UV-Reactive Paint Guidance for Invisible Ride Vehicle Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Amusement parks face challenges in attracting and managing guest interest with traditional rides, as they fail to provide a unique and creative experience that differentiates them from competitors and addresses guest traffic issues.
Innovation Solution
A UV paint-based ride vehicle guidance system that uses invisible clear UV reactive paint to create paths emitting visible light at different wavelengths, allowing ride vehicles equipped with UV sources and sensors to navigate and interact with the paths in unpredictable ways, enhancing the ride experience by altering speed and performing actions based on varying wavelengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional visible paint or tape strips are used for vehicle guidance, then the paths are visible and easy to follow, but the ride experience becomes predictable and less engaging for guests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses UV-reactive paint that changes appearance based on illumination - invisible in normal light but visible under UV illumination. This allows the guidance paths to be both invisible (creating unpredictability) and visible (for vehicle tracking) at different times, enhancing guest experience while maintaining system functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces UV illumination as an intermediary element that mediates between the invisible paint and the vehicle sensors. The UV light activates the paint to emit visible light, creating a chain of interaction that enables guidance while maintaining the invisible nature of the paths during normal operation
2Adaptability or versatility
If UV reactive paint is used to create invisible paths, then the ride becomes more unpredictable and engaging, but the paths are not visible to passengers or spectators
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic UV illumination that cycles on and off. During UV illumination phases, the paint emits visible light allowing vehicles to be tracked. During off phases, the paths remain invisible creating unpredictability. This periodic activation resolves the contradiction by providing visibility only when needed for operational control
Solution Approach 2:
The UV-reactive paint undergoes color/visibility changes based on UV illumination. It transitions from invisible to visible (emitting light) under UV exposure, and back to invisible when UV is removed. This dynamic visibility control allows the system to maintain both unpredictability and operational awareness
3Productivity
If multiple vehicles are guided using UV reactive paint, then ride capacity increases, but vehicles may collide at intersections without visible path markings
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback loops where vehicle sensors continuously detect the UV-reactive paint paths and report position data to a central controller. The controller processes this information and adjusts vehicle speeds and routing to prevent collisions at intersections, enabling safe multi-vehicle operation despite invisible paths
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical visible path markings with an optical/electromagnetic field-based system using UV illumination and reactive paint. Vehicle navigation relies on sensor detection of UV-induced light emissions rather than visual observation of physical markings, enabling invisible yet reliable guidance
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
The system provides a unique and engaging experience for riders by creating invisible paths that can change and adapt in real-time, enhancing thrill levels and guest interaction, while being cost-effective to implement and maintain, as it does not require visible markings or significant facility changes.
Implementation Method 1
Each path is defined by a different invisible clear UV reactive paint that emits visible light at a different wavelength in response to UV light
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for guiding a vehicle is provided. The system includes multiple paths on a surface, wherein each path is defined by ultraviolet (UV) reactive paint configured to emit visible light in response to UV light. The system also includes the vehicle. The vehicle includes a UV source configured to emit UV light, a sensor configured to detect the visible light emitted by the UV reactive paint of a respective path of the multiple paths, and a controller configured to guide the vehicle along the respective path based on a wavelength of the visible light detected by the sensor.