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Spanning multiple continents, the tour required a production system capable of maintaining consistent, high-quality visuals wherever it traveled. The Specialized Visual Technology at Dua Lipa's Radical Optimism Tour Spanning multiple continents, the tour required a production system capable of maintaining consistent, high-quality visuals wherever it traveled. Edited by EE Staff Stage Events Mar 9, 2026 Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism Tour is the biggest of her career. Before reaching the Americas, she captivated audiences across 44 shows throughout Asia, Oceania, and Europe. Behind this extraordinary success is a touring production every bit as ambitious and consistent as Dua’s vision. Creative Technology (CT) has been central to making that possible, delivering the complete video system and service that brought the show to life. Creative Technology’s collaboration with Dua Lipa’s team has evolved from a simple projector set-up to a stadium-scale spectacle. Their working relationship remained clear and collaborative from the start, letting both sides focus on creative solutions instead. This foundation of trust enabled Dua Lipa’s team to aim high, confident that CT would deliver on every requirement. Photos in this piece are credited to Luke Dyson, Jordan Munns, and Mitch Lowe. The Radical Optimism Tour spanned multiple continents before its European run began. That demanded a production system capable of maintaining consistent, high-quality visuals wherever it traveled. CT designed the system in London, ensuring all components could be matched regionally. In Australia and New Zealand, for example, local partners like Big Picture delivered equivalent ROE LED screens, maintaining continuity across the tour. Beyond the logistics, the creative requirements were substantial. The production included specialized solutions from a wide variety of companies including Panasonic CineLive cameras with Canon lenses for a cinematic aesthetic, Sony FR7 cameras mounted on Waterbird tracks and Autopod systems for dynamic movement, and ROE Black Quartz LED screens shaped into a distinctive onstage wave using a custom shim system for precise angles. All of these components were essential elements used for the show’s visual storytelling. CT incorporated multiple servers and control systems to help integrate all the functions necessary for the tour. This included Disguise GX3Media Servers, Atmos Shogun Studio 2 monitor-recorders, and StageRacer 2 complete optical fiber transmission solution for broadcasting. CT’s role was to make sure the team could achieve their creative ideas by managing the full touring video system, providing consistency and quality across continents. The company’s integration approach allowed the touring crew to operate efficiently across venues from Singapore’s Indoor Stadium to Wembley. Every detail of the tour was optimized for life on the road. Having access to a global network proved essential during the tour. For example, when a minor technical issue arose in Singapore, the local CT office quickly sourced and delivered a replacement part within hours. This ability to tap into a worldwide infrastructure gave the production team peace of mind, knowing that support was never far away, even on the other side of the world. Photos in this piece are credited to Luke Dyson, Jordan Munns, and Mitch Lowe. The Radical Optimism Tour has been a milestone in Dua Lipa’s career, breaking her previous touring records. Through it all, CT’s video system delivered consistent, impressive visuals that transformed the show for stadium audiences while staying practical and easy to tour. As Dua Lipa’s star continues to rise, CT looks forward to supporting the next chapter in her remarkable live career. For information: Creative Technologies ROE Creative Display Disguise Media Servers Atmos Monitor-Recorders Ereca Stage Racer 2 More stage event technologies >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Through a complex array of projection mapping, "America's Tallest Birthday Candle" illuminated the night sky with hourly historical events celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States. How Technology Transformed the Washington Monument into an Immersive Storytelling Platform Through a complex array of projection mapping, "America's Tallest Birthday Candle" illuminated the night sky with hourly historical events celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States. Edited by EE Staff Attractions Mar 23, 2026 Museums On New Year’s Eve, 2026, the Washington Monument didn’t just stand tall, it came alive. As the centerpiece of Freedom 250, the monument was transformed into a dynamic storytelling canvas, which organizers called the “world’s tallest birthday candle.” Over the course of the evening, audiences experienced 20–25-minute narrated projection sequences, cycling through key chapters of American history: discovery, revolution, expansion, and modern innovation. These vivid stories unfolded across the monument’s full height, creating a spectacle that blended artistry, technology, and national pride. No Easy Feat Turning a 555-foot marble obelisk into a seamless projection surface is not as easy as it might sound. The creative and technical teams tasked with the execution faced enormous challenges, including achieving flawless image quality across the monument’s surface, delivering exceptional brightness to stand out against the night sky, and ensuring precise edge blending for a multi-projector setup. In addition, the unpredictability of conditions outdoors and in the winter put additional pressure on the team. There would be a global audience, which meant that the technology had to perform perfectly—without compromise. Images courtesy of Barco. LMG, the event’s technology provider, partnered with Barco to make this vision a reality. The team deployed 10 Barco QDX-4K-45 projectors and 30 UDX-4K-40 projectors to create a powerhouse setup designed for scale, precision, and brilliance. These projectors were chosen for their unmatched brightness and image clarity, ensuring that every historical scene—from the age of discovery to modern innovation—was vividly rendered against the towering marble surface of the Washington Monument. Projector Technology The operation required a remarkable amount of flexibility for the complex outdoor installation. Barco technology was able to meet those requirements with such features as 360-degree orientation, which allowed for creative placement in challenging positions. The also incorporated advanced edge blending capabilities to ensure seamless integration across the 40 projectors. This produced one continuous and flawless image. A wide range of lenses and accessories enabled precise projection angles, overcoming the monument’s unique geometry and environmental constraints. The projection mapping ran smoothly throughout the night, delivering consistent performance and stunning visuals. The Barco QDX-4K-45 is the latest generation projection platform and offers reduced energy usage and lower weight. It features the company’s patented next generation Pulse electronics with higher bandwidth up to 8K@60Hz or 4K@240Hz, plus more processing power for smoother images and sharper pixels. The outcome was spectacular. As midnight approached, the Washington Monument glowed with vibrant imagery, telling America’s story in a way never seen before. The projection mapping ran flawlessly throughout the night, captivating crowds and setting social media ablaze. Thousands gathered in Washington, D.C., while millions tuned in online to witness this unforgettable moment. Images courtesy of Barco. Freedom 250’s kick-off event set a new benchmark for large-scale projection in the U.S., a proud moment of innovation and artistry proving that technology can transform iconic landmarks into immersive storytelling platforms. All of this due to the breathtaking Barco-powered projection mapping equipment. Even beyond hardware, Barco’s global support network and integration expertise gave the team confidence under immense pressure. For more information: Barco QDX-4K45 UDX-4K40 LMG Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

The Gröna Lund Amusement Park recently inaugurated some new rides, including a refurbished “Blå Tåget” ride. Stockholm, Sweden Amusement Park Features Synchronized AV System The Gröna Lund Amusement Park recently inaugurated some new rides, including a refurbished “Blå Tåget” ride. Kreativ Teknik Theme Parks Jun 4, 2025 The “Blå Tåget” ride went through a total makeover. This ride is a ghost train loaded with new chills, thrills, and effects especially designed for visitors’ enjoyment. The train passes through several chambers, each filled with skeletons, scarecrows, rats, wolves, fire, lightning, ghosts, and more. The setting inside the ride was designed by artist Magnus Sörman and the entrance to the ride was designed by artist Joakim Hansén. For the technical portions of the adventure-ride, Kreativ Teknik was contacted by Gröna Lund. Kreativ Teknik, a Swedish-based company that mainly works with lighting, control systems, and effects, selected Medialon to be part of the project. Kreativ Teknik delivered a total solution including lighting, smoke, video projectors, control system, as well as the programming of the entire ride’s special effects. One Medialon Showmaster Pro embedded show controller controls and synchronizes the entire AV system. Medialon controls everything from light and sound to lightning, smoke-effects, movements of the animatronics, and video, which are continuously timed and trigged by the exact positions of the train’s chariots. “It was surprisingly quick and easy to set the timings of the animatronics together with the effects. I really liked the system and I want to continue to work with it in my future projects” says Marcus Persson, Project Manager and CEO at Kreativ Teknik. “We think that the project has been carried out really well and it’s been done with great interest and commitment,” Peter Osbeck, Ride Manager at Gröna Lund said. For more information: Gröna Lund Amusement Park Home Kreativ Teknik Home Medialon Home Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Blending creativity, innovation, and technology helped make this Comic-Con event light up. Wicked Technology on Stage at Comic-Con Blending creativity, innovation, and technology helped make this Comic-Con event light up. Edited by EE Staff Stage Events Nov 25, 2025 Held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt’s Seaport Ballroom, the audience members for the Her Universe Fashion Show experienced a Wicked -themed immersive lobby featuring pop ups such as a KISS nail booth, photo ops, film props and costumes, and LEGO big builds. From elaborate couture fashion and musical performances to a technology enhanced magical runway entrance by Eckstein herself, the event was designed to captivate and inspire. Her Universe images courtesy of Mark Edwards Photography. The runway serves as the stage for a group of selected designers who created and showcased their designs—some of which were inspired by the Wicked fandom—during the 2025 Her Universe Fashion Show. At the end of the night, Lynleigh Sato and Caitlin Beards were chosen by both the audience and an expert panel of judges as the winning designers. They were awarded a cash prize of $2,000 USD each and have been offered the opportunity to design a fashion collection with Her Universe. Central to this vision was the transformation of the stage into the World of Oz, a feat made possible by ALTRD Projections and Barco’s state-of-the-art projectors. Delivering Impactful Visuals This year’s production presented a unique spatial and creative challenge: how to deliver high-impact visuals across four separate projection surfaces. The team needed a solution that delivered consistent brightness, sharp resolution, and vibrant color across each of the four side screens—two on each side of the stage—while maintaining visual cohesion with the central LED display. For the immersive experience of the show, it was critical to attain seamless integration and high performance across all of these distinct surfaces. Four high-performance Barco UDX-4K40 projectors, known for their unmatched brightness, 4K resolution, and color fidelity, were instrumental in creating a cohesive, large-scale projection canvas of the four side screens that framed the runway. The UDX’ ability to deliver consistent, vibrant imagery across wide surfaces allowed the creative team at ALTRD Projections to design and execute a fully immersive runway backdrop. The visuals were crisp, dynamic, and emotionally resonant, bringing the magical world of Oz to life. Product image courtesy of Barco. The projectors handled complex motion graphics and color-rich content with ease, ensuring that every detail was rendered with cinematic precision. Barco’s technology didn’t just support the show’s visuals, it elevated them, enabling a level of storytelling and spectacle that matched the ambition of the designers and performers. The result was a flawless fusion of fashion and technology. Her Universe images courtesy of Mark Edwards Photography. The visuals created by the Barco projectors were meant to provide a wickedly memorable evening for attendees by elevating the entire production and immersing the audience in a fantastical experience that matched the creativity of the designs on the runway. The show drew record attendance and rave reviews, with fans and judges alike praising the visual storytelling and technical excellence. By blending creativity and innovation, Barco was a committed technology partner enabling Her Universe to push the boundaries of fashion and fandom once again. The Her Universe Fashion Show, now in its 11th year, has become a cornerstone of San Diego Comic-Con, celebrating fandom through fashion. Presented by Universal and hosted by Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein, the 2025 edition was themed “Defying Fashion: Fashion That Defies Expectations” inspired by the popular Wicked franchise. This year’s show reached new heights in creativity, inclusivity, and visual spectacle. For more information: Barco UDX-4K40 FLEX Her Universe See other theatre and stage case studies >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Advanced simulator allows vehicle developers to accurately experience the noise and vibration at every driver touch point to meet brand and customer expectations before building the first prototype. Using Sound and Vibration Simulation for Vehicle Development Advanced simulator allows vehicle developers to accurately experience the noise and vibration at every driver touch point to meet brand and customer expectations before building the first prototype. Edited by EE Staff Cool Stuff Apr 10, 2026 Vehicle comfort, quality, character, refinement, and brand DNA are all communicated and perceived through sound and vibration. When it comes to purchasing a vehicle, consciously or not, people form opinions and make decisions based on sound and vibration while test driving. This is why it is critical to get these vehicle characteristics right the first time—or risk poor perception with customers and poor performance in the marketplace. Like any other aspect of vehicle development, there are many ways to measure, analyze, and predict noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance. However, unlike many attributes, NVH is not easily explained, understood or communicated simply through plots, graphs, numbers, and data. Images courtesy of VI-grade. For many NVH phenomena, vibration is a key element, and both sound and vibration need to be assessed at the same time—and at accurate levels—to make a correct evaluation and decision about the acoustic and tactile character of a vehicle. The VI-grade COMPACT NVH Simulator helps to make this happen before prototyping even starts. Images courtesy of VI-grade. The Simulator To achieve an exceptionally stiff structure that is capable of delivering controlled and accurate vibration to the evaluator, the NVH Simulator incorporates carbon fiber materials extensively, including in the steering wheel. This provides extremely low mass and high stiffness. It has no rim modes below 200 Hz. Images courtesy of VI-grade. Seven independent inputs deliver vibration to the driver through the seat, steering wheel, and floor pan. This design maximizes the isolation of the seven distinct axes of vibration from one another, allowing for high accuracy and real-time driver-in-the-loop simulation. Embedded accelerometers are used for each axis of vibration to enable easy calibration and real-time feedback and monitoring capabilities of vibration levels. Using the simulator, customers can get vibration and sound results of CAE models and hybrid CAE/Test-based models. Real-time experiences include powertrain vibration and sound for such operations as idle, wide-open throttle, cylinder deactivation, start/stop, and more. Road interactions include smooth road, rough road, and impact events providing both vibration and sound. Users can even complete A/B comparisons between vehicles or designs with instant switching. When the COMPACT NVH Simulator is coupled with VI-NVHSim Software it brings NVH virtual prototypes to life. The software is designed to make it easy to understand and evaluate NVH data and to make decisions on NVH design iterations. Images courtesy of VI-grade. The simulator is available with either an immersive visual system, which includes a projector and large curved screen, or a space-saving ultra-wide curved display mounted on top of the simulator nose. A steering wheel with paddle shifters, pedals, a console-mounted shifter, dash screen, and console-mounted touchscreen enable driver input, interaction, and feedback. For more information: VI-grade VI-NVHSim HBK Read more about cars >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Pulled from aviation technology for pilot feedback and arcade games like Astro’s Playroom and Cyberpunk 2077, haptic feedback is used in movie trailers — among numerous other applications. Haptic Feedback Rumbles Your iPhone for the F1 Movie Trailer Pulled from aviation technology for pilot feedback and arcade games like Astro’s Playroom and Cyberpunk 2077, haptic feedback is used in movie trailers — among numerous other applications. Terry Persun Film and TV Aug 13, 2025 Sports The latest trailer for F1:The Movie , when viewed in the Apple TV+ App on an iPhone running iOS 18.4 or later, uses haptic feedback to provide the feel of the car engine as it rumbles into life in the pitlane. Keep watching because additional feedback synchronizes with gear changes and tire squeals as the car races around the track. All photos courtesy of AppleTV You’re familiar with haptic feedback by how your smartphone buzzes when someone calls and how game controllers shake, buzz, and rumble to make your experience feel more real. Haptic feedback has been around since the 1970s and is the feedback used on surgical robots so that doctors can maintain their feel of what’s going on during surgery. For this reason, the technology is also used in training simulators where soon-to-be doctors can experience how tissues, veins, and organs feel without using a human body. The automotive industry has incorporated haptic feedback as part of their Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for safety reasons—such as alerting drivers to potential hazards like lane departure and collision warnings. In manufacturing, haptics is used as feedback on robots allowing them to detect when there are product inconsistencies. Subtle variations in the texture of specific products can alert the robot to send an alarm to the supervisor to employ a human to inspect the anomaly. Even interactive product displays are using haptic feedback to allow customers to feel the texture, weight, or other physical properties of a product in a virtual setting. This adds to the information companies can now provide a customer before a purchase is made. The haptic technology market is estimated to be worth over $3.9 Billion. As companies like Apple explore its many applications, this market will only grow larger. And to that end, the new F1: The Movie trailer may be the start of a new experiential way to enjoy all sorts of entertainment. For more information: Apple F1: The Movie Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

What happens when you take fictional characters and bring them to life? How does this change interactions with humans? And how does it all work? Can These Robots Bring Enchantment to the World? Meet the Mirokai What happens when you take fictional characters and bring them to life? How does this change interactions with humans? And how does it all work? Terry Persun Stage Events Sep 23, 2025 Cool Stuff Enchanted Tools, founded by Jérôme Monceaux, recently unveiled the Mirokaï, the prototype of a new generation of humanoid robots that are both wondrous and useful. The Mirokaï are endearing robot characters that were created as half-child, half-animal, fox-like creatures from outer space. Two of them are able to come to Earth: Miroki (the yellow one) and Miroka (the orange one). According to the characters’ strong backstory and the characters’ design, developed with the help of French animation expertise, the Mirokaï have been given an extra element of soul. Because the company believes that robotics can re-introduce a touch of enchantment to the world, rather than dehumanizing it, the team at Enchanted Tools aim to revolutionize robotics by improving the acceptability of robots to promote their large-scale adoption. A Brief Backstory Far, far away in the cosmos, there is a planet inhabited by benevolent beings who have achieved a state of harmony. These creatures of light, the Mirokaï, have guided humanity along the path of otherness since the dawn of time. From cave paintings to the first writings and melodies, they have inspired humankind down through the centuries. According to this backstory, for the first time, two of them have passed through the portal that separates our two worlds and have come to our aid in person. “I'm not perfect, but I'll do my best,” Miroki declares in a presentation video, before jumping into space and entering our reality. His spirit then slips into a kind of spacesuit—the robot prototype developed by Enchanted Tools—to create social bonds and a sense of unity. With this in mind, Enchanted Tools pooled the creativity of animation experts and industrial designers to change how we think about robots. “We were able to create a robot with personality, a robot with a depth that no machine has ever had. This is a disruptive and innovative approach to robot design,” says Monceaux. The challenge when creating the Mirokaï was not only to create robots that people would accept, but also ones they would find useful. This meant meeting three challenges of robotics. Automated navigation in semi-standardized spaces: Perched on a rolling ball, the Mirokaï move and can be moved—in any direction. If one gets in the way, a gentle push with a finger will make it roll away, whereas a two-legged or track-mounted robot would need to be lifted. Miroki and Mirokais are easy to use and to handle, which is an essential feature for mobility in social and work environments. Automated gripping of objects: the Mirokaï hands are uniquely designed to grip special handles—or runes , to continue the fantasy narrative—that users can attach to objects they want the robot to lift. The radical simplicity of this all-purpose handle allows both Miroka and Miroki to achieve a 97% grip success rate, where market standard is about 60%. This is essential because a tool that fails 40% of the time is not satisfactory. Semantic and emotional interactions with untrained users: Each Mirokaï is capable of the level of interaction required to functionally understand and execute voice commands. Overall, the Mirokaï are simple robots. They are not the best at gripping, navigation, or interaction, but are adequate in all three areas to accomplish multiple tasks, including moving objects within a social environment. With the ability to carry loads up to 3 kg, Miroki and Miroka can be of use in all kinds of hospitality, transit, and leisure venues where staff recruitment can be difficult and where human interaction must take priority over logistics, such as hospitals, retirement homes, airports, trade shows, hotels, restaurant, etc. By means of simple voice instructions, the robot will be able to carry out tasks to make people's lives significantly easier. Presently, it is possible to encounter them—in testing—at AP-HP (Parisian hospitals), at the Cancer Institute in Montpellier with sick children, as well as in retirement homes in the USA. Several universities around the world have also purchased Mirokaï to use for research. Technical Challenges A major challenge in the design and build of the Mirokaï was that the company only had one year to complete the project. This meant that they had to find reliable products that were suitable for prototyping and could then ramp up to industrial scale production. According to Monceaux, “Working with maxon was the obvious thing to do—it was the safe choice.” The maxon team assisted Enchanted Tools with product design as well as in selection of the motor types while taking into consideration all of the technical constraints of the project. Chosen for the ball bot, were three the EC-i 40 motors with integrated planetary gearboxes. These motors provide maintenance-free operation and use an electronic controller to ensure high-precision speed and torque control. Other axes, such as arm joints, used 22mm diameter brushless DC (BLDC) motors from the company’s ECX torque range. BLDC motors from maxon are dynamic, durable, and highly efficient, providing long service life and higher speeds than comparable motors on the market. According to Kevin Schwartz, sales engineer responsible for Enchanted Tools at maxon France, and Max Erick Busse-Grawitz, Technology Transfer Manager at maxon International, “Because the application was in the area of autonomous robotics, where the systems needed to support themselves, and where the actuators are consequently both part of the solution and also part of the problem (due to weight, inertia, and size), we proposed motors with high power density and a high torque-to-inertia ratio; in other words, a low mechanical time constant, and gearboxes with high efficiency and high torque density.” The objective was to achieve a balance between technical performance and production cost. *All robot images courtesy of Enchanted Tools *All motor images courtesy of maxon. For information: maxon https://www.maxongroup.com/en-us EC-I 40 Brushless Motor https://www.maxongroup.com/maxon/view/product/488607 https://www.maxongroup.com/maxon/view/product/488607 Enchanted Tools https://enchanted.tools/ Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Vertical take-off and landing aircraft uses hydrogen-electric technology to complete landmark 523-mile flight. This Electric Air Taxi has Only One Byproduct: Water Vertical take-off and landing aircraft uses hydrogen-electric technology to complete landmark 523-mile flight. Cool Stuff Jul 29, 2025 On June 30, 2025 Joby Aviation, Inc., a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service announced that its electric air taxi has completed a series of piloted, electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) wingborne flights in Dubai, marking the start of its commercial market readiness efforts in the region. These efforts will further develop Joby’s readiness in anticipation of carrying its first passengers in 2026 and marks a major step in the company’s three-pronged commercialization strategy: direct operations, aircraft sales, and regional partnerships. In July of 2024, Joby demonstrated its potential for emissions-free regional journeys. The company’s hydrogen-electric air taxi demonstrator had built on Joby’s successful battery-electric air taxi development program and demonstrated the potential for hydrogen to unlock emissions-free, regional journeys that didn’t require a runway. The hydrogen-electric program built on technology developed by Joby subsidiary H2FLY and was supported through Joby’s partnership with the U.S. Air Force’ Agility Prime program. The landmark test flight, believed to be the first forward flight of a vertical take-off and landing aircraft powered by liquid hydrogen had been completed using a converted Joby pre-production prototype battery-electric aircraft fitted with a liquid hydrogen fuel tank and fuel cell system. It landed with 10% of its hydrogen fuel load remaining. Jacob Wilson, (Acting) Branch Chief, AFWERX Agility Prime, said: "Agility Prime has been very supportive of hydrogen-powered aircraft development and testing as it aligns with the program’s goals to advance transformative vertical lift technologies and broader Department of Defense operational energy goals of energy substitution and diversification, and energy demand reduction.” All photos courtesy of Joby Aviation Joby’s hydrogen-electric demonstrator was part of the Company’s future technology program and was the result of several years of collaboration between a small team at Joby and H2FLY, Joby’s wholly-owned subsidiary based in Stuttgart, Germany. The converted aircraft previously completed more than 25,000 miles of testing as a battery-electric aircraft at Joby’s base in Marina, CA. Using the same airframe and overall architecture as Joby’s core, battery-electric aircraft, this demonstrator featured a liquid hydrogen fuel tank, designed and built by Joby, which stored up to 40 kilograms of liquid hydrogen, alongside a reduced mass of batteries. Hydrogen was fed into a fuel cell system, designed and built by H2FLY, to produce electricity, water, and heat. The electricity produced by the hydrogen fuel cell powered the six electric motors on the Joby aircraft, while the batteries provided additional power primarily during take-off and landing. As part of Joby’s wider commitment to leading the way on the development of new aviation technologies, it recently acquired Xwing Inc., an industry leader in the development of autonomous technology for aviation. Xwing has been flying autonomous aircraft since 2020, with 250 fully autonomous flights and more than 500 auto-landings completed to date, using the Superpilot software it developed in-house. For more information: Joby Aviation H2FLY U.S. Air Force’ Agility Prime program Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Rogue State turns to LightWave 11.5 3D software to conquer CG dragons for Dracano. LightWave 11.5 3D Software Used in Video Games Rogue State turns to LightWave 11.5 3D software to conquer CG dragons for Dracano. EE Staff Film and TV Jun 4, 2025 In Dracano, a volcanic eruption in the Pacific Northwest spews lava, steam and fire—along with eggs that hatch ancient, menacing, winged dragons that prey on man. Since similar volcanic eruptions in Russia, Japan, and other “Ring of Fire” regions are also releasing these menacing creatures into the world, scientists fear they are witnessing the start of a global dragon apocalypse. Set in contemporary times, this ambitious plotline depends upon the credibility of the dragon creatures and their appearance, movement, and interaction with people from a nearby U.S. military base who fight back. Three visual effects animators completed the movie’s 220 visual effects shots using LightWave 11.5, which advances the features, capabilities, and efficiency of the popular LightWave 3D modeling and animation system. “There is no other 3D animation software out there with the breadth of features and ease of use to allow us to handle all of these visual effects shots for Dracano, given the tight time and budget constraints,” said Scott Wheeler, visual effects supervisor for Dracano and president of Rogue State, a visual effects and post production boutique in Burbank, CA. In the fall of 2012, Rogue State worked closely with Los Angeles-based Remember Dreaming Productions to realize this fantasy/action adventure movie for Odyssey Entertainment in Australia. LightWave 11.5 was used to create all of the CG dragons, military vehicles, helicopters, and jets, as well as volcanic smoke, steam, and lava. It was also the primary tool for creating the 220 live action visual effects composites. LightWave 11.5 features like Genoma for character rigging, Soft Body Bullet Dynamics, and Motion Blur added to the Viewport Preview Renderer (VPR) system, and sped up the process and streamlined the workflow on complex effects shots by a factor of ten. Credit: LightWave Dragon The Genoma Potential Genoma is an intuitive character rigging system that jump-starts the 3D modeling process by providing instant rigging of legs, arms, fingers, wings, spines, and other body parts for biped, quadrupeds, and even exotic creatures, like dragons. While Genoma provides a head start in creating 3D rigs, animators can modify the rigs, such as making a tail longer, or any other creative changes they need. “You’re basically just putting pre-programmed pieces together almost like an erector set to build your character. There isn’t a lot of trial and error because once you set-up your creature in Modeler and export it to Layout, it just works exactly the way you’d expect it to,” Wheeler said. “With Genoma, an animator can rig a creature without having to understand the underpinnings of the process.” The Flesh of Dragons Most of the CG dragons in Dracano are six to eight feet tall with a massive wingspan and sharp teeth. The dragons have soft flesh covering their bodies and wings that move in relation to the rigid skeletal structure underneath. Soft hanging flesh can even jiggle as the creature moves for greater realism. In LightWave 11.5, Genoma works in conjunction with another new feature, Soft Body Bullet Dynamics to produce this effect. LightWave 11.5 extends LightWave 11’s Bullet dynamics for rigid models to encompass flesh, cloth, rubber, and other soft materials that deform. A dress can blow in the breeze even if the underlying model remains rigid because Genoma and Soft Body Bullet Dynamics understand the distinction between the two materials. “Bullet knows which surfaces to deform based on the weight maps and other parameters you set. These values are not the weight of the creature, they are values you set that define the degree of deformation you want to achieve,” Wheeler said. “It’s like mapping an object by making different areas different colors. One color denotes a rigid structure while another color means that area needs to deform and move in relation to the rigid framework underneath. Genoma works with Bullet’s hard and soft body dynamics to figure out how much each object or surface should bend, collide, flop, wiggle, wave, stretch, or any movement based on how you set it up.” Motion Blur for a Better View The Viewport Preview Renderer (VPR) that was introduced in LightWave 10 has also been extended in LightWave 11.5, making the rendering process much more efficient. Instead of seeing the animation as frame to frame to frame, like a stop motion animation, motion blur gives a better, clearer sense of the animated motion and depth of field without having to go through the full rendering process. Motion blur on the VPR is not a visual effect, it’s a way to preview how the animation will actually look and integrate within the scene. With motion blur inside the VPR, the user can get a feel for the speed of something that’s moving very fast, such as a dragon swooping by, which offers a quick, accurate view of incremental creative enhancements without rendering and saves a lot of time previously devoted to trial and error interspersed with rendering. “LightWave has had motion blur available at the wireframe stage, but now its addition in the VPR makes this valuable tool even more indispensable,” said Wheeler. In the same way that Genoma and Bullet dynamics work together throughout the modeling, layout, and animation process, the VPR is also readily available at every stage of the process. Swarms and Flocks Prior to Dracano, Rogue State produced visual effects scenes for Dragon Wasps, including swarms of dragon wasps flying in the sky. Since hundreds of wasps had to move as an organized group, Wheeler’s visual effects team used the LightWave Flocking feature. In Dracano, many dragon creatures also take to the air and fly around or congregate in caves. But in this instance, Wheeler said they used Instancing to clone one dragon and create a group of 20 to 30 creatures. “Flocking is best to move large numbers of creatures like a thousand wasps to form a deadly swarm. But for a relatively small number of dragons, we used Instancing to create a group. LightWave lets you vary their attributes, like size or colors, and animate them independently of each other,” said Wheeler. “Having a wide array of tools ensures that we have the right one for the unique challenges of every task.” “In our segment of the market, creating visual effects for ultra-low or low-budget features, our visual effects team needs powerful, cost-effective 3D animation tools that get the job done quickly,” said Wheeler. “LightWave 3D helps us meet the production demands of budget-conscious producers without sacrificing the visual impact, credibility, or realism of creatures or visual effects.” For more information: LightWave 3D Home LightWave on YouTube Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport for three years in a row. Find out how engineers are designing paddles for maximum performance. Carbon Fiber Foam Core Pickleball Paddle Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport for three years in a row. Find out how engineers are designing paddles for maximum performance. Joe Gillard Sports Jun 16, 2025 Body Helix, a pickleball equipment provider, announced the upcoming launch of their FLiK F1 with TerraCoreXC pickleball paddle which the company says employs their “Gen 4 Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) foam core technology.” The paddles, which are designed for “controlled power and spin,” are slated for release in July, and are USAP-approved. TerraCoreXC Technology TerraCoreXC is the name given to the paddle technology Body Helix says is a patent-pending Gen 4 EPP foam core that “shatters the limitations of traditional polypropylene honeycomb cores.” The core is built using a bonding process. Conventional cores, according to the company, can suffer from rapid breakdown, dead spots, and harsh feedback. For precision, these paddles are designed for a longer dwell time paired with a proprietary high-friction peel ply surface. The paddle also has an area of fiberglass on top of the 4 layers of carbon fiber for “added pop” and for providing power, says the company. Engineered for Excellence The paddle design is a 16.5" x 7.5" elongated shape with a face that features four layers of Toray T700 carbon fiber which the company says gives it its strength-to-weight ratio, and has a central fiberglass area for “added pop.” The handle is made from a solid polyurethane. “This precise layering provides the perfect balance of stiffness for power, flexibility for feel, and surface texture for spin, while the fiberglass layer adds a crucial element of dampening and enhances durability, creating a truly robust and high-performing paddle face,” explained Body Helix founder and head of R&D Fred Robinson in a blog post about the technology. The company says that it utilized player feedback in designing the paddle. “The FLiK F1 with TerraCoreXC is the culmination of over a year of research and player feedback,” said Robinson. “We’ve engineered a paddle that solves real player complaints - a paddle with power that doesn't "break in" while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in pickleball technology.” Body Helix says players eager to experience TerraCoreXC can try the Sandbox F1XC , a limited-edition Sandbox version, while awaiting the official launch. For more information: Body Helix Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Integrated electronic fuse technology helps console designers protect critical power rails while reducing system complexity. Modern Gaming Consoles Require Reliable Power Protection Integrated electronic fuse technology helps console designers protect critical power rails while reducing system complexity. Edited by EE Staff Games Apr 28, 2026 From esports arenas and streaming studios to home gaming systems and immersive XR platforms, modern gaming hardware powers some of the most demanding interactive entertainment experiences ever created. These systems rely on high-performance processors, graphics engines, and high-speed connectivity to deliver real-time gameplay with cinematic realism. Behind these experiences lies a complex power distribution network that must support rapidly changing electrical loads while protecting sensitive electronics. When subsystems ramp up simultaneously—such as during graphics-intensive gameplay—overcurrent conditions can occur. Preventing these electrical faults is critical to maintaining system reliability and uninterrupted gameplay. Figure 1 shows the circuit blocks in an example gaming console. All circuit blocks require protection from overcurrent conditions. Figure 1: An example block diagram of a gaming console. In a recent console design, engineers addressed this challenge by implementing integrated electronic fuse (eFuse) protection within the system’s power management architecture. The Challenge of Dynamic Power Loads Gaming consoles operate under highly variable electrical loads. A sudden graphics-intensive scene or network activity spike can cause several subsystems—including processors, memory, graphics engines, and networking hardware—to increase current consumption simultaneously. External peripherals introduce additional risk. Controllers, charging accessories, and other connected devices can create short circuits or draw excessive current through high-speed interfaces, including USB and ethernet. If these conditions are not quickly detected and controlled, they can lead to: Overheating of system components Damage to printed circuit board (PCB) traces Unstable system behavior or unexpected shutdowns Permanent failure of critical integrated circuits Traditional protection approaches rely on discrete components such as fuses, MOSFET switches, and current-sense circuitry. While effective, these designs increase component count and consume valuable PCB space. As gaming consoles become more compact and complex, designers are increasingly adopting integrated protection solutions that combine multiple safeguards in a single device. Integrated Power Protection In the console design, engineers implemented an electronic fuse (eFuse) device to protect a key 5-V power rail that supplies several internal subsystems and external interfaces. Figure 2 presents a block diagram of an eFuse and a sample application circuit, requiring only three external components. Two capacitors filter noise on the DC line, and the resistor programs the current limit. Figure 2: Example eFuse functional block diagram (left) and typical application (right), providing overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, and overtemperature protection, as well as other safety features. An eFuse operates as an intelligent load switch that continuously monitors multiple conditions. When abnormal events occur—such as excessive current draw, overvoltage conditions, or overheating—the device quickly disconnects the load to prevent damage. Unlike conventional fuses that permanently open after a fault, an eFuse can electronically shut down and automatically restore operation once the abnormal condition has cleared. This capability is particularly valuable in gaming systems, where temporary disturbances such as peripheral faults or transient electrical events can occur. Monitoring and Fault Isolation At the heart of the protection device is a low-resistance power MOSFET that connects the input supply to the protected circuit. Internal monitoring circuitry measures current, voltage, and temperature in real time. If any single parameter exceeds safe operating limits, control logic rapidly disables the MOSFET, isolating the fault before damage to the system occurs. In the console implementation, the protection device supports load currents up to approximately 5 A on a 5-V supply rail. Engineers can program the current limit using an external resistor, allowing the protection threshold to match the requirements of the specific subsystem. Additional integrated features include: Soft-start control to limit inrush current during power-up Thermal shutdown protection Undervoltage lockout to ensure stable system startup Together, these features allow the device to act as a centralized protection controller for the console’s power path. Efficiency and Thermal Management Thermal management is already a major design consideration in high-performance gaming hardware. Protection components must therefore operate efficiently to avoid adding unnecessary heat. An eFuse protection device features a low on-resistance of roughly 50 milliohms, minimizing power dissipation during normal operation. The device also consumes only about 200 microamps of operating current, allowing it to support power-sensitive subsystems without significantly impacting system efficiency. These characteristics help maintain the thermal balance of the console while still providing robust fault protection. Reducing System Complexity Another advantage of integrated protection devices is the ability to reduce component count. Traditional protection circuits may require multiple discrete components—including fuses, switches, and sensing circuitry—to implement the same functionality. By integrating these functions into a single device, engineers can simplify power-management design while conserving PCB space. In the console application, the eFuse protection device is housed in a compact 2 mm × 2 mm surface-mount package, allowing it to be placed close to sensitive subsystems without increasing board area requirements (see Figure 3). Figure 3: An eFuse LS0505EVD22L housed in a compact DFN2x2_8L package with pinout diagram. This compact footprint is particularly important in gaming consoles, where multilayer PCBs must accommodate processors, memory devices, wireless radios, and high-speed interfaces within a limited space. Preparing for Future Gaming Platforms As gaming technology continues to evolve toward virtual reality, augmented reality, and increasingly powerful graphics hardware, electrical power demands will continue to grow. Ensuring reliable power distribution in these systems will remain a critical engineering priority. Integrated protection technologies such as eFuses provide console designers with a practical way to safeguard complex electronics while maintaining compact designs and efficient operation. By combining fast fault detection, intelligent power control, and small form factors, these solutions help ensure that next-generation gaming platforms remain both powerful and reliable—keeping players immersed in their experiences rather than interrupted by hardware failures. *Images courtesy of Littelfuse. For information: Littelfuse eFuse Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

The power system chosen for the film's base camp ran the entire production compound, including electrical equipment, trailers, kitchens, and other onsite facilities. Netflix Australia's APEX Movie Used Zero-Emission Power On Set The power system chosen for the film's base camp ran the entire production compound, including electrical equipment, trailers, kitchens, and other onsite facilities. Edited by Terry Persun Film and TV May 4, 2026 Produced by Netflix Australia and starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton, APEX reflects the film industry's growing commitment to deploying low-carbon energy solutions on set as alternatives to conventional diesel generators. Following a first notable deployment during the filming of Season 2 of Lupin, EODev is once again supporting a major audiovisual production in its energy transition, working alongside local partner Blue Diamond Machinery in Australia. EODev (Energy Observer Developments), the French specialist in zero-emission power generation and energy storage solutions provided their GEH2 hydrogen generator to power the APEX base camp. The GEH2’s performance was particularly well suited to the operational constraints of film sets. Designed and manufactured in France, the fuel cell generator converts hydrogen into electricity with no direct emissions at point of use, producing only water and vapor, while operating at just 65 decibels at full load—equivalent to the noise level of a conversation. Deployed over a two-month period, the GEH2 powered the entire production compound supporting the film crews, including electrical equipment, trailers, kitchens, and other onsite facilities. In total, nearly 5 MWh of electricity were generated, avoiding 21.5 tons of CO₂ emissions and saving 5,200 liters of diesel compared with an equivalent conventional generator. Photo courtesy of EODev. As the first film production in Australia to deploy a hydrogen solution of this kind, the project demonstrates the ability of zero-emission technologies to meet the operational demands of large-scale productions. It also reflects the growing adoption of alternative energy solutions in the audiovisual sector, where noise reduction and decarbonization are becoming increasingly important. From the movie, APEX, courtesy of Netflix Australia. With more than 150 zero-emission generators deployed worldwide, EODev continues to strengthen its position as a leading provider of clean mobile power solutions, delivering decarbonization without compromising operational performance. In Australia, this momentum is further supported by a local licensed assembly line operated by Toyota Motor Corporation Australia, reinforcing EODev´s ability to serve the regional market. For more information: EODEV APEX Read more about movie technology >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next