Sentons Launches SDS GamingBar for Customizable, Buttonless Mobile Gaming

By AIT News Desk On Jul 23, 2020

Tencent & ASUS First to Deploy GamingBar with Upgraded Ultrasonic “AirTriggers” in New ROG Phone 3 for the Chinese Market

Sentons, the pioneer in Software-Defined Surfaces (SDS), announced the launch of the SDS GamingBar. Powered by Sentons SDSWave technology and tailor-made for the mobile gaming market, GamingBar allows phone manufacturers to transform the edge of any device, made from any material, into a force-sensitive touch interface using ultrasonics. This unlocks new capabilities for fully customizable interactive experiences while removing the structural difficulties introduced by mechanical buttons.

An early adopter of the SDS GamingBar is the new flagship ROG Phone 3 from Tencent and ASUS, which just rolled out in China and uses GamingBar to power newly upgraded and hyper-responsive AirTriggers through an interactive, bezel-less edge on the device. One of the most popular features on the ROG Phone II that launched last year, AirTriggers can be customized to recognize any tap, press, squeeze or gesture with the extreme accuracy needed for pro-level gaming. Research from JD.com showed that the SDSWave technology used in the ROG Phone II’s AirTriggers earned a 99% user approval rating.

“AirTriggers were, far and away, the best decision we made in the ROG II and one of the most loved by our gamers,” said Tencent Gaming. “No other solution allows gamers to interact effortlessly with the edge of their device to tap and reload in one game, then swipe away enemies in the next. When you put Sentons technology in your hands, you truly understand just how clumsy and primitive buttons are and how limiting they’ve been for gaming. The digital controls that Sentons provides takes mobile gaming to the next level, creating a seamless and innovative experience.”

The new GamingBar comes upgraded with a 5x gaming performance and unique slide feature over the ROG Phone II deployment. Whether it’s used to reload ammunition with a long-squeeze, control direction with a light swipe, or fire with a tap, the GamingBar takes the user experience to the next level and is proven to outperform the competition.

“The reception to AirTriggers on the ROG Phone II was overwhelmingly positive, and they’ve quickly become one of the phone’s most popular features, so we were very excited to deploy even faster AirTriggers in the ROG Phone 3 thanks to GamingBar,” said Bryan Chang, General Manager of the Smartphone Business Unit at ASUS. “The ability to tweak the functionality of AirTriggers through over-the-air firmware updates is another key advantage of the technology, as it allows us to constantly iterate and push the boundaries of mobile gaming without any hardware limitations.”

GamingBar also presents new opportunities for developers because it can be programmed to activate multiple in-game controls depending on the user’s gesture, so developers are no longer limited to one control per physical button.

“If you want to win the war for mobile gamers, you need four things: the latest and greatest CPU’s, beautiful high frequency displays, huge batteries, and GamingBar,” said Jess Lee, CEO of Sentons. “Tencent and ASUS led the charge on Sentons ultrasonics and many other gaming-optimized technologies early on. The massive success of the ROG family is a reflection of their foresight and innovation. The GamingBar has no equal in terms of speed, accuracy, and responsiveness in gameplay. As a result, ROG 3 gamers will be ahead of the curve until GamingBar becomes the industry standard.”

GamingBar joins the Sentons suite of ultrasonic SDSWave solutions that go far beyond gaming. From slide-to-zoom mobile photography, to interactive leather in-car cabins, SDSWave extends the freedom and flexibility of software beyond the touchscreen. As buttonless touch technology expands into all corners of IoT and the smart home, Sentons ultrasonic technology allows for greater flexibility for product designers and enhanced functionality of software defined surfaces.