptics into MPEG format, and streaming gaming clips to smartphones via 5G networks, thereby delivering immersive haptic experiences on mobile devices emulating the full experience shown with Project Esther.
Embracing an Immersive Future: Beyond gaming and entertainment, the true potential of haptics lies in its ability to deepen connections and evoke emotions through the sense of touch. As technology continues to evolve, creators will have unprecedented opportunities to engage with their audiences on a deeper level, shaping the future of storytelling and entertainment. This is more than technology; it’s an art form that enhances storytelling, creating connections that were once the stuff of science fiction. It’s about deepening the emotional bond between the content and the audience.
In conclusion, the collaboration between Razer, Interhaptics, InterDigital, and other industry leaders herald a new era of immersive experiences where the digital world is not just seen or heard but felt in its entirety, marking a significant milestone in the journey towards a truly immersive storytelling.
A Personal Reflection:
What drives my passion for haptics is its power to craft an entirely new medium for artists, creators, and storytellers. It’s about enabling a future where experiences are not just seen or heard but felt—fostering deeper connections, evoking emotions, and perhaps, bringing us all a little closer.
Thank you for joining us on this journey into the future of immersive storytelling,
