[Thanks to Evan]
Waterfall swing. How did things work before computerization?Water recirculates through 273 independently controlled solenoid valves at the top of the structure to create a wall of water. This water starts from a collection pool on the ground and is pumped up to a large pipe that feeds the solenoids. Sensors mounted on the swingset gather information about the angle and speed of each swing. That information is sent to a computer that predicts the action of the rider. The computer then creates a hole in the wall of water, allowing the rider to swing through without getting wet.
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10 comments:
How did things work before computerization?
I don't think anyone ever tried to do this before computerization.
What the heck is the point of a waterfall, if you can't FEEL it?! Would be AWESOME on a HOT summer day...if the water rained down on ya!! :-P
This could be done without computerisation.
Regardless of whether this device is controlled by computer or not, with the people on the swings there will be solenoids to control the water, and some way of detecting when the swing has reached it's limit of movement and is about to return. It's that point that is used to time the water cut off.
With a mechanically timed system, you could have a motorised drum with cams that operate switches to turn off the solenoids that control the water. The drum keeps going until it reaches the start position ready to go again. This is very similar to the way that older washing machines work, though with those you turn the drum to the start position that you want.
Another way to do it is to have timer relays that, with an electrical pulse, will hold themselves on for whatever time you wish to set. In this case, the relay holds a switch in the off position. This would be easier for a one off machine, but to do the patterns a series of drums might be easier.
I used to repair, modify, and sometimes design and build from scratch control circuits that used these techniques.
Yeah, the moment I wrote it, I suspected it could be done. :-)
Too bad the video is gone :-(
Roger B., there are a few more variables than that, swinger weight, velocity, acceletation, etc. but agreed, many very complex systems were (and still are!) controlled by electrical-fluid-mechanical control systems. Of course, computers are just a bunch of switches too.
Roger B., there are a few more variables than that, swinger weight, velocity, acceletation, etc. but agreed, many very complex systems were (and still are!) controlled by electrical-fluid-mechanical control systems. Of course, computers are just a bunch of switches too.
P.S., Eolake, your video like no longer works but the ones in the article do.
@ Eolake: "Yeah, the moment I wrote it, I suspected it could be done"
But you just couldn't resist leaving it in! : ]
Anonymous, the rider, seat and chains act as a pendulum, and so there is only a small difference made to the swing time by riders of different weights. The water doesn't get that close and the timing isn't critical.
I've looked at the video again several times and it looks like the water is cut off at the moment the rider changes direction. Some sort of switch that uses inertia would do the trick, and it would probably have been a glass tube filled with mercury in the old days!
I've also noticed that when the riders are stopped by the operators they are held back out of the way of the water, because the system doesn't know where you are, only when you have changed direction.
I found a replacement video, let's see if that lasts.
... If it got advanced, camera sensors and such, you could cut holes in the water sheet which would fit pretty close around the person. (Given no significant lateral movement.)
That is awesome! I notice the heading on the video says Maker Faire. I was at one this weekend. It didn't have the waterfall swing but it did have this pedal powered circus ride:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tiehmei/2475686136/
I enjoyed and recommend the Maker Faire.
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