Technology Development

Hitachi Interactive Simulator Ride Project

In 1998 Hitachi hired Doug Trumbull's Entertainment Design Workshop to create, from scratch, the next generation in motion simulator rides. Eric acted as Project Supervisor for the invention, industrial design and development of the ride system, overseeing a 25+ person crew (both Japanese and Amercian) as well as multiple vendors. The capsule seats six "players" each of whom have a Man Machine Interface (an ergonomic trackball unit invented for the system with a button on either side) which allows players to interact with the real time 3D environment projected via 3-5 LCD projectors seamlessly blended into an immersive 120 degree field of view. The technology uses Hitachi's 4DOF electromechanical motion base, 8 surround sound speakers, low frequency transducers, excellently designed interior lighting, and multiple computers running a real time simulation engine. Eric shares in the patent with Doug Trumbull and several other key people in the project.