CES 2023 | Razer's Project Carol brings your gaming chair to life with near-field 7.1 surround sound and haptic feedback

Razer is not new to showcasing outlandish experimental concepts at CES. But who would have thought that the humble gaming chair can be transformed into a gadget that offers heightened realism in games? Presenting Project Carol.

Project Carol is not a gaming chair per se but is a head cushion with a difference. The head cushion consists of near-field 7.1 surround speakers for an enveloping soudscape. Razer said that the cushion's Hypersense technology converts game sounds into haptic feedback in real time adding a whole new level of immersion.

The premise behind Project Carol is simple. It can get both expensive and complicated for achieving an ideal surround audio experience with dedicated speakers, configurations, wiring, and the works. Similarly, haptic feedback while seated is not a common occurrence save for some 4D theaters.

Project Carol aims to solve this by turning your gaming chair's head cushion into something more useful, comfortable, and accessible.

Razer said that the speakers in Project Carol's head cushion is calibrated for near-field surround sound. There are no wires or complicated setup needed — just plug in the cushion's proprietary 2.4 GHz wireless USB dongle to your PC and enjoy up to eight hours of immersive entertainment. The cushion can be charged via USB Type-C.

Razer has not provided any pricing or availability information for Project Carol but said that the head cushion can fit all gaming chairs including its own Iskur and Enki models via adjustable straps.

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