Show element actuation system and method

Abstract

A ride system includes a ride vehicle and a show element coupled to the ride vehicle, wherein the show element includes an actuator coupled to a prop. The ride system also includes a control system configured to generate one or more show effects for the ride system, instruct the actuator to actuate the prop, wherein actuating the prop causes the prop to move from a hidden configuration to a visible configuration, and coordinate display of the one or more show effects with the prop transitioning to the visible configuration.

1 . A ride system, comprising:
 a ride vehicle;   a show element coupled to the ride vehicle, wherein the show element comprises an actuator coupled to a prop; and   a control system configured to:
 generate one or more show effects for the ride system; 
 instruct the actuator to actuate the prop, wherein actuating the prop causes the prop to move from a hidden configuration to a visible configuration; and 
 coordinate display of the one or more show effects with the prop transitioning to the visible configuration. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ride system of  claim 1 , comprising one or more sensors configured to detect a position of the one or more show effects, a position of the show element, or both, and provide sensor data indicative of the position of the one or more show effects, the position of the show element, or both, to the control system. 
     
     
         3 . The ride system of  claim 2 , wherein the control system is configured to determine the show element is in an expected location. 
     
     
         4 . The ride system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a positional sensor, a contact sensor, a motion sensor, an image sensor, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to coordinate the display of the one or more show effects with the prop transitioning to the visible configuration based on a predetermined program. 
     
     
         6 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the ride vehicle comprises a display, and wherein the control system is configured to generate image data and transmit the image data to the display. 
     
     
         7 . The ride system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the display is configured to display one or more images based on the image data; and   the control system is configured to instruct actuation of the show element via the actuator based at least in part on the one or more images displayed on the display.   
     
     
         8 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is located onboard the ride vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The ride system of  claim 1 , the control system is configured to coordinate the display of the one or more show effects and the prop transitioning to the visible configuration while the ride vehicle is moving, while the ride vehicle is stationary, or both. 
     
     
         10 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to instruct the actuator to actuate the prop from the visible configuration to the hidden configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to actuate the prop up, down, forward, backward, outward, inward, or any combination thereof relative to a viewing area of the ride vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the prop comprises an appendage of an animated figure. 
     
     
         13 . The ride system of  claim 1 , wherein the show element is positioned on a top portion of the ride vehicle, a bottom portion of the ride vehicle, a side portion of the ride vehicle, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium, comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configured to cause the processor to:
 generate a show effect;   instruct an actuator to actuate a prop, wherein actuating the prop causes the prop to move from a hidden configuration to a visible configuration based on the show effect; and   coordinate display of the show effect with the prop transitioning to the visible configuration.   
     
     
         15 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to receive sensor data from one or more sensors. 
     
     
         16 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to instruct the actuator to actuate the prop based on the sensor data. 
     
     
         17 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to transmit image data to a display to cause display of one or more images. 
     
     
         18 . The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to instruct the actuator to actuate the prop in coordination with the display of the one or more images. 
     
     
         19 . A ride system, comprising:
 a ride vehicle, comprising:
 one or more show elements, the one or more show elements comprising one or more actuators coupled to one or more props; and 
 one or more displays; and 
   a control system comprising a processing system and a memory, the memory encoded with instructions configured to be executed by the processor to cause the attraction control system to:
 generate one or more show effects for the ride system, wherein the one or more show effects comprise image data; 
 transmit the image data to the one or more displays to cause display of one or more images; and 
 actuate the one or more props via the one or more actuators in coordination with the display of the one or more images. 
   
     
     
         20 . The ride system of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions are configured to be executed by the processor to cause the control system to coordinate the one or more images with actuation of the one or more props.