Company Targets PC Gaming as Initial Application for Revolutionary New Technology
NEW YORK, Dec. 2, 2005 – Philips today announced amBX™ (pronounced am-bee-ex), a technology that will redefine the experience of playing video games, watching movies and listening to music. Utilizing light, color, sound, heat and air, amBX submerges the user within a complete “sensory surround experience,” which extends the gaming world out of the screen and into the real world by barraging the senses with audio and visual queues tuned to the action on the screen. Philips is currently in the advanced stages of talks with several leading game developers and peripheral manufacturers regarding amBX-enabling leading games and devices. The amBX technology will be launched in May 2006, while amBX-enabled games and peripherals will arrive in Q4 of next year.
“For video game creators this is a fantastic opportunity as amBX expands the immersive experience by bringing gameplay into the real world environment,” said Jo Cooke, Chief Marketing Officer, Philips amBX. “The creative possibilities, using this technology, for the games industry and beyond are immense.”
The result of extensive research and development, amBX delivers an all-new player experience through enabled devices — such as LED color-controlled lights, active furniture, fans, heaters, audio and video — strategically placed in the user’s room. By utilizing this ground-breaking technology, the treacherous journey through the Amazon will turn a room jungle green, swimming with dolphins will splash it deep blue, ‘Halo’ jumps will turn fans on full, lightning storms will trigger strobe effects of white light and pirate ships on fire off the coast of treasure island will blast on the heaters.
The amBX experience comes alive through the incorporation of a scripting language, software engine and hardware architecture. Philips amBX provides the support framework for peripheral manufacturers to develop these enabled products and empowers game developers to amBX-enable and enhance their games. Through amBX, Philips has forged a common language for the creation, distribution and sharing of totally new experiences within an “Ambient Intelligent Environment.”
High-resolution images of amBX products can be downloaded from http://www.amBX.com
About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is one of the world’s biggest electronics companies and Europe’s largest, with sales of EUR 30.3 billion in 2004. With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyle and technology and 161,100 employees in more than 60 countries, it has market leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, color television sets, electric shavers, lighting and silicon system solutions. News from Philips is located at http://www.philips.com/newscenter.
