QUEBEC INSTITUTE FOR LOGISTICAL INNOVATION TEAMS UP WITH CONNECT&GO

BY GABRIELLE

In the fight against COVID-19, the Quebec Institute for Logistical Innovation (IILQ) has joined forces with Connect&GO, developers on RFID wristbands for major worldwide events, in a bid to find reasonable solutions for dealing with the crisis.

Prior to founding Connect&Go, co-founder Anthony Palermo led RFID Academia, a leader in the development of RFID solutions for industrial and logistical applications in different industries, including healthcare.

In the wake of the escalating COVID-19 pandemic, IILQ approached Connect&GO to provide assistance in developing logistical solutions for hospitals treating patients with COVID-19. The care required for each patient infected with the virus has significant implications on the medical and human resources in hospitals.

IILQ and Connect&GO have collaborated to build an innovative application which enables the careful follow-up of a patient going through treatment for COVID-19. Featuring radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology, the app is designed to avoid contamination by tracking patients’ samples and the healthcare workers who assisted them, as well as the medical equipment that was used, medical waste, bed linen and more.

“This technology offers a number of advantages; it is cost-effective, easy to deploy and uses passive waves that do not interfere with the medical equipment,” said Palermo.

Dominic Gagnon CEO of Connect&GO, commented on the new development: “We never thought our platform would be used in a hospital setting, but this crisis has made us see things differently. Currently, our platform is being used in amusement parks to provide additional security for families by not allowing children to leave the park without the parent and by including allergy and emergency medical information in the profile associated to each guest’s wristband.

“Clearly, there are many similarities between these existing deployments and the current project we are developing for this unique situation,” Cagnon continued.

MAX & MORITZ TO LAUNCH AT EFTELING THIS SPRING

BY GABRIELLE

Max & Moritz, the family rollercoaster launching soon at Efteling theme park in Holland, is near completion, with the arrival of the first of its two trains.

Each of the two trains will represent the characters, Max & Moritz, the two naughty schoolboys from the German rhyming story Max und Moritz. The train will travel in opposite directions, taking guests of all ages, but particularly children aged 4 – 10, on an exciting journey.

The ‘Max’ train is now in place on the track, weighing over 1,300 kg. Coen Bertens, director of Efteling Theme Park, said: “This is another major milestone for the project and is certainly exciting. It takes about three days to assemble the entire train, bringing the most important elements – track and train – together. The next step is testing the ride and we are all really looking forward to it.”

As well as the ride, a new restaurant, ‘Frau Boltes Küche’, will open at Efteling this summer, not far from Max & Moritz. Like the attraction, the area surrounding the ride, including the new restaurant, will be influenced by the Max & Moritz story.

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS: OFF THE LEASH! TO FEATURE 64 ANIMATRONICS

BY GABRIELLE

Universal Studios Hollywood has disclosed that its upcoming attraction The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash! is to feature 64 animatronics.

The 64 animated figures will be converted into living beings through real-life movements, such as the tilting and nodding of the head, blinking of the eyes, smiling and other mouth movement, as well as walking and twists of the torso.

The high-tech attraction will also feature state-of-the-art optical enhanced gesture-tracking technology, which will identify visitors as one of 15 stray puppies.

A Virtual Line will enable guests to reserve a time to go on the ride to avoid the need for queuing. The Virtual Line feature can be accessed via the Universal Studio app, or by the Virtual Line Kiosk in the New York City subway station next to the ride.

The ride is themed on Illumination’s ‘The Secret Life of Pets’ franchise and will feature the well-known voices of the actors from the iconic films, including Kevin Hart as Snowball, Patton Oswalt as Max and Eric Stonestreet as Duke.

The highly-awaited attraction will open at Universal Studios Hollywood on March 27, 2020.

NEW MARQUEE FOR MICKEY AND MINNIE’S RUNAWAY RAILWAY

BY GABRIELLE

A new video published by Disney has revealed a new neon marquee for the Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction. The ride will be debuting in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort on March 4.

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will be the first ride-through attraction centred on the Mickey and Minnie Mouse characters. It will be a family-friendly ride that brings the guests inside a cartoon to have fun with Mickey and Minnie, as well as the lovable Goofy too.

The cartoon will be a brand new short called Mickey and Minnie’s Perfect Picnic.

Construction on the ride is nearly complete, and the sign for the ride can already be seen. With flashing lights and neon animations of Mickey and Minnie, it certainly promises to be lots of fun for all the family.

In the video published on the Disney Parks YouTube channel, the company’s Imagineering Art Director, Phillip Hillis, says: “This marquee is so important to this attraction because this is Mickey and Minnie’s first attraction. We want to make sure that we are providing an amazing marquee that really celebrates their entrance into a great attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.”

Of the neon Mickey and Minnie animations that have already been glimpsed, Hillis said: “We knew from the beginning that we wanted a neon Mickey and Minnie. We wanted to continue this look of neon all the way down Hollywood Boulevard, but really create this marquee as a beacon that you are guided to.”

SKY TRAIL AERIAL ATTRACTIONS DUE TO OPEN IN SOUTH KOREA IN APRIL 2020

BY GABRIELLE

Two Sky Trail aerial attractions are due to open in South Korea in April this year. Thanks to the efforts of RCI Adventure Products global partners, Climb Korea Co. Ltd. and Zipline Korea, Inc. the family-friendly attractions were recently installed in the Mt. Yonghwa Recreational Forest in the city of Chuncheon and at the Alpensia Resort in Pyeongchang respectively.

The Complex Experience Centre in the Mt. Yonghwa Recreational Forest features a combination of climbing walls, a zip coaster and the soon-to-open Sky Trail with its own Sky Rail. The indoor attraction comprises of seven poles, two levels and 21 interactive elements, including the ‘Bumpy Rope Walk’ and ‘Swinging Steps.’

Daysik Woo, head of international business at Climb Korea, commented: “The Sky Trail is an attraction that exhibits precise safety and design which is new to Korea. Through the entire process, Dan Mooney, RCI director of international sales, has been very supportive and we look forward to collaborating on additional projects in the future.”

The Alpensia Resort provides visitors with access to golf courses, a cinema, hotels and sa spatial ski resort. As from April 2020, visitors will be able to enjoy the Sky Trail attraction which comprises of five poles, two levels and extends an area of 19ft. with a “Suspended Bridge” and an “Angled Vertical Rope Ladder.”

Jeff Jung, president and CEO of Zipline Korea, Inc., commented: “Alpensia Resort is very large with a wide range of attractions available. The Sky Trail will be a great addition for groups, especially the student groups who usually visit the area from spring to fall.

“Many people in South Korea are looking for indoor play areas and I think there will be a steady demand for RCI products in the future,” Jung added.

MAURER RIDES INTRODUCES NEW JET SKI CONCEPT

 BY GABRIELLE

Maurer Rides, a leading manufacturer and supplier of amusements rides, has introduced a new jet ski concept for waterparks and waterfront adventures.

At the core of the new development is the Spike-Drive, where drivers control their own speed and decide whether to glide across the water or jump over it at full speed. The feature turns passengers into real drivers and enables them to brake and accelerate along the track with 100% traction and 1.2g of acceleration.

The powerful Spike-Drive was developed and patented by Maurer Rides.

Asides featuring the extremely powerful Spike-Drive, this innovative jet ski vehicle is light in weight and is a relatively low investment, making it a feasible choice for waterparks and theme parks.

TRON LIGHTCYCLES ON DISPLAY AT TOMORROWLAND, MAGIC KINGDOM WORLD

BY GABRIELLE

Walt Disney World is teasing visitors to Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom Park, Florida, by displaying the park’s highly-awaited TRON Lightcycles.

The TRON Lightcycles are now on display in a new area near Space Mountain in the themed land of Tomorrowland. Guests can sit on the vehicles for selfies and photo opportunities.

The innovative, high-tech, coaster-style attraction is due to open at Magic Kingdom in 2021, to coincide with Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary.

The TRON Lightcycle / Run attraction involves riders boarding a train featuring two-wheeled Lightcycles. Guests are taken on an invigorating race through the ‘digital frontier.’

In November 2019, the final piece of the TRON Lightcycle / Run ride was installed at Walt Disney World, which was a major construction milestone for the attraction.

Scott Pratt, Walt Disney Imagineering’s project coordinator, commented: “It finishes a loop of over 3,000 feet of track and over 120 pieces. The guests are going to feel exhilaration and they’re going to come off wanting to ride it over and over again,” Pratt added.

COMMERCIAL BREAKTHROUGH IN GYRO VR MOTION SYSTEMS

 BY GABRIELLE

An interesting development in the world of Gyro VR motion systems should lead to plenty of technological innovations in the future of the field. One of the world’s pre-eminent experience designers has joined forces with a leading digital agency and manufacturer to exclusively supply the Gyro VR system in Europe as well as innovate new developments together.

Holovis specialise in multisensory, immersive and interactive platforms, serving global destination attractions and entertainment venues with emerging disruptive technology and transformational solutions. Their new partner, Sanghwa, is one of the top digital agencies in Korea and the manufacturer of the Gyro VR motion system.

The Gyro VR motion system is a 360-degree spinning rig that allows people to experience real-time movement during a virtual journey which can include complete rotations. The two companies have already developed an exclusive 2-DOF Gyro VR system together, which is a 360-rotating motion system rig designed to fit in spaces with a ceiling height of less than 2.2 metres. The major contribution to this new rig provided by Holovis is the addition of customised middleware and enhanced interactivity. They have also introduced new IP-led content that enables the creation of unique programme paths.

The enhanced interactivity means guests experiencing the Gyro VR system will be able to influence the virtual journey they are undertaking, changing the path they ‘travel’ upon and thus create a unique and personal experience.

HOLOVIS TEAMS UP WITH D-BOX TO LAUNCH THE DESCENT

BY GABRIELLE

Holovis, specialists in the creation of immersive and mixed experimental design, has partnered with D-Box, manufacturers of motion systems, to bring the next generation of highly precise, dynamic motion into the flight simulation experience.

The Descent is a multisensory, fully immersive, adrenaline-pumped virtually reality experience, which takes visitors on a journey where through a cave system infested by creatures as they battle for survival.

The VR experience combines cinematic effects, real-life gaming, 3D soundscapes and immersive audio triggered events, to ensure each experience is unique from the next, as guests reach further into the caves.

Four D-Box Actuators create 1.5 inches of heave on the standing motion platform, helping to propel guests into thrilling encounters with terrifying creatures as they make their way through the cave.

Holovis decided to team up with D-Box on the project, as the innovative company can generate more than 65,000 different motion cues, including movements, textures and vibrations, designed to enhance the realism of the experience.

As Peter Cliff, creative director of Holovis, explains: “We have long been championing fully multisensory, connected experiences that go beyond just the visuals to include advanced sound design, integrated SFX and precise synchronised motion. Working alongside D-BOX to harness its motion capability we are further advancing this experiential layer of storytelling with a solution that is scalable from e-ticket attractions through to these next generation attractions that are now accessible to FECs and more compact entertainment spaces.”

Yannick Gemme, sales vice president at D-BOX, commented: “Our motion system stems from decades of simulation engineering in dynamic fields such as flight simulation, construction equipment simulation, cinematic entertainment and racing simulation. We consistently apply the very same level of engineering precision to deliver the highest level of immersiveness in all types of applications in the attractions industry.

“The system also presents clients with a low total cost of ownership, as the operation of a D-BOX powered attraction requires little to no maintenance. Its seamless integration ensures that attraction remains user friendly all while requiring minimal training and knowledge for operators,” Gemme added.

The Descent is being showcased at EAG Expo at Booth 355, which is running from the 14 – 16 January, 2020.

URBAN AIR BRINGING INDOOR TRAMPOLINES TO MARYLAND

BY GABRIELLE

A family-friendly indoor trampoline and entertainment centre is on its way to Frederick, Maryland. The new Urban Air Adventure Park will feature fun activities such as trampolining, rock climbing and dodgeball.

The location will be on Frederick’s Ballenger Creek and should attract visitors from all over the state from surrounding areas like Urbana, Clarksburg, Germantown, Walkersville and Thurmont.

Urban Air’s founder and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Browning, was excited by the new facility and what it could do for families in the area. He said: “We know families are looking for ways to spend time together, and the more active the experience, the more memorable. Parents want their kids off their phones giving them less ‘screen time,’ and more time to play and engage with other kids their age the old-fashioned way.”

As well as wall-to-wall trampolines, rock-climbing walls and dodgeball courts, the activity centre will feature obstacle courses and playgrounds with climbing ropes and twisting tubes. The Urban Air Adventure Hub will also include Urban Air’s Sky Rider Indoor Coaster as well as a huge inflatable landing pad called the Drop Zone positioned beneath a series of trampolines.

Other fun activities visitors can enjoy include the trampoline-assisted Slam Dunk Zone, the Urban Warrior assault course and a Battle Beam to thrash out all those family disputes.