Theme park patent round-up: Drink up the magic
Here are some new U.S. patent applications this week that might interest theme park fans.
If you are curious about the technology behind Disney's Audio Animatronics, a new application this week details a new way that Disney has created to connect more realistic "skin" on the faces of animatronic figures. You can read the documentation here: Elastomeric Coupling Methods and Devices.
Image from U.S. Patent application
Disney's Hall of Fame inventor Lanny Smoot is back with a new patent application for a system that enables sound to follow moving projected light images: System for Generating Sound Localized With Respect to a Location of a Floating Image.
Image from U.S. Patent application
Perhaps this might enable a more realistic Pepper's Ghost-type effect, with moving sound helping to sell the effect of spectral movement?
Finally, Universal has an updated patent application for creating special effects on food and beverage containers: Systems and Methods for Providing Container Special Effects.
Image from U.S. Patent application
This takes the whole "cup or straw that changes color due to temperature" to another level. Some Wizarding World applications here, perhaps?
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These look interesting, but which one do you think is a bigger deal, or theme parks would use the most? I think the realistic animatronics is a decently big deal, if its as good as it promises, and the peppers ghost effect might be used but will probably stay on the unused patents side. The drink honestly looks a little silly to me.