Tangible Virtual Design System for Amusement Park Attractions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current amusement park attraction design methods are time-consuming and costly, and struggle to efficiently create consistent immersive environments due to their complexity, often requiring specialized knowledge and not accurately representing complex attractions.
Innovation Solution
A tangible/virtual design system that uses object tokens with trackers and visualization tools, combined with image sensors and projectors, to generate and project immersive environments, allowing for real-time interaction and adjustment of textures, colors, and effects, enabling efficient design and troubleshooting of amusement park attractions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional design methods are used for amusement park attractions, then design flexibility and customization are maintained, but design time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses physical tokens representing attraction elements that can be manipulated in a tangible design space, while simultaneously generating virtual 3D models and visualizations. This copying approach allows designers to work with simplified physical representations that automatically translate to detailed digital models, dramatically reducing design time while maintaining full design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a controller as an intermediary that bridges the physical token manipulation and virtual model generation. The controller receives input from sensors detecting token positions and configurations, then automatically generates or updates the corresponding virtual attraction design models, eliminating manual digital modeling work and reducing design time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex special effects are implemented to create immersive environments, then guest experience is enhanced, but system complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the attraction design into discrete tokens representing individual elements (props, lighting, special effects). Each token can be independently configured and visualized, allowing complex immersive environments to be built from manageable components. This segmentation makes the system easier to operate and troubleshoot while maintaining high adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically generates and updates visualizations based on real-time token configurations. As designers move or modify physical tokens, the virtual models and special effects configurations automatically update, allowing the system to adapt to changing design requirements without increasing operational complexity. The projector and display surfaces dynamically reflect the current state of the attraction design.
3Manufacturing precision
If detailed visualizations are projected onto display surfaces to represent attraction elements, then design accuracy is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates accurate visual copies of attraction elements by projecting images onto display surfaces based on physical token configurations. The projector generates visual representations that mirror the actual attraction components, providing high design accuracy. This copying approach avoids the need for complex physical prototypes while maintaining detailed visualization.
Solution Approach 2:
The display surfaces and projector serve multiple functions: they visualize attraction elements, show special effects, and provide design documentation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems for each purpose, lowering overall system complexity and cost while maintaining high design representation accuracy.
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
Facilitates the efficient design and troubleshooting of amusement park attractions by accurately representing complex environments and effects, reducing costs and time, while allowing for customizable and immersive experiences.
Implementation Method 1
an image sensor configured to detect the tracker on the object token and generate location data based on the detected tracker position
Implementation Method 2
The projector may receive the indication of image content from the controller and project the image content onto the projection surface
Data Source
AI summary
An amusement park attraction design system may include an object token having a first tracker coupled to a first projection surface, a visualization tool having a second tracker, and an image sensor that generates location data based on the first tracker and the second tracker. The amusement park attraction design system may also include a controller communicatively coupled to the image sensor and a projector. The controller may receive the location data from the image sensor to determine the object token and the visualization tool based on the first tracker and the second tracker, respectively. The controller may also receive image content based on an interaction between the object token and the visualization tool and send an indication of the image content to be projected. The projector may receive the indication of the image content and project the image content onto the first projection surface.