Based on an Instagram post from the Chinese engineer @ryc._1216, a recent video of a 4D gaming rig went viral. What happens is that while playing a game, especially first-person games as shown, the computer responds to environmental changes. If you get shot by enemies, the computer delivers an experience that simulates what it feels like to get hit. While this may appear to be an AI-generated video, upon close inspection, it is real, and technologies already available in the industry can simulate these kinds of changes.
As always, there has to be a catch, and yes, in reality, it is not exactly what you think
What makes the 4D gaming rig real?
gaming on the 4D gaming PC (Image via Instagram/ryc._1216)
The Chinese engineer built the 4D gaming rig using real-time game telemetry interception and combined pneumatic actuators, solenoids, and a water-misting system. The system intercepts live in-game data, such as gunfire, explosions, and environmental collisions, and translates them into sensory responses that involve touch and feel. This is why, when you get shot in-game, the built-in sensors detect it, and, as coded, a mechanical arm ends up delivering a physical strike.
Furthermore, when it rains in-game, water is programmed to be sprayed at you. Similarly, when explosions occur, the system simulates conditions that closely resemble how a blast works.
This technology and the engineering involved are not new. Pneumatic systems, solenoids, and in-game telemetry techniques have been used for years. Many other reels and videos on social media only portrayed how recoil in-game feels, whereas what is discussed here is much more sophisticated.
Why you can’t buy this yet?
If the tech sounds so cool, then why can’t anyone buy it, you may ask? This is because building these kinds of rigs requires extensive customization and additional peripherals, such as custom mechanical arms, 3D-printed parts integrated with pneumatic systems, and deep programming knowledge to interface with game telemetry, memory values, or mod-level APIs, and to translate in-game events into sensory perception.
It is possible, but it requires a lot of money and patience, along with a very strong programming foundation. If you believe you can make something even better, for example, pushing more aggressive physical feedback from in-game events, you can try, but this is not practical or safe for consumer use.
Read more: 8 essential accessories to turn your tablet into a laptop replacement
In conclusion, while this technology is real, it is not practical. This entire 4D gaming rig scenario is just a demonstration of a concept, showing that haptic feedback from a controller can be extended to such an extent. Until someone figures out how to make this cheaper and safe for consumer use, the concept will remain a demonstration rather than a practical product, at least for the foreseeable future.
Read more: ASUS Vivobook 16 vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3: Which is the better high-performance laptop?
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Edited by Swapneel