Projection System Including a 3-D Extendable Projection Surface

A system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing software code, as well as a projection unit controlled by the computing platform, the projection unit including a three-dime…

A system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing software code, as well as a projection unit controlled by the computing platform, the projection unit including a three-dimensional (3-D) extendable projection surface having an extending end and a non-extending end. The hardware processor is configured to execute the software code to receive an activation signal, extend, in response to receiving the activation signal, the extending end of the 3-D extendable projection surface away from the non-extending end, illuminate the 3-D extendable projection surface, and produce a 3-D visual effect on the extended and illuminated 3-D extendable projection surface that is at least one of: (i) synchronized to a predetermined entertainment, (ii) interactively responsive to an action by a person at a venue including the 3-D extendable projection surface, or (iii) responsive to a location of the person within the venue.

BACKGROUND

Entertainment props suitable for use in generating large imposing visual effects in a scene, such as mountains, waterfalls and cyclonic weather phenomena, for example, are typically large static projection surfaces. Introducing such objects into a scene, and removing them after the visual effect they help to produce is no longer desired, can be a cumbersome physical relocation process that may be observable to viewers, thereby undesirably breaking immersion of those viewers in an entertainment experience that includes the visual effect. In other words, although a large static projection surface can satisfy projection needs to create a desired imposing visual effect, the lighting requirements for the scene typically result in the disadvantage that a prop of that scale is visible to viewers prior to the start of the visual effect, is visible to viewers after the visual effect is no longer featured in the scene, or is visible to viewers as it is moved into or out of the scene. Thus, there is a need in the art for a projection solution capable of appearing to generate a visual effect organically, in the midst of a well-lighted scene, as well as to cause that visual effect to disappear from view without breaking immersion of viewers of an entertainment including the visual effect.