Razer teased its Project Carol concept design at CES 2023. It is the world’s first head cushion design with near-field surround sound and haptics.
The concept has already won several awards at CES 2023, including the Innovation Award and Best of Show Award, indicating that its proof of concept has already made considerable progress.
The design includes 7.1 surround sound and Razer’s HyperSense technology, in addition to real-time haptic feedback, which “allows gamers to feel everything behind them, placing them firmly in the middle of the action,” Razer said.
The cushion supports PC software and is designed to fit gaming chairs. It is specially designed to fit Razer Iskur and Enki chairs with adjustable straps. Before charging, it can provide 2.4GHz wireless gaming connectivity.
The Project Carol design can fit all major brands of gaming chairs, thanks to the stretchy adjustable straps that can be fully extended up and down to 350mm. The placement of the cushions also allows for “realistic, high-fidelity tactile feedback” that can be heard from behind the player for a more immersive experience.
The Cushion includes a dongle that provides up to eight hours of battery life via USB-C charging.
Razer acknowledges that this is a niche product targeted at a select few. The actual product may also require additional software. Razer warns that the time it takes to set up the system makes it tedious and impractical for day-to-day use.
Some downsides to Project Carol include extra cables that can lead to a messy setup, and the need for additional speakers, as well as an audio receiver or control box.
Razer has not shared any pricing or availability details for this product, as it is still in the concept stage. It does note that orders over $80 have free standard shipping in the US.
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