Razer's aggressive push to become one of the dominant players in the gaming segment has just been punctuated by a curious peripheral it demonstrated at CES 2017.
Dubbed as Project Ariana, the device is a projection system that can extend the action happening on your monitor or your gaming laptop onto the walls and parts of your living room.
It is currently a technical concept, but Razer was able to successfully demonstrate its capabilities at its CES booth.
Project Ariana Concept
If you have witnessed the demo of the Shadow Warrior 2, for example, you will agree that the new technology is certainly immersive and provides a truly unique experience that could overwhelm one's visual sense.
In the first-person shooter game, for example, the monitor shows your hand wielding a sword. The projection, however, will seamlessly show the entire length of the weapon and an expansion of the gameplay, with all visual elements moving in sync with the action on screen.
According to Razer, this is achieved through its own Chroma technology, which communicates with the game in real time.
"This results in everything from peripherals to smart lighting and even video projection, all working as one to give you a truly incredible visual gaming experience," Razer said.
There are observers who find that Project Ariana resembles Microsoft's shelved IllumiRoom concept.
Project Ariana provide a softer visual quality when compared to what is being shown by the desktop screen. So one way to explain the experience is to say that the projection serves as added visual effects or ambience, which probably led some to say that the outcome is surreal.
Confusing Gameplay
Some, however, found that this aspect leads to a more confusing gameplay. The argument is that the jarring disconnect between the visual qualities of the monitor and the projection could lead to a more chaotic gaming experience.
Also, the projector is capable of 4K quality, and if you are using a 4K monitor, this means that it will only receive a 720-pixel image, as the rest will be projected onto the wall.
Automatic Calibration Technology
One notable innovation in Razer's projection technology is the capability to modify the projection size based on the size of the wall or the room it is being beamed into.
According to Razer, this requires a special 3D camera designed to detect the monitor, its physical location, and surrounding objects. The technology can even pick up the type and amount of lighting in the room, tweaking the projected visuals accordingly.
Razer has not provided specific release date for a consumer version of Project Ariana. The company, however, has been reported hoping that the device will start shipping by the end of 2017.
