News - AIREAL - Tactile gaming tech using air vortices, by Disney

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More touchy-feely gaming tech on the way, this time powered by compressed air.

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Not sure whether to be intrigued or utterly creeped-out by this.

It's got all the hallmarks, to me at least, of one of those "we were bored and needed something to patent" kind of inventions. And I'm assuming the need for multiple units means it's not going to be a cheap product either.

Can't see it taking off for home use - but it could be a great thing in a theme park ride perhaps.

Reminds me of amBX's fan components, only with more backing and potential to actually go somewhere

I can see some industries where this kind of tech could take off.... Not sure about home gaming, but something "cinematic" could probably use it...

So you have your Leap controller in the middle of the floor air blowers dotted around the room within a metre of you. Sounds like a H&S nightmare!

Buy this now and receive 5 boxes full of air for free, so your air sensations never end.

These kind of inventions are ridiculous, I don't see any point in owning.

I shall now attempt to defend what I see as a good idea.

a while ago, a speaker company placed fans into their speakers... and with the right software, the plan was that as a 5.1 speaker system for pc gaming has the 5 speakers that aim at you could blow air into your face....they'd relate to speed, movement, explosions and so forth. I never had a play with it... I regret that... it was a good idea.

but a fan can't thump you ... not even gently. it can only blow you.

however.... if I've got this right.... this new toy uses the principle used by Airzooka.... a thump of air in a kind of .... pocket.

google it if you don't understand what an airzooka is.... trust me... the one foot diameter 'zooka that I owned hit people in the face across a garden ..... with enough force to make them gasp.

mini version of that, in a room, close.....


would rock!

I know that a lot of tech and software I own might be considered by many to be frivolous...

But seriously, all the problems and ingenuity of the human race and we come up with this?!
I can think of virtually no critical applications for it.

And the ones they showed were 5 minute wonder gimmicks at best.

very smart tech if you have the use for it

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Originally Posted by Zak33

I shall now attempt to defend what I see as a good idea.

a while ago, a speaker company placed fans into their speakers... and with the right software, the plan was that as a 5.1 speaker system for pc gaming has the 5 speakers that aim at you could blow air into your face....they'd relate to speed, movement, explosions and so forth. I never had a play with it... I regret that... it was a good idea.

but a fan can't thump you ... not even gently. it can only blow you.

however.... if I've got this right.... this new toy uses the principle used by Airzooka.... a thump of air in a kind of .... pocket.

google it if you don't understand what an airzooka is.... trust me... the one foot diameter 'zooka that I owned hit people in the face across a garden ..... with enough force to make them gasp.

mini version of that, in a room, close.....


would rock!

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BBC Bang Goes The Theory made an industrial sized cannon using the same vortex tech - check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyAyd4WnvhU