Abstract
My technical project presents the design and construction of Yesteryear, a scale-model theme park attraction developed for the Ride Engineering Competition (REC). This comprehensive effort aims to satisfy strict operational requirements, such as maintaining a throughput between 32 and 64 riders per minute over a 6-hour period, while delivering a thrilling experience to small candy riders, including a lift of 300 mm and absolute acceleration forces of at least 2Gs. The project applies systems engineering principles, integrating risk assessment with ASTM F2291-25b compliance. Finally, the ride must fit within both an operational envelope during the competition and pack down to a portable envelope.
The attraction features a steampunk-themed, three degree-of-freedom (DOF) robotic arm that supports 16 riders via a dual-linkage system, elevating them above the required height threshold. Absolute-encoder Dynamixel servomotors provide closed-loop position control and torque output for each DOF, with integrated temperature monitoring for system safety. A turntable-assisted yaw axis, combined with two pitch-controlled PLA linkages, produces a dynamic oscillatory ride motion.
The ride integrates many subsystems, including a 12V uninterruptible power supply transmitted through a slip ring on a keyed shaft, controls via an Arduino Open-RB 150 microcontroller, and a Xiao-ESP32-S3 microcontroller controlling a series of 64 WS2812B LEDs which provide both thematic elements and visual ride status indication for an operator. A redundant safety system employs PWM-actuated solenoids to engage mechanical emergency stops in the event of motor failure or power loss, alongside operator controls for a start, emergency stop, reset, power, and ride operation mode selection.
The final system meets or exceeds all REC requirements and incorporates comprehensive hazard mitigation, factory and site acceptance testing, and ASTM F24 compliance protocols. This project demonstrates a complete, industry-relevant approach to the design, validation, and deployment of modern theme park attractions.
My STS paper explores the transition of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from military instruments to vibrant tools of global entertainment. As the scale of drone light shows increases, reaching record-breaking displays of nearly 12,000 UAVs, the technology represents a paradigm shift in the role of drones within cultural tourism and commercial sectors. I investigate how drone show systems redistribute agency between human designers and non-human actors, and how accidents reveal the sociotechnical negotiations that stabilize these complex performances.
Adopting Actor-Network Theory (ANT), I examine how a heterogeneous network comprising choreographers, specialized Drone Show Software (DSS), high-precision positioning hardware, and regulatory frameworks like the FAA. My study utilizes the concept of "machine vision" to argue that drones possess a degree of visual agency, as they must process dynamic environmental inputs to maintain their relative positioning within a 3D array. Furthermore, my paper analyzes the role of "spaxels" (space pixels), where technical "scripts" dictated by choreography software predefine actor roles and often supersede human intuition in favor of automated safety protocols.
A critical case study of the 2024 Lake Eola accident demonstrates how technical failures, like misaligned geofencing and rejected launch data, can destabilize the network and erode the "hermeneutics of trust" that audiences place in coordinated machine motion. The analysis reveals that in these moments of "treason," the black box of technology is reopened, forcing a renegotiation of safety standards and regulatory authority. My paper concludes that agency is increasingly delegated to non-human mediators, such as anti-collision algorithms, which act as the paramount decision-makers during performances. Finally, it suggests that the future of the industry depends on maintaining this "fragile synthesis" through organizations like the Drone Light Show Alliance (DLSA), which seek to re-stabilize the network by establishing new, tier-based safety standards.
Through both my technical project and STS thesis, I deep-dive into the world of the attractions industry, investigating the balance between thrilling audiences and maintaining rigorous safety standards as the industry pushes the envelope of what is technologically possible. By developing a scale-model of a novel theme park ride, my team and I managed engineering design and creativity with safety standards verification, creating a ride and ride profile which manages many theoretical actors in the industry, from the engineers to the operators and riders visiting a theme park. My STS paper, then, serves as a case study of another area of the themed entertainment industry where a new technology, drones, are changing the balance of agency between these actors. I would like to thank my technical advisor, Dr. Gavin Garner, for his assistance and knowledge in developing our mechatronic ride. I would also like to thank my STS advisor, Prof. Joshua Earle, for his consistent feedback and support throughout the development of my paper. Finally, I would like to thank my technical capstone team for their tireless hours working to accomplish this project and bring it to competition.
