Granular Material Fluidization for Immersive Effects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for creating immersive environments in entertainment venues, such as amusement parks, face challenges in updating or changing elements to incorporate new narratives due to the complexity and density of granular materials like sand, which restricts the movement of objects and requires excessive force, leading to increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A granular material effect system that injects fluid through granular particles to suspend them, allowing for easier movement of objects and enhanced visual effects, including the use of nozzles to control fluid flow and a controller to coordinate prop movement and projection mapping for dynamic scenery creation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If granular materials like sand are used to create immersive environments, then aesthetic and visual effects are improved, but movement of objects through the material becomes difficult requiring excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
A fluid intermediary (water or air) is introduced between the granular particles and the moving object. The fluid reduces friction and resistance, allowing objects to move smoothly through the granular material while maintaining its visual aesthetic. The fluid acts as a mediator that enables motion without directly contacting or disturbing the granular structure excessively.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameters of the granular material by introducing fluid, which alters the friction coefficient and flow characteristics. This parameter change allows the material to transition from a static, high-friction state to a dynamic, low-friction state that facilitates object movement while preserving visual appearance.
2Illumination intensity
If granular materials are used for immersive environments, then visual aesthetic is improved, but energy consumption increases due to excessive force requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid intermediary reduces the energy required to move objects through granular material by minimizing friction and resistance. Objects can be moved with minimal force input, significantly reducing energy consumption while the granular material maintains its visual aesthetic properties for immersive environmental effects.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex immersive environments are created with multiple elements, then entertainment value is improved, but system complexity and difficulty to update increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic control where fluid flow rates, object positions, and granular material properties can be adjusted in real-time. This dynamic capability allows the same physical system to create multiple different immersive scenarios and narratives, improving entertainment value without requiring physical reconfiguration or increasing permanent system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables more complex and immersive visual effects by facilitating object movement through granular materials with reduced energy consumption, allowing for dynamic changes in scenery and user interaction, while maintaining the aesthetic of fluid-like properties.
Implementation Method 1
The controller is configured to instruct the nozzle to activate to direct the fluid into the container such that at least a portion of the granular particles are suspended within the fluid
Data Source
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AI summary
A granular material effect system (50) includes a plurality of granular particles (54) disposed in a container (52), a nozzle (80) configured to activate to direct a fluid into the container (52), an actuator (120) coupled to a prop (56) and disposed in the container (52) within the plurality of granular particles (54), and a controller (92) communicatively coupled to the nozzle (80) and the actuator (120). The controller (90) is configured to instruct the nozzle (80) to activate to direct the fluid into the container (52) and to instruct the actuator (120) to move the prop (56) relative to the container (52) while the nozzle (80) is activated.