Thursday, March 28, 2024

Medialon Manager V6 Takes Sensorama’s VIX Visitors on Ride Beneath the Waves

Coral Gables, FL, USA — Sensorama‘s newest attraction, VIX, lets riders’ senses take them away into an underwater world untouched by humans. Created as a virtual reality experience, blending magic and fantasy, the 24-person ride takes guests on a below-the-surface voyage, accelerating through narrow land passages, forbidden forests and deep ocean caverns.

VIX is the first ride of its kind in South America.

Located in the Brazilian mall, Shopping Praia da Costa, the ride is surrounded by restaurants, retail stores, and public spaces. Due to its crowded and unconventional environment, sound isolation is important so as not to disturb patrons not taking part in the ride.

As immersion rides gain popularity across the world, creators and management teams are finding ways to bring them to life in areas outside of amusement parks, catering to a new breed of thrill-seekers.

The $4 million VIX project required 100 tons of steel, 3 kilometers of cabling, a custom engineered building, and a 172-square-meter compound curved screen, equivalent to the size of an IMAX theater.

The simulation experience was created with a planned infrastructure, one capable of enhancing guest experience with heightened senses, movement, and a larger-than-life screen.

Using blended 4K ultra high resolution projectors, a panoramic immersive screen was custom designed for VIX. The 6k uncompressed video, 18.3 3D audio system, special effects, and synchronized six-axis motion platform movements work together to engage all the senses.

15_Vix

By integrating sensory stimulants into the show, riders can feel their hair blow in the wind, smell the forest as they travel through untouched land, and feel the mist as they dive underwater. Special effects including heat, lighting, and wind add to the experience.

“The most interesting part is that all the technology disappears when you go into the ride and  it’s  easy,  simple  and  beautiful,”  said  Leif  Percifield,  the  project’s  head  engineer.  “You don’t care how many wires, projectors and computers are involved because it’s awesome.”

The entire show and preshow is controlled by Medialon Manager V6 show control software on a Medialon Show Control Machine Pro. A secondary computer stands by as a redundant backup in case of any issues with the main show controller.

Medialon Manager 6 is a Windows based control software well known for its use in museum media control, theme park attractions, as well as architectural video and lighting control. With the ability to control any audiovisual equipment using a range of protocols or network connections, the software-based show control solution fits perfectly with already present IT technology, controlling audio, video playback, operator controls, and media management in one place.

“I love the flexibility of Medialon products,” said Michael Sauder, programmer of VIX.“As I worked on the project, additional special effects were added, and Medialon’sshow control software had no problem adapting to the new additions.”

Joe Kleiman
Joe Kleimanhttp://wwww.themedreality.com
Raised in San Diego on theme parks, zoos, and IMAX films, InPark's Senior Correspondent Joe Kleiman would expand his childhood loves into two decades as a projectionist and theater director within the giant screen industry. In addition to his work in commercial and museum operations, Joe has volunteered his time to animal husbandry at leading facilities in California and Texas and has played a leading management role for a number of performing arts companies. Joe previously served as News Editor and has remained a contributing author to InPark Magazine since 2011. HIs writing has also appeared in Sound & Communications, LF Examiner, Jim Hill Media, The Planetarian, Behind the Thrills, and MiceChat His blog, ThemedReality.com takes an unconventional look at the attractions industry. Follow on twitter @ThemesRenewed Joe lives in Sacramento, California with his wife, dog, and a ghost.

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