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AV Stumpfl designs, makes and markets a spread of high-performance cell and set up projection screens, in addition to multi-display and present management methods for skilled and enterprise functions. The award-winning, Austrian family business is continually creating new options to satisfy the calls for of its purchasers in themed leisure, stay reveals and AV installations worldwide.
One of those options is PIXERA, a multi-award-winning 64-bit media server system for skilled real-time media processing, compositing and administration, constructed with usability in thoughts. Users can seamlessly transfer from being a novice to a specialist by regularly discovering PIXERA’s full vary of options and choices.
As the agency prepares to launch PIXERA 2.0, we converse to Helmut Protte, AV Stumpfl’s world enterprise growth supervisor, in regards to the new launch’s capabilities and improved options, and the way the server system acts as a one-stop store to energy the themed leisure experiences of the longer term.
The benefits of being a family-run enterprise
AV Stumpfl was based over 45 years in the past, initially for the manufacture of screens. 20 years later, the corporate additionally began making present management components and has since turn into a pacesetter on this market.
“We are a family-owned company based in Austria which has now been taken on by the next generation,” says Protte. “That makes us unique in this world. We have a flexible, small structure, and we can make fast decisions and react quickly to trends.
“All our software and hardware development happen in-house. So, when it comes to new trends, new developments, and new requests from customers, our developers can quickly test new features to follow up on these demands.”
Changing visitor expectations
When it involves how present management within the themed leisure trade has developed during the last 20 years, Protte says that these modifications have come about due to altering calls for from each the audiences and the operators.
“If we look at the way the audience has changed, younger visitors expect much more technology. This generation is demanding more interactivity and more gamification. They want things to be integrated and immersive, they want more action. That trend is only going to grow. Today’s kids are growing up with all this cutting-edge technology in their own private lives.”
“People used to be happy with rides where there was the same experience each time. But I think we will see more personalisation, more realistic, immersive experiences going forward.
“Of course, there is a discussion around when the technology stops and the storytelling starts. Storytelling is the most important part of the experience. If you have a bad story or bad content, the technology can’t hide that. So, the creative people who design all these experiences are still key.”
Simplifying operations with PIXERA
Moving on to have a look at how the operators’ calls for have developed, Protte says that, in some methods, this has gone in the wrong way, necessitating one thing of a balancing act. With the technology used to create experiences getting an increasing number of complicated, what operators need is a less complicated solution to management all the things.
“The shows get so complex, with multimedia, audio, sensory elements, automation, lighting, etc. What operators are requesting from us is easy access to these complex installations, and the ability to collaborate between different technologies. That means we, as a manufacturer, must be open to other manufacturers in how we collaborate faster on the technology side, to create easier connections between different technology devices.
“While it is experts who build the shows, we need to nail it down to operate it simply with a one-touch button. This is what the end client wants for daily operations. So, we have this high-end technology, but we need this one solution to operate it. The user interface must be accessible for the day-to-day technicians and the ride operators.”
Trends to observe
Speaking about present know-how tendencies within the themed leisure trade, Protte identifies generative AI as a key space to observe.
“We’re seeing everything is more interactive, so the content is constantly changing, and the storytelling has to be very flexible. Influenced by video gaming, we’re seeing more real-time content generation coming into the themed entertainment industry, integrated with existing effects like audio, lights, sensors, movement, automation, robotics, etc.”
“Because of this need for more real-time, more speed, and more flexibility, it is also more complicated in terms of show control, for the experience to react and change in real-time based on the guests’ movement or feedback. But it gives a more realistic and immersive feel.
“This generative real-time content also opens the door to gamification, which is another huge trend.
“There are also still discussions around how the metaverse and like real world are going to merge. How do we get a metaverse experience in a real theme park environment? I think this is where we will see how far AI and robotics are going to evolve. I would say that we will see more robotics going into theme parks, and more animatronic elements on a much higher level. And that generative AI content will drive more interaction between robotics and humans.”
Whatever the tendencies are, the AV Stumpfl staff is poised to satisfy them, he provides.
PIXERA
AV Stumplf’s key product is PIXERA. As the agency prepares to launch the newest iteration, PIXERA 2.0, Protte explains PIXERA’s capabilities:
“PIXERA is a real-time video compositing system. It allows you to move any pixel, anywhere in the world, in 3D space, up to any kind of size and up to high-end resolutions. And then the show control is an extra part where we bring show control and video and audio demands together in real-time.”
“We think of our show control capabilities as a Swiss Army knife. The show control system gives you any kind of external or internal commands, it brings everything together and allows you to do different commands from one sole point of control.
“As we spoke about before, operators demand an easy, customisable, global usage system. We have a one-stop solution, a base where we can give any show control capabilities to our global community, from simple show control to high-end complex productions.”
Meeting operators’ wants
PIXERA can assist a variety of functions, from small creations to massive complicated present controls.
“We have show control possibilities for any system, anything from a little door sensor up to multi-genre, immersive rides. For example, let’s say in a theme park ride you have the pre-show, where you need some interactivity and you need show control to do things like open doors, and then you have an immersive dark ride that also needs show control. Our system as a one-stop solution allows you to control the rides, the shows, the rollercoasters – whatever is needed in your theme park.”
It’s a de-centralised system:
“This means that when you have show control here for the queuing lines or here for the rollercoaster, you can match them all together and give commands ABC back and forth.
“Our show control, combined with all the other multimedia applications we provide with PIXERA in this setup, has a full backup system possibility. So, operators have security for constant playback and constant operation.
“We also have different user management applications. For instance, the local dark ride technician can only access the show control for that ride. While the head control system has different access levels, the ride operator who starts the show just has to push one button.”
PIXERA can be an open API platform:
“This means that our Application Programming Interface is open, we allow third-party solutions to communicate with PIXERA. It always allows you to drag and drop modules in the show control and combine with other systems.”
PIXERA in motion
Giving some examples of how PIXERA can profit themed leisure functions, Protte says:
“PIXERA can be used for immersive visuals, for ride control, for queue lines, for ride visuals, and more. The reception from the clients is that we are easily accessible. That is one of our core benefits, that we are a master control one-stop solution. Our customers choose PIXERA for applications in dark rides, immersive experiences, museum installations, and really anything to do with themed, location-based entertainment.
“As the complexity of technology in this sector is growing so much, we try to help the operator to make sense of it and to be able to solve problems. We have some new installations, for example, one in a new museum and experience centre for a corporate manufacturer, they chose PIXERA as a main core show control and video player for the whole experience centre because exactly of this point.”
The collaborative know-how integration with third-party applied sciences can be a key motive why operators select PIXERA:
“One example is the ISAAC platform, which is a customer management system created by Smart Monkeys. This is also directly accessible through our third-party system integration.
“We give our customers a one-stop solution where they can access the modules they need and then from the programming and operating side they benefit from the easy handling of PIXERA. With the API freedom in our system, we allow our customers to fully compose and control their content and put it into our system.
“Also, that open flexibility allows us to move with any trend in the future. Whatever comes, we will be prepared.”
PIXERA 2.0
PIXERA 2.0 will probably be launched in This fall. One of the important thing new options is that it’s going to permit for a number of customers, as Protte explains:
“PIXERA 2.0 will allow several technical people to work on one project, programming on different sections. So, if you have a very complex system where one person cannot program everything, this will allow somebody to work on one show control while someone else does the video compositing, and another person works on the programming of the video mapping, for instance. The multi-user service allows you all individually to work fast on one project and then merge it easily together.”
The multi-user operate can be appropriate with PIXERA’s automated back-up:
“We have a high demand for automatic back-ups, so we also have an automatic back-up scenario for this multi-user element. It checks internally which systems are running. If one has a problem or if a system fails, the other one automatically takes over. When you’re working with live experiences, there is a high demand for this capability.
“PIXERA 2.0 also has more flexible content management and content mapping. When working with projection mapping and some immersive rooms, it can work with a surface of any size and any 3D mapping.
“It’s more flexible, faster and more helpful.”
Real-time content material creation
Essentially, PIXERA 2.0 was developed by listening to actual person calls for
“Whenever our users said, ‘It would be nice to have ABC’, we listened to them, and this is the result. When it comes to combining complex shows we implemented also dry client programming. That means I can sit at home and program my whole system virtually at my desk. Let’s say I have a visual project. I can program it in PIXERA so that I can pre-program a lot of shows in virtual pre-production.
“Another interesting aspect is that we are working with real-time content creation like Unreal Engine, the video game engine; we have a direct integration built-in with our plugin, so our customers will be able to generate the new Unreal 5.2 content in and run it over PIXERA 2.0.”
The themed leisure experiences of the longer term
Looking forward, Protte says we’ll see extra of this open, third-party integration powering the themed leisure experiences of the longer term.
“That third-party integration allows for faster combination and easier collaboration between different products. There is a real demand for generating real-time content coming from game engines like Unreal or effects engines like Notch, combining systems to give the audience more experiences.”
“Our goal is to have one unique platform that allows users to interact with several technologies. That means they are prepared to follow up the new trends, whatever comes next. Right now, everybody’s talking about AI, Unreal Engine, and video gamification. But we don’t know what’s next, we don’t know what will be happening in three years. That is why we created a very open platform, to be prepared for what’s next.
“We are also working to expand our global sales network. We partner with technology experts, like Electrosonic, Kraftwerk or Smart Monkeys for example, who are trained global partners in integration for theme park applications.”
What’s subsequent for AV Stumpfl?
The staff will probably be attending IAAPA Expo Europe from 25 – 28 September 2023. This yr, the occasion will probably be on AV Stumpfl’s doorstep in Vienna, Austria:
“We will be supporting our partners at IAAPA Expo in Vienna. So, our products will be in use at a number of booths, helping to deliver their vision. We will have a team of four attending the show, and we are also supporting the TEA member’s mixer.
“Looking ahead, we are going to open an office on the West Coast in Los Angeles, to be closer also to the theme park industry on the West Coast, in addition to our US headquarters in Atlanta.
“Our programmers are always busy creating, in response to new demands, so there will be plenty of new developments on the horizon too.”
To organize a gathering with the AV Stumpfl staff at IAAPA Expo Europe, you’ll be able to e-mail Helmut Protte here.
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