哈利波特的互动魔杖在主题乐园所应用的经验和技术

主题乐园究竟是不是一个技术和魔法交融的场所？通常主题乐园运用的最新技术大多是一个触摸屏、或者in-ride技术。不过，佛罗里达的环球影城哈利波特园区给了我们不一样的答案——哈利波特的互动魔杖！Couldthemeparksbetheplacewheretechnologyandmagictrulyintersect?Often,discussionsabouttechnologyfocusonthelatestthemedapp,atouchscreen,orin-ridetechnology.ButUniversalStudiosFloridahasrecentlybeenrecognizedbytheThemedEntertainmentAssociation’sTheaAwardsfortheiroutstandingachievementsintechnologyforthedevelopmentoftheinteractiveHarryPotterwands.Andwe’reexcitedaboutthistechnology,becauseit’sabeautifulexampleofhowthemeparkscanusetechnologytobridgethegapbetweenstoryandexperienceinthemedattractions.WiththelaunchofDiagonAlley,Universalwantedtofindanewwaytodrawguestsintotheenvironment.Creatingalevelofinteractivitythatplayedwithasenseofmagicwasanaturalfit.TheinteractivewandsallowuserstointeractwiththeHarryPotterworld,castspells,andproduceeffects.Effectsrangefromdramatictosubtle;examplesincludelightingalantern,triggeringawaterfountain,oranimatingawindowdisplayinoneoftheHarryPottershops.ThewandsworkinbothDiagonAlleyandHogsmeade.Universalbegantoretailreplicawandsin2010withtheopeningofHogsmeade,buttheadditionofinteractivefeatureshastakenthisfan-favoritetothenextlevel.Theinteractivewandscostabout$10morethanthereplicawandsandaredistinguishedfromthe“regular”wandsinacoupleofways.They’reslightlythickerandtheyhaveasmallhalf-sphereatthewand’stip.Thespherehousesthesensortechnologythattriggerstheeffects.Eachoftheareaswhereaneffecttakesplaceismarkedbyagoldmedallionintheground.Guestsarealsogivenaparkmaphighlightingeffectlocationswhentheypurchasetheinteractivewands.Themedallionsfeaturethespecificmotionsguestsneedtocompletewiththewand,aswellasa“magicalphrase”thattheyshouldsayalongwithit.(We’renotsurethephrasesdoanything,exceptaddanotherleveloffun!)Allguestshavetodoispointthetipoftheirwandattheembeddedsensorinthegoldmedallions,maketheprescribedmotion,andenjoytheeffect.DiagonAlleycurrentlyhas16locationsandtheHogsmeadeareahasnine.It’sunknownwhethermorewillbeaddedinthefuturebutseemslikely.Thetechnologyitselfseemstobeaninfraredsensortechnology.Thereflectivebeadattheendofthewandsispointedattheembeddedsensor.Guestsneedtomakeaspecifictwoorthreepartmotion.Oncetheygetitright,thesensorreadsthemotionandtheeffectkicksintogear.AstheTHEAcommitteesummeditup,“Withinthelandisasurprisingarrayofinnovative,interactivewandexperiencesthatallowgueststosayaspell,gesturetheirwandaspecificwaytoaccompanythatspellandwatch–iftheygetitright!–astheresultsoftheirmagicareseenindisplaywindows,onthestreetsofDiagonAlley,inmagicalillusionsandmorethroughouttheenvironment.Theuniquelydevisedandingeniouslyapplied,proprietarywandtechnologyisthekey.Theendresultisan“invisible”technologythatengagesguestsandactivatesthelandinawholenewway.TheTheaNominatingCommitteefoundthistobeanimpressivetechnology,impressivelyused.”It’seasytogetlostinthedizzyingtechnologythatdrivesthewands.Buteventheretailexperienceofpurchasingoneispartofthestory.Topurchaseawand,guestscanvisitmultiplelocations–butthebestisOllivander’sWandShop.Atregularintervals,thestaffthereputsonaninteractiveshowwhereaguestis“chosenbyawand”alatheHarryPotteruniverse.Beyondthat,guestscanchoosethewandsthatappealtothem.Fromstarttofinish,theinteractivewandtechnologyoffersparkvisitorssomethingtrulyunique.Inthethemeparkenvironment,there’ssomuchfocusontheridesthemselves.Whenaparkintroducesanotherlayerofthemingthroughqueuesoreventhemedretail,itaddsauthenticityandimmersion.Butcreativelydesigningoptionsthatengageanddelightbetweenridesissomethingthat’srarerstill.TheHarryPotterenvironmentlendsitselfwelltothisparticularformoftechnology.We’rehopefulthatthisgroundbreakingtechnologysignalsthelevelofinnovationandcreativitythatwecanexpecttoseeinconnectionwithotherattractionsintheyearsahead.