Spectrum News 13 in Florida, recently ran a piece about a very interesting patent application filed by Disney which may hint at another out-of-this-world visitor experience heading to the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land that is slated to open in Hollywood Studios in 2019.
The patent is titled “systems and methods for augmenting an appearance of a hilt to simulate a bladed weapon.” and was originally filed back in September of 2017.
The patent included an overlay image that was being used to create the blade portion of the weapon (see above). The overlay proposed would be designed in a way that would give the appearance of a blade being attached at the hilt. It is then indicated that this implementation is designed to create an image seen through an augmented reality headset.
The document states that ” In some implementations, the display may include one or more head-mounted displays and that the technology could be configured for a range of different types of experiences. The document goes on to state that weapons used could be “a broadsword, an axe, or a katana,”
So what does this mean for Star Wars fans? In Spectrum’s piece, they see a correlation between this patent and another patent that Disney published back in 2016 for an “audience interaction projection system.” The description of this patent suggested that under the system guests would be able to deflect laser beams in real time using weapons. The description of the patent goes further in suggesting a Star Wars connection describing the project as creating an entertainment environment where faux lightsabers will interact with drones flying through the air. It goes on to say that the weapons will give visitors the sensation that beams are being deflected.
Readers should also note that Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire opened at Downton Disney in Disneyland and at Disney Springs this past month which may also give visitors a taste of Star Wars things to come. Secrets of the Empire is a first-of-its-kind immersive experience that transports guests deep into the Star Wars universe and allows guests to walk freely and untethered through a multi-sensory experience. Here’s a quick look.
Disney and its collaborators are definitely exploring the ways the technology can be used to provide new state-of-the-art visitor experiences. It will be interesting to see how these patents and experiences like Secrets of the Empire come into play in the year ahead.
For more information about Secrets of the Empire check out this article.
Star Wars fans are encouraged to keep following along with Chip and Co. for the latest in Galaxy’s Edge news and updates.
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