Hardware: JoyRide France – Atomic A1.

[Oscar Maia]

JoyRide – Atomic A1
The Atomic A1 consists of a racing car seat, steering wheel, peddle controllers, and a joystick. All of this is crammed into an impressively small form factor that the guys from Joyride are hoping will see the device in living room territory, rather than banished to a purpose-built games room or garage. The unit is highly adjustable and is adaptable enough to accomodate users of all shapes and sizes despite the compact design.

The unit works by relaying in-game events to the user through force-feedback in the form of tilting, shaking and generally throwing the user about much as they would experience in a real vehicle. The A1 boasts impressive stats in this regard; the unit can pitch and roll up to 27 degrees, with ForceAssist technology promising to deliver maximum punch whilst minimising power usage (the A1 requires around 150w of power).
The A1 is designed to work with PC games and simulator packages and is currently up-and-running with 60 titles including popular racing, flying and rollercoaster games. Disappointingly, the A1 isn’t currently compatible with PS3 or XBox 360 games, although Joyride have indicated that they may support Xbox 360 games in the future if there is demand for it. Each game must be supported by JoyRide before it can be used with their hardware and the company pledges to support popular titles within a few days of release. Game support is achieved through JoyRide’s proprietary SIMPHYNITY software (pictured below), which also enables users to customize all aspects of the experience and configure such delights as a network mode for linking multiple full-motion seats together for shared experiences.
Underscoring the technical credentials of the A1, James Milne, MD and co-founder of JoyRide, said:
We have developed a simulator unit that could fit into anybody’s living room, interfaces with PC based games and home theatre set-ups, and deliver a powerful, exhilerating ride with motion like that of a large commercial simulator
Chris Jarram, Creative Director and co-founder of JoyRide, added:
I am pleased to have devised the Atomic A1, which provides an absolute state-of-the-art simulation experience to give a highly accurate representation of the motion you feel in a race car driver or pilot’s seat, but can sit in front of the lounge television and be tucked away when not in use.
Of course, the Atomic A1 is not the only hardware out there for serious sim-lovers. The i-Motion, a high-end simulator chair from Canadian firm VRX Industries, boasts a 3-screen display powered by NVIDIA GeForce surround vision technology, as well as PS3 and Xbox 360 support, and costs an eye-watering $27,995.
The decision not to include expensive visual hardware has helped JoyRide keep the cost of their unit much lower.
The Atomic A1 retails at £5140 GBP ($7,983), which puts it within reach of hobbyists, albeit those with a big budget for their gaming thrills.
Both the i-Motion and the Atomic A1 are also available to hire for parties and events.
The A1 is currently only available direct from JoyRide, who ship the product worldwide

[Nuno Cardoso]

isso e mesmo pa gente que ta bem da vida