Immersion and suspension of disbelief are essential in the attractions industry. This deep engagement transforms a theme park, museum, or concert visit into an unforgettable experience. From the moment guests step into a venue, they are drawn into a story, losing themselves in environments crafted around them, enhanced by a combination of visual, tactile, and auditory technologies.
With Powersoft’s new DC Rider product launch, the Italian amplifier specialist showcases how audio and haptic technology advancements can transform venues to create deep immersion. Powersoft’s business development manager, Thomas Howie, and Tom Bland, solutions engineer, speak with blooloop about the pivotal role of technology in attractions and how this new onboard multi-channel amplifier will enhance future immersive experiences.
Suspending disbelief
Immersion has moved beyond a trend to become an essential component of the attractions industry. Howie says: “We’re striving for suspension of disbelief, which is key to the immersive nature of these projects and experiences. More and more people are expecting this type of approach: something more fulfilling, exciting, engaging, and immersive.”
Suspension of disbelief refers to a psychological concept where audiences willingly put aside scepticism or doubt to fully engage with a fictional narrative, embracing its premises and internal logic, regardless of how fantastical or unlikely they might be. This concept is vital in storytelling, particularly in entertainment forms like films, books, video games, and theme park attractions, as these aim to transport audiences into an alternate world or reality.
Today’s audience is accustomed to entertainment that combines sensory elements and carefully designed environments to encourage them to leave reality at the door and truly step into another world.
Immersive experiences also extend beyond theme parks and cinema. The trend has permeated other sectors, such as live events, sports arenas, and museums, where the lines are blurred between different forms of entertainment. “We’re seeing this in the sports world, in museum spaces, of course, as well as themed entertainment,” says Howie. “So, I think collectively, the new innovative technology driving this capability is raising the bar for more immersive experiences.”
This growing demand for deeply engaging experiences challenges operators and creators to stay ahead of the curve, leading them to adopt the latest tech innovations. Exploring how Powersoft’s solutions help create more memorable experiences, Bland says:
“We’ve got an exciting world going on in immersive tech at Powersoft – we’re interested in making things move, so products like our Mover and our haptic integration really help with this immersion when it comes to telling a story.”
Powersoft enables immersive audio for today’s attractions
Immersive sound and onboard audio are becoming more prominent in rides.
“I’m seeing more onboard audio in dark rides and coasters than ever before, and it’s driven by guest expectations,” says Bland. “It’s all about trying to ensure they’re in that story right away, from the pre-show to the exit.” The integration of audio directly on ride vehicles allows attractions to create a more continuous and immersive soundscape that follows the guests, amplifying the storytelling and minimising noise pollution.
For Bland, this approach also addresses several technical and operational challenges. He explains that ride vehicles with onboard audio eliminate unwanted sound leaks between ride scenes, where guests may overhear audio cues from an upcoming scene:
“You’ve got this vehicle going around this cavernous space, and if you want that space to sound good, you’ve got to put loads of acoustic material in there, and you’ve got to put high-quality loudspeakers… Then, as soon as you do that, you end up in a problem whereby the next scene behind you can hear the scene coming up, giving away the story. So, you get this bleed between scenes, meaning you have to space the ride vehicles apart, so they don’t get spoilers, which then really disrupts your flow.”
The answer to this problem is onboard audio, with speakers close to guests’ ears, which reduces the volume needed for impactful sound. “Every time we halve the distance between the loudspeaker and the listener, we can then turn that loudspeaker down by six dB. Put them right next to the ears of the guests, and you can turn them down a long way.”
This precision minimises sound leakage and enhances throughput by allowing vehicles to move closer together, reducing queue times—a win-win for operators and visitors alike.
DC Rider: Powersoft’s new secret weapon for immersive audio
As Powersoft’s latest product, the DC Rider answers the call for versatile, high-quality onboard audio. This new onboard multi-channel amplifier can help create a seamless, immersive experience that operates reliably in high-stakes environments like theme parks, where failures are not an option.
Describing DC Rider’s potential, Bland says: “This is going to be a new secret weapon for attraction designers. It’s super small but also packs a punch with many channels. As technology has come on, it’s now possible to shrink down the size of the components needed to make great on-board audio happen.”
The compact size of DC Rider, weighing in at just over a kilogram, and its robust construction make it adaptable for both new and retrofitted attractions.
Bland highlights how the device is built for the demanding environments typical of ride vehicles: “It’s all been designed for proper vibration, high heat and high humidity. I was looking at some of the heat specs today and thinking, ‘Yeah, even in the sunshine in California, we’re not going to have a problem.’” He emphasises that DC Rider is no ordinary amplifier: “This is a proper automotive bit of kit that will stand the test of time.”
Not only does the DC Rider accommodate the physical demands of attractions, but it also provides audio engineers with the flexibility needed to achieve complex soundscapes. “It’s got onboard DSP, so you’ve got limiters, and you’ve got EQ, and you can do programming,” says Bland. “You get power-sharing too, so you have enough power available.” This power-sharing feature is essential for running various speaker types, from standard loudspeakers to haptic devices, off a single amplifier.
Cutting-edge tech for a seamless experience
DC Rider also incorporates Powersoft’s signature energy-saving technology, which reduces the strain on power sources such as batteries or supercapacitors. “We’re not trying to run crazy amounts of current over huge spikes through the systems,” Bland says. “We’ve got technology that sorts that out for us.” Maximising energy efficiency, the DC Rider ensures reliable, long-lasting performance—a necessity in theme parks, where maintenance windows can be limited, and downtime is costly.
Howie elaborates on the target audience for DC Rider, explaining how Powersoft has developed the product with the entire attractions ecosystem in mind. “It’s targeted for the industry and all the players involved, from the ride manufacturers to the theme park operators,” he says. “When it comes to ride innovation, the industry has raised the bar, and everyone wants to be more immersive and efficient. We’ve checked all the boxes, so we can cater to and position it for the theme parks, ride manufacturers, and consultants.”
“If we make the best amplifier in the world that does the most awesome immersive things, but you can’t put it inside a ride vehicle, nobody will buy it,” adds Bland. “So, it’s essential to consider what ride manufacturers care about. You know, they care about heat, they care about size, they care about weight. The DC Rider is super light and small.”
See also: Powersoft: moving with the music at Our House
Flexibility and adaptability with Powersoft’s DC Rider
One of the standout features of Powersoft’s DC Rider is its versatility and ease of integration into existing systems. Bland discusses the importance of providing a flexible tool that can fit seamlessly into various configurations:
“We knew we also needed to create something that works for the engineers that are implementing it. For example, there’s no point having just one way of interfacing with it,” he says. “It’s got two network connections on the back, so you can either daisy chain things or separate your control and audio data signals into the two different ports.” This adaptability means the DC Rider can serve the diverse needs of various venues, enabling designers to create cohesive, immersive soundscapes with minimal technical limitations.
In addition to providing a robust, high-quality audio experience, the DC Rider allows for nuanced sound control, making it ideal for dark rides where precise timing is essential to creating a compelling narrative. According to Bland, “You can drive tiny haptic devices that can just do a little buzz on the back of your shoulder, that sort of stuff, all from the same amplifier.” The ability to run multiple speaker types from a single unit enhances the sensory depth of attractions, ensuring that every detail aligns with the story.
Enhanced audio, cohesive storytelling
Integrating DC Rider into the attractions industry signals a new era for onboard audio and, ultimately, for immersive experiences. However, in today’s competitive landscape, technology has to be as invisible as it is impactful. For example, as Bland says: “For attraction designers, you put all this hard work into it, but if you see a projection blend… it spoils the experience. You don’t want to be able to see the technology; you want to be lost in that world.”
The DC Rider’s unobtrusive size and flexible installation options mean that guests will only notice the enhancement to their experience, not the hardware behind it.
This technological leap aligns perfectly with Powersoft’s immersive vision for the attractions industry. The company is committed to working with ride manufacturers, theme parks, and consultants to raise the standard across the industry, delivering reliable, immersive technology that enhances guest experiences without interfering with them.
Powersoft has designed the DC Rider—powerful yet compact, innovative yet easy to integrate— to meet the demands of the modern attractions industry and inspire future creations.
See also: The power of haptics: enhancing the Illuminarium experience
Powersoft’s DC Rider and the future of immersive experiences
As immersive attractions evolve, so does the technology that supports them. Powersoft’s DC Rider is more than just an amplifier; it’s a leap forward in the capabilities of onboard audio systems and an essential tool for industry professionals seeking to push the boundaries of guest engagement. Howie sees the industry as “moving towards creating this total immersive world where you can lose yourself,” and Powersoft is at the forefront, enabling experiences that once seemed out of reach.
From its durability in harsh conditions to its flexible design, the DC Rider reflects Powersoft’s commitment to quality and innovation. It empowers creators to design attractions that resonate more deeply with their audiences and bring stories to life in unprecedented ways.
Attendees at IAAPA Expo 2024 can meet Thomas Howie to learn more about DC Rider and discover how Powersoft’s solutions can elevate their experiences.
The post Redefining audio for immersive attractions with Powersoft’s DC Rider appeared first on Blooloop.