Steve Brown

LONDON & ORLANDO, Fla. (5-December-2012) – Lo-Q plc (AIM:LOQ), the AIM-listed provider of virtual queuing systems for theme parks and major attractions, today announced that it has acquired privately-held accesso, a recognized leader in ticketing technology, ecommerce, mobile apps and payment processing.  The transaction creates the premier technology solutions provider in the attractions and leisure industry.

Together, Lo-Q and accesso will harness the industry’s growing demand for enhanced guest convenience and optimized revenue drivers by leveraging the companies’ shared focus on award-winning technology, customer service and brand awareness.

Under terms of the deal, accesso will retain its Central Florida office and Brown, who also remains in Florida, will join Lo-Q as President and Chief Operating Officer of the companies’ combined North America business and will serve as a member of the Lo-Q plc board of directors.

For more information visit www.accesso.com.

F10 AS3D projectors used in immersive exhibition on view during Smithsonian’s Arthur M Sackler Gallery’s 25th Anniversary Celebration

Visitors to “Pure Land: Inside the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang” during the 25th anniversary celebrations of Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washington, DC will witness a technological immersive application never seen before in the United States. The 3D 360-degree panoramic journey uses projectiondesign® F10 AS3D to reproduce stunning imagery of paintings and sculptures in the ancient rock cave’s 220-meter north wall known as Bhaisajyaguru’s Eastern Paradise in China, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is closed to ensure their preservation.

In summarizing the project, Julian Raby, The Dame Jillian Sackler Director of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Freer Gallery of Art says: “The ‘Pure Land’ project exemplifies the exhibition experience of the future.”

The new exhibit opens on 1 December, having been brought to Washington by Immersive Realisation Pty Ltd and transported from its home at ALiVE, an interdisciplinary art research initiative at the City University of Hong Kong; an incubator and innovations showcase for new forms of creativity at the vanguard of digital media in society.

“Through the combination of art, cinema, advanced visualization and an interactive environment, visitors to the exhibition will be treated to a gigantic visual spectacle with high-quality imaging and storytelling,” says Professor Jeffrey Shaw, dean of the School of Creative Media at City University, Hong Kong.

The immersive audio-visual system uses six F10 AS3D projectors, six PCs with game graphics cards in them, surround-sound audio and a giant circular projection screen which is suspended from the ceiling.

“The resultant panoramic 3D projection gives a true-to-life experience of being present inside these historic caves. The technology’s potential for academic and educational purposes is significant, in that many people can access the caves in a richer and more detailed way than at the physical site, where, for reasons of preservation, visitation is very restricted,” adds Shaw.

“We work exclusively with projectiondesign for projects like “Pure Land”, because their 3D projectors and hardware is ideal for edge-blending, and geometry correction in large-scale, multi-projector arrays. WE find that projectiondesign is the most robust and reliable projection technology out there.”

“The conservation and cultural significance of ancient projects through using 3D and interactive visualization has always been important to projectiondesign,” adds Thierry Ollivier, Vice President, Sales, Asia at projectiondesign.

Project credits:
Project conception and direction, Dr. Sarah Kenderdine and Prof. Jeffrey Shaw (City University Hong Kong); Project donor, Mr. Gabriel Yu (Chairman of Executive Committee of Friends of Dunhuang Hong Kong); Interpretation, Ms. Lou Jie (Dunhuang Academy); Cave 220 laser scan and photographic datasets, Mr. Wu Jian (Dunhuang Academy); Advisor, Mrs. Lee Mei-Yin (Special Researcher with Dunhuang Academy, Friends of Dunhuang Hong Kong); Software application, Mr. Mo Luk and Mr. Leith Chan; AVIE projection environment, UNSW iCinema Centre and Immersive Realisation; Projectors, projectiondesign.

“Pure Land” will be a highlight of the Sackler’s 25th anniversary celebration held Nov. 28—Dec. 1, and will stay open, free to the public, through Dec. 9. Timed same-day tickets will be available daily, on a first-come, first-served basis at the Sackler Pavilion. More information on the anniversary week can be found at www.asia.si.edu/sackler25.

“Pure Land” will return in the spring of 2013 for a long-term installation in the new International Center Gallery shared by the Sackler and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art.

About projectiondesign
projectiondesign is a Norwegian company that designs, manufactures and markets a range of high performance projectors for professional, business and consumer applications. Amongst its core markets are high-resolution scientific visualization, visual training and simulation, medical imaging, broadcast and post production, public media and entertainment. Numerous industry milestones that distinguish projectiondesign’s award winning, innovative technology include the introduction of the world’s first single-chip SXGA DLP projector in 2002, the first commercially available 1080p DLP projector in 2006, the first WUXGA resolution DLP projector, and the first portable and high-resolution active 3D stereoscopic projector in 2008. In 2009, projectiondesign introduced its first 3-chip projector and debuted LED illumination. 2010 signified the company’s first image warp and blend product with the Multi Image Processors, as well as the world premiere of the WQXGA resolution (2,560 x 1,600) projector, and revolutionary patented Remote Light Source technology. The entire professional product range is warranted for 24/7 usage. projectiondesign is located in Fredrikstad, Norway, with representatives in more than 20 offices throughout the world, and regional headquarters in New York and Beijing.

Message from Utopia:

“Recently Utopia relocated and expanded to larger offices and continue to grow our team with new employees. In following this path of expansion we are thrilled to announce the promotions of two of our top and most loyal employees. Please join us in congratulating Nicole Casano as she becomes our new Senior Production Manger and Lauren Fishkin as our newest Production Manager.

“Both of these Utopians have shown incredible promise and achieved great success, and it has not gone unnoticed. They both continue to be integral parts of our ever-growing event production business, always taking the lead without hesitation and completing projects held to our high standards. Their client relations are essential and they have built everlasting relationships and friendships along the way.

“We look forward to their continued success and see further growth in the near future for these ladies.”

More Utopia news at this link.

Interactive family attractions specialist Innovative Leisure announces the installation of “Europe’s tallest Sky Trail” high ropes course in Paragon Entertainment’s Quest, at Westfield, Merry Hill in the West Midlands.

The four pole, custom-built Sky Trail Explorer course is the latest of many completed by the company during 2012 and has been expertly designed to fit into a very specific space – an atrium at the venue which it now completely fills as it stretches up to a height of 17m. and spreads across 8sq.m. Indeed, a special crane, used on the recently opened Shard building in London, was brought in to assist with the installation, due to the unique nature of the site.

Designed in just six weeks and manufactured in eight, the new attraction is operated under the Quest Family Entertainment and Adventure banner, a relatively new visitor attraction brand which is part of the UK-based Paragon Entertainment Group of companies. Quest also operates a variety of other family orientated attractions in the UK and overseas.

The new high ropes course stretches up over four levels, providing users with the chance to experience a total of 39 challenging elements which increase in difficulty the higher they go – and include the heart-pounding walk the plank feature over a sheer drop! Connected via full body harnesses to Innovative Leisure’s ‘silent puck’ continuous belay system, the attraction offers an exciting, ‘dangerous yet safe’ experience with the height of the top level providing a significant challenge to even the most adventurous.

The attraction is suitable for both children and adults, with a minimum height restriction of 1m for youngsters accompanied by adults or 1.3m if unaccompanied. Maximum capacity is 40 users at any one time.

Commenting on the new course at Quest, Paragon Entertainment’s Tim Rusby said: “The high ropes course provided by Innovative Leisure is a fantastic centrepiece for our first Quest Family Entertainment Centre. Our guests’ response has been amazing. They simply love it. The response from passers-by has been a very simple and unequivocal…WOW!

“Innovative Leisure and the manufacturing team at RCI headquarters have been a joy to work with and incredibly patient as we had to work through many custom designs before arriving at a solution that met the physical, operational and commercial demands of our own development brief. Phil and his team rose to a remarkable technical challenge in fitting a four level system into a high footfall atrium inside a shopping mall.

“Most importantly, safety has been at the fore in all the processes. We had to work closely with mall owners Westfield, local authorities, building control, fire officers and NAFLIC inspectors to deliver best in class design, build, training and operation. Innovative Leisure were exemplary in this, holding our hand at every stage and ensuring we had a final product and guest experience that was second-to-none.”

At Innovative Leisure, MD Phil Pickersgill said: “We are absolutely delighted with the installation of the high ropes course at Merry Hill. It fits into the allocated space exactly and looks fantastic from all angles. It will provide patrons with a genuinely thrilling experience, especially when they are on the top level looking down, and gives the venue a major attraction that I’m sure will become a real talking point among visitors.”

Message from Chance Rides:“The Chance Rides newly expanded booth at the 2012 IAAPA Attractions Expo featured theSunliner II people mover, a diesel engine C.P. Huntington Locomotive (show unit still available), the Freestyle, our newest portable ride, and the R80XL Observation Wheel.

“While at the show new contracts were signed with Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium in Phoenix, AZ for a custom designed family coaster scheduled to deliver in early 2014 and another with Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, KY for a Revolution 20 opening spring 2013. These new orders plus our existing sales will make for a very busy upcoming year at the Chance Rides factory.  Thanks to all of you who came out to visit us at the show. In case you did not get to stop by please take a look at our brand new company video titled The Next 50 Years.”

Boyertown, PA, USA – Gateway Ticketing Systems has officially signed on VTicket as a Value Added Reseller to serve the attraction and amusement markets in Australia and New Zealand. VTicket is a new arm of VLocker, one of the leading providers of locker systems for the entertainment and leisure industries worldwide.
 
Long known for specializing in locker design, manufacture and installation, VLocker is now leveraging its industry knowledge as a distributor of Gateway’s ticketing, access control and revenue generation solutions through VTicket.

With a global client base and sites in Australia, Africa, North America, Europe and Asia, VLocker in Australia is pleased to be appointed as a reseller for Gateway Ticketing Systems. VTicket Director Derek Stoneman said: “Our wide knowledge in the Asia Pacific region of sites and key players in the theme park and attractions industry will provide a great base for promoting Gateway’s Galaxy™ suite of products. We are keen to bring the quality and features that Galaxy offers to more customers in Australia. We believe our extensive sales, technical and IT skills will ensure a great on-going partnership.”

The addition of VTicket is part of Gateway’s efforts to enhance its ability to best serve its customers around the world by expanding the number of Value Added Resellers globally.

Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc. is a world leader in admission control and ticketing software for the attraction, amusement, and transportation industries. Located in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, Gateway Ticketing Systems provides sales, service and support for Point of Sale and ticketing systems throughout North America and worldwide.

The USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Information Sciences Institute (ISI) is collaborating with the Smithsonian American Art Museum to provide more detailed and more easily accessed information about artworks in its collection online than was previously possible.