Momentum

Dates

Fall 2014

Built With

Sirisha Varigonda, Matt Brueckmann

Mission

Disney Imaginations 2015 Competition Prompt: Take what Disney does best today — from its world-class theme parks, resorts, cruise ships, and other entertainment venues that are globally highly popular with families — and apply it to transportation within a major city. The team’s Disney transportation experience should include station/stops and vehicle designs that reflect the diversity of the city, and are accessible, energy-friendly, and fun.

My Role

I put together all the pieces into our final presentation that we turned in to the competition. I also created the route map, the augmented reality example, and the schematic.

Technologies

Adobe Illustrator, Solidworks, Colored Pencils, Imagination

Summary

Momentum is the transportation of the future. Self-driven and powered solely by electricity, it provides a space and time efficient method of transportation for locals and visitors, reflecting the innovative and rich culture of San Francisco.

Extending at least two lanes, Momentum allows cars and buses to pass underneath its structure. The sides have built-in sensors and can alert cars if the distance between the two vehicles becomes too small.

Its innovative use of augmented reality offers guests a 100% immersive journey, guided by a customizable virtual friend. Music, props, and colors are specifically integrated into the designs of the bus and the bus platforms in order to fully immerse guests into the Momentum experience. Not forgetting the culture of the city, the music in the bus changes accordingly with the bus’s location.

This journey, shared by all guests, is intended to simulate a dark-ride/theme park ride environment. This is a tribute to the unique Disney experience found at the parks, cruise ships, and in the movies. With every stroke of detail, we strive to make the experience more interactive, all the while staying genuine and recognizing the history and culture of San Francisco. This unique perspective into the world of SF is one-of-a-kind.

Story behind the design

Creative, musical, fun, magical, emotional, communal. These words came to mind when we first started our “blue sky speculation” in conceiving our design. We knew we wanted to target a high-tech city as the backdrop to the colors, shapes, and stories of our design.

This immersive experience had to engage many people, as cultivating a shared experience was a high priority. In profiling San Francisco as our city, we knew that our design had to be eco-friendly and save space on the congested roads. Because of SF’s presence as a high-profile transit city, we identified the issues facing existing systems (BART, MUNI, cable cars).

We then looked abroad for inspiration, and came across the “straddling bus” design that had made rounds in China a few years ago. Self-driving and running solely on electricity, our innovative bus would soar above passing cars, gathering momentum and offering a unique method and perspective in traveling from point A to point B, all the while showcasing the amazing technology of augmented reality and demonstrating the diversity, vivacity and adaptability for new and improving technologies in San Francisco. Above all, it would be an accessible and engaging journey for people of all ages.

Guest experience

Our design’s purpose is to transport guests into a world above reality, without losing touch of the surrounding environment. Each stop fits the culture of a specific area in SF, whether it’s Chinatown or Fisherman’s Wharf.

Guests access the platform via stairs in the back. Each step is a piano key, and walking up to the platform creates a harmonious chord progression through built-in sensors. A compact freight elevator allows convenient access to people with disabilities.

Upon stepping into the bus, guests will be treated to light instrumental music that changes to fit the outside environment. An interactive screen sits in the center of the floor. When tapped with feet, it displays maps, events, and dining options.

Inside schematic

Inside artistic rendering

The augmented reality aspect of the panoramic windows creates a unique connection between SF and the guests. Simply,

1. Sign in to view your avatar by scanning your handprint on the window.

2. Choose a “friend” from a selection of Disney characters and share it amongst other guests.

3. This avatar moves along the windows, pointing out landmarks while guests take snapshots of it en route.

4. Returning to Momentum allows guests to see where the commonly shared avatar traveled while they were away.

Our immersive experience ensures that guests have the optimal traveling experience, one to be shared amongst many.