RoboCoaster Ltd is an amusement ride design firm based in Warwickshire, England. Through partnerships with KUKA and Dynamic Attractions, RoboCoaster has installed its namesake products at locations around the world.
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Industry | Entertainment |
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Founded | December 2000 |
Headquarters | , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Gino Daniel De-Gol |
Products | RoboCoaster |
Subsidiaries | Simworx |
Website | robocoaster |
History
editIn December 2000, RoboCoaster Ltd was founded with the goal of integrating robotic technology into the entertainment and leisure industry.[1] In the company's first year of operation, Gino Daniel De-Gol invented the concept of a robotic-arm-based amusement ride.[2] In December 2001, a partnership with German robotic arm manufacturer KUKA saw the patenting and manufacturing of the initial Robocoaster G1 design.[1][2] In 2004, RoboCoaster partnered with AMEC Dynamic Structures (now Dynamic Attractions) to develop the RoboCoaster G2 system, which utilises track-mounted KUKA arms.[3]
RoboCoaster's partnership with KUKA has also seen robotic arms integrated into films, including Die Another Day, The Da Vinci Code, and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.[4]
In 2015, The British Growth Fund invested £4.5M in a company called Simworx, a media based attraction manufacturer, allowing them to acquire RoboCoaster and boost their working capital as well as buying out their previous private equity investor.[5]
Ride systems
edit- RoboCoaster G1 – the original RoboCoaster design, where pairs of riders are attached to a stationary KUKA arm. From 2014, four-seater vehicles from the G2 series will be offered in stationary form for smaller family entertainment centers.[6]
- RoboCoaster G2 – the second generation of robotic product, where four-seater KUKA robotic arms run along a two-dimensional track throughout a show building. The track is designed by Dynamic Attractions.[7]
- RoboCoaster G3 – a conceptual third generation of the technology, where trains of four-seater KUKA robotic arms run along a traditional three-dimensional roller coaster track.[8]
- AGVs – automated guided vehicles for trackless dark rides developed with Dynamic Attractions.[9][10]
- Motion Theatre – a flight simulator where rows of riders are elevated in front of a large dome screen.[11] The attraction is developed with Dynamic Attractions, who has previously developed the ride system for the Soarin' rides at Disney parks.[12][13]
- HSA – high-speed amphibious vehicles developed with Gibbs Sport Amphibians Inc. of the United Kingdom.[14]
Installations
editAs of 2012, over 200 individual RoboCoasters have been installed, including some travelling models.[15]
References
edit- ^ a b "About Us". RoboCoaster Ltd. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
- ^ a b US patent 6776722, Gino Daniel De-Gol, "Ride apparatus", published 17 August 2004, assigned to RoboCoaster Ltd and KUKA
- ^ US patent 6871596, Gino Daniel De-Gol, "Moving means, particularly for amusement parks, fairs and the like", published 29 March 2005, assigned to RoboCoaster Ltd and KUKA
- ^ "Media Projects". RoboCoaster Ltd. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
- ^ "BGF invests £4.5m in Simworx". BGF. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
- ^ "RoboCoaster G1". RoboCoaster Ltd. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
- ^ "G2 Robot Systems". RoboCoaster Ltd. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
- ^ "G3 Robot Systems". RoboCoaster Ltd. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
- ^ "AGV". RoboCoaster Ltd. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ "Dark Rides". Dynamic Attractions. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ "Flying Theatre". RoboCoaster Ltd. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ "Flying Theatre". Dynamic Attractions. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ a b "Dinosaurin' Over China". Park World Magazine. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ "HSA". RoboCoaster Ltd. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ "History". RoboCoaster Ltd. Archived from the original on 31 May 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ "Hub Zero Dubai - The Ultimate Cyber Playground | All You Need To Know". Headout Blog. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
- ^ "Dragon Age: Flight of the Wardens - Hub Zero, Dubai". Simworx. 15 November 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
- ^ "French parks relent on rides". Park World Magazine. 29 March 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ "Wizarding World of Harry Potter". Park World Magazine. 7 July 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ MacDonald, Brady (6 December 2011). "It's official: Harry Potter land to debut at Universal Studios Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
- ^ "Universal Studios Hollywood Makes Unprecedented Investment in Epic Theme Park Transformation" (Press release). NBCUniversal. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ^ "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (Universal Studios Japan)". Parkz. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ Niles, Robert. "Innovative 'Robocoaster' Debuts at Legoland California". Theme Park Insider. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ "Polar Land at Legoland Billund". Park World Magazine. 2 November 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ "Grand Pier opening confirmed". Park World Magazine. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ "The Sum of All Thrills design-your-own-ride opens in Innoventions at Epcot - Video, Photos - Orlando Attractions Magazine". Orlando Attractions Magazine. Retrieved 27 January 2016.