Abstract: Systems and methods presented herein include an amusement park system that includes an augmented experience system. The augmented experience system is configured to track guest interactions of a plurality of guests of an amusement park with one or more employees of the amusement park, one or more mobile devices, one or more wearable devices, one or more themed devices, or one or more physical objects disposed within a real-world environment of the amusement park. The augmented experience system is also configured to augment the real-world environment of the amusement park based at least in part on data relating to the guest interactions.

Abstract: A carousel ride system includes a rotatable platform, a plurality of figures that are configured to rotate with the rotatable platform, and a lift system. The lift system is configured to raise and to lower the plurality of figures relative to the rotatable platform along a vertical axis during ride operations and to position each of the plurality of figures at a same vertical height relative the rotatable platform along the vertical axis during loading and unloading operations.

Abstract: An animated window system may include a projection surface configured to display at least one image to a viewer on a viewer side of the projection surface, wherein the projection surface comprises a tinted material. The animated window system may also include a projector spaced apart from the projection surface, wherein the projector is configured to project the at least one image onto a rear side of the projection surface, the rear side opposing the viewer side and a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the controller is configured to provide the at least one image to the projector to be projected onto the projection surface.

Abstract: An augmented reality system includes a first scene and a second scene. Further, the augmented reality system includes a partially reflective surface positioned relative to the first scene, the second scene, and an audience to facilitate viewing of one of the first scene or the second scene through the partially reflective surface and to facilitate reflection of the other of the first scene or the second scene toward the audience as augmented reality imagery. A sensor of the augmented reality system is designed to detect and generate data indicative of a characteristic of the first scene, and a correlative effect system is operable to receive the data and adjust the second scene based thereon.

Abstract: Systems and methods presented herein include a robotic wearable device testing system with a track drive system that includes one or more tracks having a plurality of attachment pads configured to attach to one or more wearable devices. Each track of the one or more tracks is configured to move along a path defined by the track. In addition, the robotic wearable device testing system includes a tap point drive system that includes one or more tap point sliders configured to slide laterally with respect to the track drive system. Each tap point slider of the one or more tap point sliders includes a tap point configured to wirelessly communicate with the one or more wearable devices when the one or more wearable devices are in close proximity with the tap point. Each tap point slider of the one or more tap point sliders also includes an electronic interference door configured to block wireless signals between the one or more wearable devices and the tap point.

Abstract: An entertainment system has an interactive component for an amusement park. The interactive component includes a detection device disposed within a housing and configured to read an identification tag via long range and short range radio communications, an interactive sensor disposed within the housing and configured to detect physical interaction with a portion of the interactive component, a control device communicatively coupled to the detection device and the interactive sensor, where the control device is configured to receive feedback from the detection device and the interactive sensor, an effect device configured to receive a signal from the control device and to generate an effect based on detection of the physical interaction, and a transmitter configured to transmit data to the identification tag based on detection of the physical interaction with the portion of the interactive component while detecting the identification tag within a threshold distance of the interactive component.

Abstract: A ride system includes a flume providing a flow path of a water ride and configured to accommodate a buoyant ride vehicle. The ride system also includes a support element extending into the flow path and at least partially submerged within the flow path. Moreover, the ride system includes a driving mechanism configured to actuate the support element such that the support element moves relative to the flow path in response to a control signal. The support element is configured to contact the buoyant ride vehicle to control movement of the buoyant ride vehicle along the flow path while the support element is being actuated. Further, the ride system includes a controller configured to generate the control signal based at least in part on a location of the buoyant ride vehicle in the flow path and a timer controlling activation of a show element.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that dynamically and laterally shift each virtual object displayed by an augmented reality headset by a respective distance as the respective virtual object is displayed to change virtual depth from a first virtual depth to a second virtual depth. The respective distance may be determined based on a lateral distance between a first convergence vector of a user's eye with the respective virtual object at the first virtual depth and a second convergence vector of the user's eye with the respective virtual object at the second virtual depth along the display, and may be based on an interpupillary distance. In this manner, display of the virtual object may be adjusted such that the gazes of the user's eyes may converge where the virtual object appears to be.

Abstract: An attraction system includes a fluid source configured to emit a fluid stream with a geometry that facilitates internal reflection, a transmitter configured to transmit a signal through the fluid stream such that the signal is enclosed in the fluid stream via internal reflection and the signal comprises a parameter, a sensor configured to receive the signal via the fluid stream and provide data indicative of the parameter, and a control system communicatively coupled to the sensor. The control system includes a processor and a memory, and the memory includes instructions that cause the processor to receive the data indicative of the parameter from the sensor, and operate the attraction system based on the parameter.

Abstract: A control system includes a ride controller configured to maintain a plurality of rules indicative of permitted states of the free-roaming ride vehicle within a game area and including gameplay rules. The ride controller is configured to receive monitoring data indicative of a current state of a free-roaming ride vehicle, receive a signal indicative of a user request to perform a requested action with the free-roaming ride vehicle, model performance of the requested action from the current state to determine a modeled state of the free-roaming ride vehicle, and determine whether the modeled state complies with the plurality of rules. In response to determining the modeled state does not comply with the plurality of rules, the ride controller is configured to determine a proximate action that complies with the plurality of rules and provide a control signal to instruct the free-roaming ride vehicle to perform the proximate action.

Abstract: A system includes a medium disposed on a base, a plurality of transducers coupled to the base, and a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of transducers such that each individual transducer of the plurality of transducers is individually addressable by the controller. The controller is configured to receive feedback and to instruct at least some of the individual transducers of the plurality of transducers to activate to move the medium on the base to create a shaped surface based on the feedback.

Abstract: A projected target location of a handheld object is determined based on applying translation factors, scaling factors, and offsets to a location of a reference element of the handheld object detected by a camera on a two-dimensional plane. The translation factors are determined based on a difference between a calibration location on the plane and an initial location of the reference element corresponding to the calibration location, and serve to shift the location of the reference element to generate the projected target location. The scaling factors are determined based on an estimated length of a user's arm holding the handheld object, and serve to scale the location of the reference element to generate the projected target location. The offsets are determined based on polynomial equations, and serve to extend the distance between the projected target location and the calibration location.

Abstract: An amusement park access control system includes an amusement park area having an entrance. A unified access control device is positioned at the entrance and is configured to control guest access into the amusement park area. The unified access control device includes sensor modules and an access control module physically connected to one another to form a unified structure. The sensor modules scan the entrance to determine guest identification data. An access control computer system is communicatively coupled to the unified access control device and includes databases storing guest enrollment data and entitlement data associated with the guest enrollment data. The unified access control device identifies entitlements associated with the guest identification data based on a comparison between the guest identification data, the guest enrollment data, and the entitlement data, and controls guest access through the entrance based on the identified entitlements.

Abstract: A method may include acquiring, via a capture system, a dataset associated with a user at a first location, detecting, via a control system, the user at a second location, displaying, via an environmental system, one or more images generated from the dataset at the second location in response to detecting the user at or past the second location, and triggering, via a special effect system, a special effect during the displaying at the second location in response to detecting the user at or past the second location. The dataset may include image data of the user.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to an electromagnetic animated figure control system. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to techniques for actuating a figure, such as a plush toy, using addressable control nodes (e.g., electromagnetic coils) of an electromagnetic array. For example, an amusement park may include a control surface implemented to include the electromagnetic array. Further, an animated figure may include magnets in one or more components. Accordingly, while the animated figure may lack a power source, the animated figure may be controlled (e.g., actuated) via a controlled magnetic interaction between the control surface and the magnets.

Abstract: Present embodiments are directed to a distributed control system of an interactive video system. The distributed control system includes a switched fabric network, which includes an input node implemented to collect scanning data for a participant. The switched fabric network also includes a set of processing nodes implemented to generate a virtual representation for the participant based at least in part on the scanning data for the participant. Further, the switched fabric network includes an output node, which includes an output device implemented to present the virtual representation of the participant in a virtual environment.

Abstract: Systems and methods presented herein provide an in-application messaging system that includes an audio generation system configured to encode at least one audio watermark within an audio signal, and to broadcast the audio signal into a physical environment. The in-application messaging system also includes a portable electronic device configured to receive the audio signal from the physical environment, to identify the at least one audio watermark encoded within the audio signal, and to display in-application messaging information via an application running on the portable electronic device. The in-application messaging information is based at least in part on the at least one audio watermark.

Abstract: A system includes a projection device configured to project images onto a receiver surface of a viewing device. The viewing device includes a screen having the receiver surface and a viewing surface opposite the receiver surface. The screen is configured to permit transmission of the images through the screen, from the receiver surface, to the viewing surface such that the images are viewable on the viewing surface. The viewing device also includes a focusing lens configured to focus the images for a user when wearing the viewing device. Further, the system includes a tracking system configured to determine a location and orientation of the receiver surface of the viewing device. The projection device is configured to adjust image properties of the images based at least in part on the determined location and orientation of the receiver surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for an amusement park includes a bogie system that moves along a ride path, a platform coupled to the bogie system, and a plurality of seats coupled to a surface of the platform. The platform may rotate about a guide axis with respect to the bogie system, and the plurality of seats may rotate about the guide axis with the platform.

Abstract: The ride vehicle system includes a ride vehicle having a ride vehicle base configured to interface with a ride track and move along the ride track. The ride vehicle also has a movable arm having a base end and a free end. The moveable arm moves along one or more motion-controlled axes. The movable arm is mounted to the ride vehicle at the base end. A ride seat is attached to the free end of the movable arm. A coupling device couples a first portion of the movable arm to the ride vehicle base, the ride seat to a second portion of the movable arm, the ride seat to the ride vehicle base, or some combination thereof.