Walt Disney himself is "brought to life," leaving spectators astonished. How Did Imagineers Make This Animatronic Walt Disney So Lifelike? Walt Disney himself is "brought to life," leaving spectators astonished. Joe Gillard Theme Parks Jul 22, 2025 Disneyland Park on July 17, 1955, and Disney is celebrating the 70 th anniversary with some show-stopping technology from the engineers at Walt Disney Imagineering. A new park attraction based on Walt Disney, the man himself, called “Walt Disney – A Magical Life,” recently debuted at the Main Street Opera House in Disneyland last week. Disney says “guests will first experience a cinematic journey (approximately 15 minutes) through the film, “One Man’s Dream,” culminating in a visit with Walt in his office, made possible through the magic of Audio-Animatronics ® storytelling.” Also from EE: Wicked Technology Defies Gravity on Broadway Animatronic Walt Disney leaves commentators stunned Perhaps the main draw of this new attraction is a lifelike, animatronic Walt Disney that moves, talks, and walks. The park says “guests will hear heartfelt stories, anecdotes and words of wisdom shared by Walt using historical recordings.” Walt Disney Imagineering has been working on this project for seven years, and Disney says the idea for doing something like this goes back even further. The dedication shows, apparently. ”Seated in the audience, I couldn’t figure out exactly how it works.” writes Jacob Krol of TechRadar. “There’s no visible harness or backing, not even leads from the desk. This is the first entirely electric figure to complete that lean-to-stand motion fully.” He reports that the Imagineering team did deep research on the human facial features and movements, right down to the cornea bulge of the eye. The level of detail and care that went into the research and the project left many feeling that Disney had done right by the man and his family. “The expertise and care that Walt Disney Imagineering has devoted to this project is nothing short of remarkable,” said Kirsten Komoroske, Executive Director, The Walt Disney Family Museum. “I think that Walt would be thrilled with the blend of cutting-edge technology and artistry. And I think that he would be touched by the tribute.” Technology So, how exactly did the Imagineering team achieve what they’re calling “the most lifelike figure that Walt Disney Imagineering has ever created?” It’s hard to find anything about specifics, only that the team referred to their innovations as “moonshots.” Audio-Animatronics is the trademarked name of the mechatronic animatronic technology familiar to anyone who has been to Disneyland. They generally feature movement synchronized with external audio (think Pirates of the Caribbean). This Walt Disney attraction is the latest iteration of that, and one Disney seems particularly proud of. The puppeteering works through a combination of motors, fluid power, solenoids, and cables. These mechanics are combined with programming to make sure everything works harmoniously. “Many of Disney’s Audio-Animatronics figures are designed to move in concert,” says Disney, “with choreographed movements timed by complex audio cues and digital signals. These movements require extensive engineering — courtesy of Disney Imagineers — and programming to create a seamless display of characters in action.” The system of the animatronics relies on a combination of electric motors, solenoids, hydraulic systems , pneumatic systems, and cables to produce repeatable puppet movements that syncs to sound.[5] The animatronic Walt is “the first ‘lean to stand’ motion for an all-electric figure,” according to Disney, and press material points to a ‘twinkle in the eye,’ a focus on “muscle structure and the nuances of speaking and gesturing such as how the mouth falls when the figure is speaking, as well as the very Walt mannerisms and movements including the way Walt used his hands.” Typical of Disney, there was a commitment to detail. “We worked closely with the Walt Disney Archives and The Walt Disney Family Museum to depict the details of Walt and his office accurately in this theatrical presentation,” said Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, Portfolio Executive Creative Producer, Walt Disney Imagineering. “Most importantly, we were passionate about creating an Audio-Animatronics figure designed specifically for this attraction, delivering a portrayal that has his nuances, hand gestures, facial expressions, and more- all of the attributes that make this figure’s performance feel uniquely Walt and not simply creating a figure to look like Walt.” See below for a review from a former Imagineer: For more information, visit Walt Disney: A Magical Life . Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Unique dispenser technology can produce various types of sushi at the press of a button. Printing Sushi in Space? It's Not As "Out There" As You Think Unique dispenser technology can produce various types of sushi at the press of a button. Muge Deniz Meiller Cool Stuff Oct 21, 2025 The phrase “micro fluid dispensing” is generally associated with applications like medical device assembly or battery manufacturing. It certainly doesn’t conjure up visions of sushi—at least not yet. If engineers at IHI Aerospace and Yamagata University have their way, though, 3D printed sushi will be served to space tourists as they circle in low Earth orbit. IHI Aerospace is involved in developing a commercial space platform that could be used to carry civilians into orbit. The company is already looking ahead to enhancing all levels of the experience, including meals—in particular, sushi. IHI had to look beyond specialty chefs, sharp knives, and coolers of fish and seafood and decided to print the sushi with a lightweight countertop micro dispensing system. Considering that adventurers looking for the thrill of orbital spaceflight will expect an unforgettable experience which includes something more exotic than just a sandwich, IHI Aerospace reached out to Yamagata University, which has a strong aerospace engineering program and an equally well-regarded culinary arts program. After some brainstorming, the University team chose proteins in a paste form rather than as solid fish or seafood. Uni (sea urchin) and other fish pastes are common food items in Japan and many parts of the world. Thus, the concept of sushi made with uni paste is familiar. Pastes have benefits for both quality and logistics. The proteins are harvested and packed at the peak of flavor. Plus, packaged pastes are shelf stable with no leftover food waste to generate odor. Protein pastes are also compatible with non-contact micro fluid dispensing technology, making it possible to automate the sushi preparation. All photos courtesy of Nordson. The Challenges Developing printable sushi was an innovative concept and presented a number of challenges. The application required a specific volume of uni paste to be dispensed on a bed of rice in a specific pattern and location. Uni paste is a high-viscosity fluid that requires well-controlled pressure to dispense. The nozzle needed to be wide enough to discourage blockages but narrow enough to provide controlled deposition. In addition, the goal of the program was to create a system to produce four different kinds of printed sushi in paste form: uni, white fish, crab, and shrimp. The system needed to be able to toggle from one to another without flavor residue. Further, in the event of blockage, the nozzles needed to be cleanable. To tackle these challenges and build their prototype, the Yamagata University team turned to Nordson EFD Japan. By integrating a Nordson EFD PICO Pulse piezo jetting valve technology with a compact robot, the group created a precision micro fluid dispensing system capable of printing sushi that rivals products from the local sushi bar. The unit can be installed in a galley and produce various types of sushi with the press of a button. All photos courtesy of Nordson. Piezo valves are very high-resolution and reliable, with long lifetimes. These characteristics enable the user to tailor stroke length, precisely controlling the amount dispensed. This characteristic equips the PICO Pµlse jet valve to optimize deposition to achieve a uniform appearance for sushi pastes with different consistencies. The PICO Pµlse is a modular product, offering great flexibility and enabling it to be configured ideally for each application. A tool-free latch enables the fluid body to be exchanged rapidly and easily. Rapid exchanges are as useful during prototyping as they are once the product is in operation. The ability to swap out fluid carrying parts quickly allows the valve to serve its purpose of dispensing different types of pastes and being easy to clean. The IHI Aerospace/ Yamagata University team combined the PICO Pµlse valve with the Nordson EFD PICO Touch valve controller and fluid reservoir for an end-to-end solution that combined ease of integration with accurate, reliable operation. The next step was to choose the optimal nozzle to handle the protein pastes. Nordson EFD recommended a flat nozzle with a 300-micron orifice. This nozzle has a wide enough aperture to ensure smooth, controlled deposition of the protein pastes while minimizing the risk of blockages. This nozzle was covered with a special hydrophilic coating used for sticky fluids. It reduced surface tension of the wetted pathway for improved micro dispensing consistency. While printable sushi for orbital meals is an admittedly exotic use case, printable food in general could have a much broader impact. The Yamagata University team, for example, hopes to continue to explore the technology for food service in facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities. For more information: Nordson EFD Nordson Pico Pulse Valves IHI Aerospace Yamagata University Read more about food technology >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

A deep dive into the hydrophone arrays and specific equipment used by scientists at Project Blue Whale at the University of Iceland. Noise Pollution is a Big Threat to Blue Whales — Here’s How Scientists Are Listening In A deep dive into the hydrophone arrays and specific equipment used by scientists at Project Blue Whale at the University of Iceland. Edited by EE Staff Cool Stuff Jan 19, 2026 Growing up to 30 m long and 180 tons, the blue whale is the largest animal in the world. In addition to its impressive size, its calls can be heard thousands of kilometers away and far below the ocean’s surface. But there’s a growing threat to their communication: noise pollution. These highly intelligent — and endangered — animals have a similar communication frequency range as a variety of man-made sounds, such as ship engines, low-frequency active sonar, seismic air gun array explorations, other oil exploration activities, and more. With growing evidence that noise interference can disturb vital life functions of these whales — feeding, breeding, navigation, and communication — and with underwater noise pollution on the rise, it’s imperative that researchers gain a better understanding of how, why, and where blue whales communicate, as well as the level and effect of noise disturbance on their lives. Project Blue Whale The Húsavík Research Center at the University of Iceland is a leading authority in the study of marine mammals. The center is led by Dr Marianne Helene Rasmussen, who is the driving force behind Project Blue Whale, a research project dedicated to gaining knowledge about blue whales in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean to better understand the impact of increasing ship noise on their habitat. The project aimed to better understand the blue whale’s communication patterns. This required the localization of individual blue whales and the recording of what sounds they were making at what times. Scientists wanted to answer key questions such as whether it was always the same animal calling, what the difference is between animals, and whether they are able to change the frequency of their calls to account for background noise (something other species of whales are able to do). The project also aimed to find out if and how underwater ship noises affect these communications, which involved projecting noises at certain frequencies to mask the sounds created by blue whales and investigate their responses. Images courtesy of HBK. Hydrophones in Marine Research Dr. Rasmussen came to the project with broad experience in marine research using hydrophone arrays to record beam patterns and sound levels. In an earlier project in Northern Norway, her team recorded the sounds made by sperm whales using Type 8101 hydrophones from Brüel & Kjær. The project had been a great success, so it was a natural decision to use the same equipment again for Project Blue Whale. The Brüel & Kjær NOTAR recorder allows underwater sound recording for hours at a time — even without the need of a laptop. NOTAR is a small and rugged solid-state recorder that has no shock-sensitive moving parts (unlike tape recorders or PC hard drives) which means it can be used in locations where no PC-based recorder can operate. Hydrophone Type 8106 has a built-in preamplifier which gives a signal suitable for transmission over long cables. It is usable down to 1000 m ocean depth. Recording the Whales To record the whales, a digital recorder was custom made at Aarhus University and specially configured to be able to capture sound on one channel and to give an accurate GPS signal reading on the other for precise localization data. Images courtesy of HBK. To get accurate recordings, the team also needed calm seas and no wind; otherwise, the subsequent waves and ‘cable strumming’ noise from the hydrophone cables would cause additional noise interference that would render the results useless. The frequencies of interest were as low as 10 – 20 Hz. In order to achieve any bearing (directivity), the distance between the hydrophones had to be far enough apart to secure a certain minimum angle. The team utilized four boats and four hydrophones in a large hydrophone array; the distance between the hydrophones was either 1 km or 500 m and they were at a depth of 30 m. Once a whale was sighted, all that was needed was for the boats to stay in place and record the whale sounds and locations for approximately one hour at a time. Images courtesy of HBK. Analyzing the Whale Recordings Aside from a few days of bad weather and some minor technical glitches, everything went as planned and the team managed to gather over 100 whale calls, along with a wealth of good positional data. The recordings were then analyzed onshore. Of course, the study didn’t end there. The second part — examining how ship noises mask and affect the whales’ communication — is an ongoing project. Nevertheless, the data so far has already revealed some interesting results about the nature of these fascinating sea mammals, how they communicate, what frequencies they use, why, and when. These findings are, in turn, giving rise to a host of new questions, such as whether or not blue whales can change frequencies when calling, if there is any interspecies communication, and if this methodology can be used to study other types of whales.Never one to sit still, Dr Rasmussen is already planning to apply for financial backing for a range of other projects to look more closely into these and other areas. For a project like this to have gone so smoothly so far, with so many extraneous variables to manage and overcome, is a huge achievement.Project Blue Whale has not only helped to form a far deeper understanding of blue whales — Dr. Rasmussen and her team also hope that their results will be a catalyst for a new dialogue with authorities about shipping lane regulations and other safeguards to the whales’ natural habitat. And if all this leads to more and better ways of protecting this enormous, endangered, and enigmatic sea creature, then this is the best possible result. For more information: HBK NOTAR recorder Hyrophone Type 8106 Read more deep sea articles >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Musora’s Director of Production Josh Holliday uses Blackmagic Design’s products to better provide content to 10 million subscribers from over 100 global musicians. Reimagining Online Music Lessons to Change Lives Musora’s Director of Production Josh Holliday uses Blackmagic Design’s products to better provide content to 10 million subscribers from over 100 global musicians. Joe Gillard Music Jul 13, 2026 Learning to play a musical instrument can be a life-changing moment. Josh Holliday understands this as well as anyone. "My parents gave me a drum kit one Christmas many years ago. It was totally unexpected, but what was more surprising was the way music changed my life.” Holliday’s other interest is engineering. At Musora, a music e-learning platform, he oversees staff operating three fulltime studios, remote productions across the globe, and a post production pipeline for audio and large parts of video, as well as designing and building new studios. Pictured is Josh Holliday, Chris Young, David Tallarico. Photo credit Shane Miljevic. Images courtesy of Blackmagic Design. If you’ve spent time on YouTube trying to teach yourself how to play drums, guitar, or piano, you’re probably familiar with Musora, whose brands include Drumeo, Pianote, Guitereo, Singeo, and PlayBass. They have a combined 100 professional instructors offering lessons to over 100,000 active students. And if you’re more of a music listener , you might have seen one of their viral videos. In one viral video from Drumeo, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith makes a beat on the fly to a rock song he’d never heard before. It has over 30 million views. But Musora says they remain driven by two simple goals. One is to create more musicians. And the other is to keep them playing longer. Musora has grown since its inception in 2015. So too has its video production pipeline, keeping pace with new studio builds, a growing set of lessons and social media content to support the platform. Josh Holliday and Chad Smith. Credit Shane Miljevic. Images courtesy of Blackmagic Design. Scaling up to meet growth demands Holliday describes how Musora’s platform growth creates new technology needs. To meet these demands, Musora’s team leaned heavily into Blackmagic Design’s suite of offerings, such as HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro, DaVinci Resolve Studio, and ATEM Mini switchers. “With this extra filming cadence and higher camera count, our reliance on a dependable video ingest workflow became vital. Leaning hard into the HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro really unlocked that speed and reliability we need,” said Holliday. Photo credit Shane Miljevic. Images courtesy of Blackmagic Design. Innovating with live, on-screen graphics The visual requirements of piano instructional videos is one example of how Musora’s team tackled a new challenge with both creativity and engineering. For the Pianote brand, online students are typically shown a picture-in-picture display which allows the viewer to see what keys the instructor is playing in real time. But the team soon found a better way to do this. “Originally, we placed a simple graphic above the piano but over time considered whether there was a better way,” said Holliday. “It was one of our engineers, Chris Young, who came up with a unique method to create real time highlights that live underneath the hands of the instructor. This would also reclaim valuable screen space on the image.” Pianote YouTube channel featuring Justin C. Gilbert. Images courtesy of Blackmagic Design. This innovation required some creative thinking, however. And an upgrade. “We originally had another ATEM, but we quickly found that we maxed out the outputs. The ATEM 4 M/E Constellation 4K was a major upgrade for quantity of inputs, scaling on every input, output count, and the internal functions we utilize,” explained Holliday. “Now, to achieve our PIP effect, we use several ATEM chroma keys and mix engines to isolate the layers, then recombine them to produce the final image. Given the ATEM has so many features built in, we were able to connect the tech with some creative thinking to make it work.” Blackmagic Design’s ATEM Constellation4 M/E Constellation 4K is a powerful HD and 4K live production switcher. ATEM Constellation includes advanced features such as DVEs, ATEM advanced chroma key, media players, multi-views, and SuperSource processors. Plus the built-in Fairlight audio mixer includes a compressor, limiter, 6 band parametric EQ, and expander on each input. Free ATEM Software Control is included, or you can add a number of advanced panels. All-in-one music learning app To further enable music education for curious learners, Musora began working on a comprehensive “play to learn” app. It aims to give people everything they need to go from nothing, to playing drums, piano, bass, guitar, and being able to sing. “Naturally, it required a lot of video content,” explained Holliday. “Which we filmed almost every day for a year. The content itself features many guest artists and specialists on their instruments.” Each lesson has up to eight camera angles to ensure students can see the most relevant visual being taught. To make this happen, the data stacked up quickly. This is where automated workflows came in. Automating the process “Leaning into an automated ingest workflow was essential to our success,” noted Holliday. “Not only were we capturing the new content, but we were also still producing our usual content for our YouTube channels.” Holliday met the need with Blackmagic’s HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro broadcast decks. 24 of them, in fact. HyperDeck Studio allows the user to record broadcast quality video files directly onto SD card and SSD media. After recording, media can be mounted on any computer to access the files using your favorite video software. The input then goes to the ATEM switchboard. Holliday outlined a typical workflow: “A drum lesson on our platform starts with about eight camera feeds. Two main talking angles, an overhead, a footcam and several side shots depending on the content. All signals go first to the HyperDeck for recording, then both the UHD loop out and 1080 status monitor output go to the ATEM 4 M/E Constellation 4K.” “At this point we are recording and seeing every input in the ATEM. The ATEM then feeds all the studio outputs, including the control room TVs, video engineer monitor and director of photography monitor, as well as feeds into the control room for the talent, including confidence monitor, displaying sheet music, an on-screen timer or scripts, and teleprompter feed.” “After filming, we simply run our automation pipeline to ingest all the media to our main server, do checksum and playback verification, and provide a report of the automation. This workflow is very impactful and was built custom by Hriman and Tugrul from our in-house IT team. We still manually verify content as a last safety measure and to also review any lighting or visual aspects for tweaks before repeating the record process the next day." Josh Holliday and John Stamos backstage at The Beach Boys, LA. Credit John Stamos. Images courtesy of Blackmagic Design. What’s next for Musora? Holliday said Musora will be working with Phil Collins, John Stamos, and other well-known musicians and celebrities in the future. No doubt these people will lend more viral potential and mainstream visibility to the platform. But Holliday strongly believes Musora’s initial purpose remains as true as ever and will guide the company and their brands moving forward. “...At the heart of it all is that it’s all in the name of making more musicians and keeping them playing longer,” he said. And Holliday knows personally, still recalling how his first drum set, that gift from his parents, was the catalyst that made him who he is today. “Being part of a company that seeks to do the same for others is truly inspiring.” For information: Blackmagic Design ATEM 4 M/E Constellation 4K HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro Lead photo: Pictured is Josh Holliday. Photo credit Shane Miljevic. Read more music related articles >>> 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

Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas uses SKF giant main bearings and related technologies. World’s Tallest Observation Wheel Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas uses SKF giant main bearings and related technologies. SKF Home Cool Stuff Jun 4, 2025 Theme Parks The High Roller observation wheel expected to soar at the heart of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip in late 2013. The 550-foot-tall wheel, eclipsing the famed 443-foot-tall London Eye, will be equipped with two SKF spherical roller bearings, the largest ever produced at the SKF manufacturing facility. The two custom-designed spherical roller bearings (one within each side) will be virtually unprecedented in weight and size. Each bearing will weigh approximately 8,800 kg and be designed with 2,300mm outer diameter, 1,600mm inner diameter, and width of 630mm. Specially engineered features will include W26 lubrication holes in the inner ring, SKF NoWear®-coated rollers, and PTFE coating in the bore. The company will additionally incorporate advanced lubrication, sealing, and online condition-monitoring systems and take the lead in monitoring the bearings once the wheel is up and running. SKF was awarded the contract by American Bridge Company (Coraopolis, PA, USA), which is responsible for constructing the 143m-diameter tension wheel. In addition to the two SKF bearing assemblies, the structure will consist of four steel support legs, a single braced leg, fixed spindle, rotating hub, 2m-diameter tubular rim, and 112 locked coil cable assemblies as spokes. The High Roller wheel is the centerpiece of The LINQ, a planned $550 million, open-air retail, dining, and entertainment district situated between Imperial Palace and Flamingo Las Vegas. Each of the wheel’s 28 supersize cabins (which themselves will revolve) will accommodate up to 40 people during a 30-minute ride. The wheel turns out to be the latest SKF big-wheel project in a growing portfolio of expertise. The Navy Pier® Ferris wheel in Chicago similarly operates with two SKF spherical roller bearings and SKF Reliability Systems retains responsibility for ongoing proactive maintenance programs. For more information: SKF Home Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

A first-of-its-kind interactive digital touch table and software package is custom built for wine tasting. Custom Software and Touch Screen Technology Used for Wine Tasting Experience A first-of-its-kind interactive digital touch table and software package is custom built for wine tasting. Jim Spadaccini, Founder & Creative Director of Ideum Cool Stuff Jun 16, 2025 I am thrilled to be the first to announce that Ideum has released a new touch table called the Tasting Table . It comes bundled with software that facilitates wine tasting. The Wine Experience allows guests to learn more about the tasting process and share what they experience. The software provides a new way to experience wine, demystifying and deepening the tasting experience—part of the company’s Sensory Dining experience. Photo: Nebbiollo ripens on the vine in the author's backyard vineyard. It is not hyperbole to say that we’ve been working on this new interactive experience for decades. The last project I managed at the Exploratorium in San Francisco was the Science of Wine project, during which I was introduced to Ann Noble, the U.C. Davis Professor who developed the Wine Aroma Wheel, a custom and highly modified version of the open-source Wine Aroma Wheel which is important in The Wine Experience application. We’ve made it interactive, where guests can select and share the flavors they are tasting. Analytics are built into the software, so a winery that uses this application can see what their guests are experiencing, effectively crowd sourcing their tasting notes. How it Works The Wine Experience software is paired with our new Tasting Table, developed explicitly for tasting rooms, popup events, and other spaces where wine tastings happen. The Tasting Table has a unique design: It is bar-height and has an optically bonded 55-inch touch display. An onboard computer makes the system plug-and-play. The system is lockable, and the software only requires an internet connection to load new content. In addition, the experience uses our object-recognition system, Tangible Engine. This software allows the interactive coasters that are part of the Tasting Table to recognize up to eight different wines. Tangible Engine was the first object-recognition software package for projected-capacitive touch tables; many design firms, including ours, use it. Over the years, we developed experimental applications that involved tasting. The Interactive Coffee Experience was designed with Starbucks and appeared at several pop-up events. We also developed an interactive wine-tasting experience, the JCB Tasting Salon with JCB Wines. More recently we worked with MSC Cruises to create the Interactive Wine Bar for the Euribia cruise ship. These experiences and the great and knowledgeable collaborators we worked with have contributed to our thinking as we developed this exciting new wine-tasting experience. In addition, we worked closely with VARA Winery & Distillery, who provided excellent feedback during our extensive testing and tasting sessions! Photo: Ambassador and former NM Senator Tom Udall & entrepreneur Steve Case visit Ideum and try an interactive coffee tasting developed with Starbucks. Our mission was to create a guest-centric experience, focusing on individuals tasting the wine. We want to enhance the tasting experience, making the interactive less of a brochure for the winery and more about the social experience surrounding tasting and the joy of tasting fine wines. I’ve been interested in wine since working in a wine shop and a restaurant in my early twenties. I also have a small vineyard in Corrales, New Mexico, with 150 vines I’ve been growing for over a decade. This project blends my personal and professional interests like no other endeavor has. We’ve had our first pop-up event with VARA, with more planned, and will have our first permanent installation at the New Mexico Wine Association’s new tasting room in Old Town later this year. For more information: See the video Ideum Tangible Engine Sensory Dining Website Wine Aroma Wheel VARA Winery & Distillery New Mexico Wine Association Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Entirely 3D printed auto-follow device for GoPro cameras begins US tour Auto-Follow Sports Drone Set for Take-Off Entirely 3D printed auto-follow device for GoPro cameras begins US tour EE Staff Sports Jun 4, 2025 Aimed primarily at the consumer market, AirDog is an innovative, yet simple-to-use, ‘quad-copter’ that operates via a wrist-worn tracking device and accommodates a standard GoPro sports camera. Users can automatically capture exciting live aerial video footage and still photography of themselves, having set distance, speed and height levels for AirDog to follow. Helico is specifically targeting the outdoor ‘extreme’ sports market and expects AirDog to be of particular interest to recreational participants of freestyle BMX, motocross and skateboarding, as well as water-sports such as surfing, kite-surfing and wake-boarding. AirDog might literally have not got off the ground, had it not been for the instrumental role 3D printing played during the prototyping phase. The company sought the expertise of Stratasys’ Latvian partner, Baltic3D, who also worked with Polish reseller Bibus Menos to meet the requirements outlined by Helico’s team. In order to produce fully-functional parts that could perform in the real environment, both Stratasys’ FDM and PolyJet 3D printing technologies were employed for AirDog and its AirLeash tracking device, respectively. The final AirDog drone was fully 3D printed using Stratasys’ FDM-based ULTEM material, chosen thanks to its ability to provide parts of extreme strength and durability, with the lightweight characteristics vital for take-off and in-flight maneuverability. For more information: Stratasys Home AirDog Quadcopter Drone Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

The Island Waterpark at Showboat Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City includes 11 winding water slides, a 500-foot lazy river, and a state-of-the-art surf simulator. What It Takes to Automate a 120,000 Square Foot Water Park The Island Waterpark at Showboat Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City includes 11 winding water slides, a 500-foot lazy river, and a state-of-the-art surf simulator. Terry Persun Attractions Mar 23, 2026 Theme Parks Designed by leading aquatic design and engineering firm Martin Aquatic, The Island features a number of exciting and cutting-edge attractions, suitable for both kids and adults. Park highlights include 11 winding water slides, a 500-foot lazy river, and a state-of-the-art surf simulator. But just as the park’s guest amenities and attractions take advantage of new and impressive technology, so, too, do the mechanical rooms that support them. Located on opposite ends of the 120,000 square foot facility, the park’s two mechanical rooms house a vast array of pumps, regenerative filter systems, UV systems, water chemistry systems and more. To ensure all of these systems work in harmony with one another, each mechanical room features a SplashBotix Main Control Panel (MCP) aquatic system automation controller. The two MCPs integrate with each mechanical room’s vast array of equipment to maintain interlocks between pumps and water quality systems, regulate basin water levels, and continuously monitor field sensors and devices for fault and alarm conditions. The MCPs further support operators by offering real-time dashboards and event logs, delivering complete visibility into the waterpark’s operational health and performance from 10-inch touch screen HMIs. Outside the mechanical room, the two MCPs further support operations by controlling the interlock logic underpinning the park’s network of emergency stop buttons. Images courtesy of SplashBotix. Despite the facility’s sheer volume and diverse mix of attractions, The Island Waterpark was constructed in just eight months–record time for any waterpark, let alone one that size. The project met such an impressive development timeline due in large part to the ease with which contractors and park personnel were able to test and commission park attractions using the MCP’s VFD control interface—saving several man-days of commissioning. One such example is the park’s lazy river, which relies on the synchronization of up to10 feature pumps. Typically, contractors might spend hours pacing between the equipment room and the lazy river, incrementally raising the speed of each pump in order to achieve an ideal flow rate. “Given the number of VFDs being used on the [lazy river], it may have taken us a few days to go through all the parameters and make sure everything was set up correctly,” said The Island Waterpark’s Director of Maintenance Dan Jankovits. “Using the MCP, it took us just a few hours.” Jankovits also pointed out that using the MCP was much easier than having to navigate a conventional push-button VFD interface. “If you’ve ever had to change the parameters on a VFD,” said Jankovits, “you know they’ve got four sets of arrows and an “enter” button. And basically, you’re hitting the arrows to navigate across multiple screens to eventually get the VFD to a certain point. [With the MCP], it’s all a touch screen and everything is spelled out in plain English.” The MCP’s pump control interface helped reduce the commissioning time on the waterslides and other attractions as well. Given the facility’s size and breadth of equipment, daily walk-throughs conducted by facility operators would have been extremely time-consuming if it weren’t for the two MCP controllers, which provide a comprehensive, real-time view of each equipment room. Jankovits explains, “When I go into the pump rooms, the first thing I do is look at the screen. Then I might see, for example, that one of the [filtration] systems was in pre-coat for too long, I’ll check on that first to make sure it’s back to operating normally. It really helps prioritize what needs to be done during my walk-throughs and make the best use of my time.” Images courtesy of SplashBotix. One aspect of the MCP that has been critical for Jankovits is the controller’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) feature—a running log of key facility events, reflecting everything from administrative actions to device faults and alarms. Designed to help operators monitor for anomalies that may point to larger problems affecting their facility, the MCP’s SCADA revealed a pattern of irregular water fill valve behavior that drew Jankovits’ attention to a possible leak event one Summer. In another instance, the SCADA system drew Jankovits and his team’s attention to a potential issue with an emergency stop switch on one of the park’s water slides. The SCADA system empowered operators with the foresight to address problems before they escalated. According to Jankovits, it can often take years of industry experience to truly understand and become comfortable working with and maintaining certain kinds of equipment. “I’m used to the old school,” said Jankovits. “I grew up in this industry using high-rate sand filters. I could walk into a pump room and know what issues to look for if I didn’t hear the pump working, the motor working, or the water going through the valves.” The Island Waterpark, however, doesn’t use sand filters. It relies on regenerative media filters—a more recent filtration technology—to maintain water quality. Regenerative media filters use perlite-coated tubes to trap particles as they flow through the filter. Once the perlite becomes fully loaded, a vibration event known as a “bump” occurs, causing the trapped particles to fall to the bottom of the filter. Images courtesy of SplashBotix. “With the media filter, it’s nice to be able to see on the MCP screen that the systems are up and running. I’m not constantly having to check each individual one,” Jankovits said. He also appreciates how easy it is to customize the MCP to better align with the way he and his team operate and maintain the park. The two MCP controllers have contributed to making park operations efficient and straightforward. They have allowed him and his team to get routine work done quickly and painlessly. “Starting things up in the morning is easier, too. We’re not going back and pushing this VFD, and then waiting for it to turn on and then going and doing the same thing to the next one. You push one button and the attraction turns on,” he said. As Jankovits and his team continue to build upon the park’s tremendous success in bringing a family-friendly atmosphere to Atlantic City, the facility’s two MCPs have also played a key role in helping them maintain a safe environment. For more information: SplashBotix Main Control Panel Island Waterpark Martin Aquatic Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

J.R. Clancy expands their rigging control console series to address the entire range of performance venues. Rigging Control Consoles J.R. Clancy expands their rigging control console series to address the entire range of performance venues. EE Staff Stage Events Jun 3, 2025 The family of SceneControl® 5000 controllers now has a console for performance spaces of every size, from the most complex performing arts center, sporting complex, and Broadway show to the high school, church, and college stage. The addition is the SceneControl® 5200 console, which provides programming capability for an unlimited number of cues, including the ability to control other stage machinery like turntables, wagons, chain motors, and even performer flying hoists. Small enough for venues with confined backstage space, the SceneControl 5200 console controls up to 24 axes. Venues using the SceneControl 5200 console will enjoy greater flexibility, expanding their ability to incorporate different kinds of equipment for exciting effects. If the venue’s needs change, the unit can be scaled up as required, because the SceneControl family has one across-the-board, flexible, fully compatible control system architecture. Upgrading or adding additional consoles becomes plug-and-play. The family of consoles includes three controllers for larger venues, offering the flexibility to grow with the changing needs of any venue: The SceneControl® 5600 offers dual 24-inch 1920 x 1080 screens, redundant parallel processing, and a 15.6-inch helm capacitive touch screen on the desktop. Greater video real estate means the operator can see more of what is going on within the system at any given time, with 3D wireframe views that display the performer space and all of its axes. Redundant parallel processor ensures that a hardware failure does not stop the show, and 3D programming makes it possible to fly performers or scenery on X, Y, and Z axes. SceneControl® 5500 provides many of the same features, plus a 10.1-inch master helm touch screen and 24-inch monitor screen to allow the operator to use the 3D wireframe view to see all the equipment in motion. This controller also features 3D programming capability for exciting performer flying effects. Redundant processing is included in the event of a hardware failure. Finally, the SceneControl® 5300 is a compact, mid-level operator console that can serve as the main operator interface as well as a localized backstage console. The 15.6-inch touch screen provides an intuitive, easy to use interface. As new productions and touring shows reach greater levels of complexity, performing arts centers will be able to integrate the same production values seen in New York or Las Vegas into their in-house rigging control system through the use of the SceneControl® 5000 series. For more information: J.R. Clancy Home Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

A strategic partnership aligns a knife steel distributor with the manufacturer of specialized materials and services. Expanding Knife Steel Availability A strategic partnership aligns a knife steel distributor with the manufacturer of specialized materials and services. Edited by EE Staff Cool Stuff May 7, 2026 Entertainment Engineering doesn’t often publish partnership announcements, but we do like to make our readers aware of quality products and materials and the many applications they can be used in. Knife steel is a particular brand of steel for a specific application, but as with all specialized products and services, there are many unique projects that could benefit from the same innovative ideas. Stahl Krebs will become a key distributor for Alleima’s premium knife steel portfolio, with grades like Alleima 14C28N and Damax, and give manufacturers across Germany and Central Europe improved support with technical expertise, regional stockholding, and efficient logistics. Solingen has long been regarded as the center of German cutlery and knife manufacturing. Stahl Krebs has supplied generations of professional knife makers, tool manufacturers, and specialist producers with high-quality steels and dependable service. Its deep understanding of knife-steel performance and well-established distribution network makes Stahl Krebs a trusted partner in the German knife-making ecosystem. Through Stahl Krebs, customers will gain direct access to Alleima’s premium knife steel grades, including Alleima 14C28N, as well as Damax, Alleima’s industrial-scale Damascus steel featuring up to 135 layers of martensitic stainless steel. Industrial Applications Alleima’s knife steels are trusted worldwide in applications ranging from kitchen and outdoor knives to demanding industrial tools. Wherever high-precision cutting, wear resistance, and durability are needed in automated production, knife steel is perfect. This includes machines made for industries such as food processing, paper and pulp, packaging, textiles, plastic recycling, and metal fabrication such as slitting and shearing. Alleima will provide its full knife steel portfolio of 10 steel grades, supported by technical data sheets, heat-treatment guidance, and sustainability credentials. Hydraulic shear machine. Stahl Krebs will handle warehousing, sales, and distribution. With their established customer base and strong regional distribution capabilities Stahl Krebs will complement Alleima’s advanced materials expertise and broad knife steel range. Together, the companies aim to deliver both premium material performance and dependable availability to European manufacturers. “Joining forces with Alleima is a valuable addition for Stahl Krebs. We supply high-quality steel to a range of industries such as those making knives and cutlery, surgical instruments, precision tools and more. This partnership ensures our customers have access to one of the most comprehensive and high-performing knife steel portfolios available today,” says Daniel Krebs, Managing Director at Stahl Krebs. * Images courtesy of Alleima and Depositphotos.com . For information: Alleima Stahl Krebs Read more food related articles >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

A rehabilitation of Atlanta’s historic Fountain of Rings earlier this year included the installation of a new, transformative technology that’s dramatically improved the water feature’s programming capabilities. Fountain Technology Transforms Iconic Water Feature A rehabilitation of Atlanta’s historic Fountain of Rings earlier this year included the installation of a new, transformative technology that’s dramatically improved the water feature’s programming capabilities. Theme Parks Sep 4, 2025 Cool Stuff Built nearly 30 years ago, the enormously popular LED-lighted show-style water feature comprises more than 250 manifold-mounted precision jet nozzles supplied by several large dry pumps. Designed to reflect the iconic interlocking Olympic rings, this choreographed display has become one of Georgia’s most photographed attractions, delighting guests with daily performances of synchronized water, lights, and music. Led by Texas-based fountain design firm The Fountain People, the comprehensive restoration effort included the installation of 256 new display nozzles and an integrated LED ring light fixture for dramatic color-changing effects. The project also added plug-and-play connections and a new water feature show panel with a touchscreen interface that allows operators to select among up to ten choreographed musical fountain shows. Video courtesy of The Fountain People. Further improvements included modernized pump and filtration systems, fog system repairs, and remote access capabilities that give staff greater control over the fountain’s operation. Perhaps the most exciting addition brought by the renovation, however, was the installation of a new fountain valve technology that’s enabled vastly richer nozzle effects and choreographies, thrusting the historic attraction into a new, growing class of elite manifold-based fountains and water features. Until recently, manifold-based water features such as the Fountain of Rings used a water switch, a three-way valve installed at each nozzle that allows on/off nozzle sequencing. The ability to independently control spray height for each nozzle, however, has always required a distributed pump architecture where each nozzle is controlled by its own VFD-driven effect pump. This approach required extensive submerged electrical infrastructure but allowed for show flexibility where programmers could provide complex effects such as waves, variable height chase scenes, and more. Now, this same level of control is available among manifold-based water features. The Robotic Water Switch Developed by Texas-based aquatic robotics company SplashBotix, the SplashValve is a single-axis, fast-acting robotic valve that uses a specially shaped diverter to bring proportional nozzle height control to manifold-based water features for the first time. The Fountain People’s restoration effort marks one of the first and largest uses of the new technology, representing a new standard in manifold-based water feature design and programming. SplashValves are three-way valves installed at the nozzle, designed to divert incoming water to effect or bypass. Unlike water switches, however, SplashValves can also divert water to varying proportions of effect and bypass, enabling both on/off and spray height control. Capable of cycling up to four times per second, SplashValves marry the speed and on/off action of a conventional water switch with the height control flexibility of a VFD-driven effect pump. Image courtesy of The Fountain People. SplashBotix is a division of ARM Automation, an industrial robotics and automation firm with more than 30 years of experience developing high-performance motion systems for semiconductor, aerospace, and factory automation. Unlike other technical suppliers in its industry, SplashBotix takes much of its design and engineering inspiration from the world of industrial automation. For this reason, the story of SplashBotix and the SplashValve challenges assumptions about where advanced robotics and automation principles can provide value—not just on factory floors, but in public and municipal spaces as well. Design Features The secret behind the SplashValve’s advanced flow control capabilities lies in its clever electro-mechanical design. Rather than using a pilot switch to control the flow of water, the SplashValve uses a specially designed, servo-actuated diverter. Set inside the SplashValve’s bore, the diverter rotates 90-degrees between effect and bypass, incrementally changing the nozzle spray height as it shifts its position. Fully enclosed, the SplashValve’s servo motor transmits motion to the diverter through magnetic actuation, a clever static-seal design that makes the SplashValve virtually leak-proof. Image courtesy of SplashBotix. Composed mainly of 316 stainless steel and a proprietary blend of wear- and chemical-resistant plastics, the SplashValve also offers advantages over competing solutions when it comes to maintenance and durability. Effectively a one-inch diameter pipe when the diverter position is at full effect, the SplashValve allows most fountain debris to pass right through to the nozzle, making screen filters largely unnecessary. When clogs do occur, SplashBotix has made the diverter easily accessible for maintenance personnel, who can remove the diverter from the magnetic coupling, clean the valve and return the diverter back to the SplashValve all in less than a minute. From a fountain engineering and design perspective, the SplashValve represents a major paradigm shift. By bringing proportional control to manifold-based systems, the SplashValve is enabling designers to deliver world-class shows without the cost, complexity and power requirements of installing hundreds of VFD pumps. For municipalities like Atlanta and other stakeholders, this means richer experiences for guests, safer public amenities, and less frequent, less costly maintenance. For more information: SplashBotix ARM Automation The Fountain People Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next