D-Box Technologies

D-BOX Technologies Inc. (informally known simply as DBOX) is a Canadian haptic motion technology company based in Longueuil, Quebec. The company designs and manufactures motion and haptic systems for entertainment, simulation, and training industries. Combining haptic technology with actuators provides physical sensations in a virtual setting.[2] As of July 2019, D-BOX seats were located at over 700 movie screens in 40 countries.

The company was founded in 1998. Naveen Prasad is the company's President and CEO.[1]

History

D-BOX was originally founded in 1998 as a manufacturer of powerful subwoofers.[3] Michel Jacques was the company's president and CEO.[3] The company noticed customers were buying multiple subwoofers to place around seats to mimic a motion effect.[3]

Products and services

D-BOX produces haptic (motion) effects programmed for visual and musical content, which are sent to a motion system integrated either within a platform, a seat, or various types of equipment. Sounds and action are hand-encoded to link to motion effects.[3] Its technology is used for various industries including movie theaters, sim racing, gaming, home entertainment, commercial training and simulation; and attractions and theme parks.[5]

Movie theaters

The first feature film to have been encoded with D-BOX was Fast & Furious; multiple D-BOX seats were installed at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood for the premiere, as well as a cinema in Surprise, Arizona.[3] As of January 2025, D-BOX estimated that its seats were installed in over 1,000 cinemas worldwide.[15]

In digital cinema, D-BOX codes for motion control are stored in the Digital Cinema Package for the film. Control data is encoded in a monoaural WAV file on Sound Track channel 13, labelled as "Motion Data".[16] Motion Data tracks are unencrypted and not watermarked.[17]

Sim racing

D-BOX's technology is used by a variety of manufacturers to develop simulation technology.[14][18][19] D-BOX's haptic system is the only official haptic technology licensed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), and the company is also the Official Haptic Partner of eNASCAR.[20]

Gaming

D-BOX partners with gaming companies such as Ubisoft to license its technology for video games, including Assassin's Creed Valhalla.[21][22] The company also partners with haptic gaming chair manufacturers such as Cooler Master.[23]

Home entertainment

D-BOX Technologies first introduced its motion generating systems in 2001 to the home theater, Sim racing, Esports and PC gaming markets. The D-BOX system can be integrated within single seats or full with many seats theaters.[24] For existing seating, motion can be added using a D-BOX Motion Platform.[25]

Commercial simulation and training

D-BOX technology is used for simulation and training by companies including heavy equipment companies Caterpillar and John Deere, and commercial simulation company CM Labs Simulations.[26] The company's motion and haptic equipment is also installed in helicopter flight simulators at the American base of Fort Novosel in Alabama (formerly Fort Rucker), as part of simulators provided by the Australian company Ryan Aerospace, and the American company Precision Flight Controls.[27]

Attractions and theme parks

D-BOX also provides technology to operators of immersive attractions and theme parks. Projects include SpongeBob VR, created in partnership with virtual reality attraction manufacturer MajorMega and VR studio Creative Works,[28] MajorMega's HyperDeck VR attraction,[29] and the Asterix-themed ride Attention Menhir! at French theme park Parc Astérix.[30]

type	Public
traded as	tsx: DBO
founder	Philippe Roy
location city	Longueuil, Quebec
location country	Canada
area served	Worldwide
key people	Naveen Prasad, President and CEO‡R1R‡
industry	entertainment, movie theaters, sim racing, gaming, home theaters, professional simulation and training, attractions and theme parks
products	haptic actuators, software‡R2R‡
homepage	DBOX

History

Products and services

Movie theaters

Sim racing

Gaming

Home entertainment

Commercial simulation and training

Attractions and theme parks

Exhibitors

Studios

Operations

External links

References