From: cleoabram
Walt Disney Imagineering is the department where Disney brings its most imaginative ideas to life, from stunt robots to real-life versions of The Force [00:00:10], [00:00:16]. Walt Disney himself created the Imagineers to “imagine ways to bring the magic of Disney to life” [00:01:20], [00:01:26]. Their core mission is to use technology to improve people’s lives by making them happy and pushing the boundaries of what tech can achieve in unexpected ways [00:00:34], [00:00:40].
Enhancing Interaction and Personality
BDX Droids
The latest BDX units developed by Imagineering are notable for their personality and cuteness [00:02:06]. These droids are not autonomous but are directed by a person using a console [00:02:19], [00:02:28]. While the person tells the droid what to do (e.g., walk, throw a tantrum), the droid’s specific responses come from its training [00:02:56], [00:03:02].
Inspired by ducklings, Disney Imagineers created a series of animations for how the robot should move [00:03:02], [00:03:07]. They then used reinforcement learning in simulations, where digital versions of the robots were rewarded not just for completing tasks but also for how closely they followed the pre-defined animations [00:03:12], [00:03:16], [00:03:37], [00:03:42]. This training allows for many more repetitions than in the physical world and prevents damage [00:03:42], [00:03:46]. The trained data is then uploaded to the physical robots [00:03:50].
The design of these droids represents a cutting edge in robotics focusing on how humans feel about interaction with robots [00:04:04], [00:04:09]. The goal is not for guests to see technology but to “fall in love with a character and feel things” [00:04:36], [00:04:42].
Immersive Storytelling through Props and Environments
Realistic Lightsaber
Lanny Smoot, a renowned Imagineer with over 100 patents, invented the world’s most realistic expandable lightsaber [00:05:10], [00:05:16]. Unlike movie props that rely on post-production visual effects, this lightsaber was designed for Disney Parks to appear real [00:06:05], [00:06:10], [00:06:15].
The lightsaber achieves its effect by unrolling two long translucent tapes from internal motors inside the hilt [00:06:46], [00:06:53], [00:06:59]. These tapes bend into a concave shape to form a rigid blade, adorned with a series of bright LEDs [00:07:04], [00:07:08]. The LEDs are programmed to create a realistic flicker and blink, mimicking the appearance of power [00:07:13], [00:07:19], [00:07:23]. While impressive, this prop is not for battle and is intended for smooth extension and retraction rather than physical contact [00:07:30], [00:07:38].
Holotile
Another invention by Lanny Smoot, the Holotile, is an omnidirectional treadmill [00:09:46], [00:09:55]. The floor is composed of rotating circular tiles, each controlled by two gears: one for overall spin and another for the angle of the head [00:10:05], [00:10:12], [00:10:17]. As a user walks in one direction, the spin of the angled discs pushes them back in the opposite direction, allowing for movement in any direction while remaining in place [00:10:37], [00:10:42].
The Holotile tracks a user’s movement and direction using lidar cameras surrounding the surface [00:11:07], [00:11:12]. One camera identifies foot position on the tiles, and a second camera determines foot direction by identifying the shin bone’s location relative to the foot [00:11:18], [00:11:22], [00:11:27]. The system utilizes multiple lidar angles for comprehensive tracking [00:11:33], [00:11:37]. The Holotile’s primary purpose at present is for fun and experimentation, with potential future applications in parks or film production [00:12:05], [00:12:09], [00:12:13].
Stuntronics
Stuntronics are robot stunt doubles designed to perform dangerous or impossible stunts for human performers [00:12:32], [00:12:38]. For example, the Spider-Man stuntronic at Disneyland performs flips that would be unsafe or impossible for a human, enduring forces of up to 10 G’s [00:12:43], [00:12:49], [00:12:54], [00:12:59]. Their development involved repeatedly flinging a metal stick with motors and actuators, gradually making it more human-like through iterative learning and control refinement [00:13:05], [00:13:11], [00:13:27], [00:13:31]. There is potential for these robots to be used in movies [00:13:39], [00:13:44].
The Purpose of Technology: Emotional Connection
Josh D’Amaro, who oversees Disney Parks, Cruises, and Products, states that the ultimate purpose of all this technology is to “create a connection with our guests” and “make them feel something” [00:14:05], [00:14:11].
Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, concurs, emphasizing that the mission is “continuing the storytelling” and “immersing the audience and the guests in the world” [00:14:47], [00:14:52]. He notes that Imagineering excels at this immersion, and there is a collaborative effort to bring stories from film sets to life in the parks [00:14:52], [00:15:08], [00:15:14], [00:15:19], [00:15:23], [00:15:29].
The underlying philosophy is that Disney’s technology is not primarily designed for utility or convenience but to tell a story and evoke emotion, allowing people to experience joy and “just be a kid” [00:15:48], [00:15:59], [00:16:05], [00:16:12].