New standard announced for sense-gaming

AMBX uses fans and flashing lights to increase realism

A new system for more life-like gaming has been announced by Philips.

It hopes AMBX will become an industry standard, much like Dolby is for sound, by using software-controlled fans and LED lights to create a more immersive experience.

The base package costs $199 (£119), which consists of two 5,000rpm fans, two speakers with in-built lights on top of them and a 'wall-washer' that colours the wall behind your screen to set the mood.

More expensive options will also be launched, including a $599 premium set that adds surround sound speakers, subwoofer and a vibrating wrist-rest below the keyboard. In the future Philips hopes to add further vibrating peripherals and heaters to change the temperature of the room.

The LED lights are quoted as being capable of 16 million colours however, during their presentation in London, the lights did not appear to be capable of fading between different colours. Instead the lights changed colour disjointedly by turning off and then on again.

The technology will be licensed to other hardware manufacturers so competing products will become available.

AMBX developer software and game-licences will be free for software developers, with Philips hoping to claw money back through hardware sales.

The technology is aimed squarely at gaming-enthusiasts, however the technology is also being demonstrated with video. Broken Sword 4 is the first game to support the technology natively. Toca 3 is having the technology added to it and will ship with AMBX. Other games can also be retro-fitted to support the interface.

Any game is compatible with the mood-setting lights, even if it was not designed for AMBX. It does this by analysing the screen and taking an average colour and extending it through the LED lights and wall-washer.

Philips invested in AMBX as a start-up five years ago. David Eves, founder of the start-up and the brains behind the project, accepted that the project was reliant on Philips funding if it is to be a success.

The official launch will occur at CES, Las Vegas, in January, where the AMBX software will control a theatre, its lights and massive fans. Products will then go on sale in the US and UK in February.