Robots + Hi Def Screens = Spectacular Entertainment
On-board the Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's newest ship, experience one of the world's most technologically advanced performance stages anywhere.
This past week Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines held the inaugural media tour for the Quantum of the Seas. While it is not their largest cruise ship (that honor goes to the Oasis of the Seas at a more than 6,000 person capacity) it is their most technologically advanced vessel to date. In fact, Royal Caribbean is calling it their first “SmartShip.” It includes technology to track you and log your preferences, so that when you show up to one of the many restaurants they automatically know your seating preference, what drinks you would like and what your entertainment plans are for the evening so that they can get you out in time.
Everything on the ship is spared no expense in bringing the latest technology to entertainment, including indoor skydiving, a giant crane with a glass bubble on top that takes you more than 300 feet out above the ocean, and a multitude of other offerings.
Chief among these is the spectacular two70 room, that treats its occupants to one of the grandest spectacles anywhere–whether on land or on sea. The 270 degree view of the ocean can be transformed into an incredibly high definition 12K screen backdrop with the flip of a switch, and, more importantly to those of us that love robots, 6 ABB IRB 6620 industrial robots, each adorned with the absolute best high definition monitor money can buy, are mounted to an 18,000 pound gantry in the middle of the room.
These RoboScreens, as they’re called, were invented by ABB Value Provider andyRobot (Andy Flessas) of Robotic Arts based in Las Vegas. Each night (and at various surprise points during the day) the RoboScreens come alive on the Quantum of the Seas, providing a world’s first entertainment experience. They act as performers in a show full of visual spectacle, acrobatics, song and dance. And they do it in a way that makes them non-intrusive and dynamic. Often you forget you are even watching screens on robots, as they become an integral part of the amazingly cool performances. Most of the people that came away from the shows were absolutely blown away by what they just saw.
Given that Royal Caribbean has really only been playing with what’s possible using the RoboScreens for the past two months, the future looks bright for room two70 on board the Quantum of the Seas.
We were lucky enough to be part of the grand opening of the two70 room and its entertainment system. We’ll be producing a mini-documentary in the next few weeks, which you should keep an eye on our YouTube channel for. But for now, check out these tantalizing short videos that we shot live from some of the demo performances last week.