I Touched Disney’s HoloTile Floor: Inside the Imagineering Lab

[@vsznry]

That HoloTile Walk Pad is a GAME CHANGER for VR/AR gaming & office applications!

[@bradleybell9581]

My first thought too! This should be the last piece of the puzzle right? Every other aspect of VR is ready...

[@joannot6706]

Let me introduce you to patents

[@trer24]

@@bradleybell9581 need to improve FOV (it's getting there) and also a way to simulate touch. Though I believe there are a few companies out there that are working on gloves that can generate electo-stimulation to simulate what an object feels like while you're in VR (you grab a rock, it feels like a rock, etc).

[@domshyra]

but also for the filming shows/flims on "the volume"!

[@cryora]

How does it feel to walk on it though? Usually VR treadmills feel different from real life

[@1KayBilly]

I could see a Haunted Mansion style attraction using the HoloTile where you are told to walk forward through a hallway to the next room, but suddenly it feels like you are not making any progress while the walls in front of you stretch out into an infinite hallway with a mirror illusion.

[@kairi4640]

Lol, sounds creepy.

[@jjrpoektl1925]

what if theres a malfunction and you cant get off? Thats the real scare

[@BryceDriesenga]

@@jjrpoektl1925 *Evil villain browsing KZbin yelling at nearby minions* "Why can't you bring incredible torture ideas like this to me? You're still pushing that old and tired nails in fingertips idea? What do I have to do to get some imagination around here?!"

[@androiduberalles]

​@@jjrpoektl1925jump off of it?

[@somethingonice]

That's a GREAT Idea!

[@karma2023]

Holotile is groundbreaking invention for full vr experience

[@goldenlegend4536]

Too bad disney is greedy and will more than likely keep it for themselves

[@karma2023]

@@goldenlegend4536 Approx. 10-15 years later we create our vr universe on web they have to put it on the market 🙂

[@webgpu]

omg! a pad that was created for vr is groundbreaking for vr ? you don't say...

[@TheOfficialOriginalChad]

@@webgpuit wasn’t created for VR…

[@WolfHeathen]

It's not gonna make VR any more interesting, which is the real problem with VR.

[@bagofgroceries]

Lanny has been working at Disney for only 24 years. Within that time, he invented the process for BB-8 to work, the bluetooth game, and REAL LIGHTSABERS. Dude is only 68, and I have no doubt he is going to top himself.

[@JOEYgrim]

…Hope he doesn’t resort to that 😢

[@JB9000x]

​@JOEYgrim haha you got in there before I could 😅

[@ggvoota]

Wym “top himself?”

[@j__Shaww]

Top himself as in come up and another invention that is better than, or ‘tops’, his last one.

[@webgpu]

"only" 24 years ? what are you? Highlander?

[@TheMaskedGamer]

This lady is cool! I like her presentation style. It's too bad we couldn't see her enjoying this stuff live. That would have been magical.

[@ahoog69]

As often as Disney frustrates me with their theme park pricing and huge crowds, I find these technologies to be incredibly inspiring and magical. It would be nice if the Walt Disney company has a whole could try to reframe their products and experiences to better fit the budget of the average family.

[@Mefistofy]

I doubt Disney cares about that.

[@doomsdayrabbit4398]

The average family makes no difference when "the economy" is just robots placing bets on Wall Street. The average Joe has been suffering since the end of the Bush administration.

[@smileyp4535]

Don't worry, Disney is ruining this stuff too! They are terrible and an evil corporation. We could very easily make and have this stuff accussable to the world but capitalism means not only must it be used for profit only but also in secret, cant have open and globally available technology when you're trying to profit from it instead of helping humanity! ☺️🤪

[@davidhawley1132]

This tech might make budget friendly VR parks possible.

[@NoisqueVoaProduction]

Disney has always been the top notch industry in mixing cutting edge technology with a great feeling of satisfaction. Great for them. I love how innovative Imagineering can be.

[@glintrhmj]

The mouse done did it again this will be a gamer changer for VR and AR

[@smith9808]

Lmao. Like gamers are going to want to run. It will get old real quick that!

[@cryora]

@@smith9808More likely it will alienate the large gamer base who are not in shape, getting outplayed by those who are. But that's a good thing, because games won't just be about how fast you can press a few buttons while sitting on a chair.

[@DJ_POOP_IT_OUT_FEAT_LIL_WiiWii]

game changer yeah, all hail the multiverse

[@sharkins8696]

Disney has a terrible copyright addiction, So any product that's VR related already being made that's even remotely similar is now going to be lawsuited into a grave.

[@DJ_POOP_IT_OUT_FEAT_LIL_WiiWii]

@@sharkins8696 I wouldn't call it so negatively. Maybe you have an addiction to their toys, kid shows and amusement park that is clouding your judgment. Original mickey mouse copyright is ending. See what was done. A bunch of weeboes made violent furry video game out of their mascott. Is it that bad to protect your intellectual property from being defiled?

[@MasTommy21]

I like her authenticity and excitement. 😊

[@jjasper7512]

Surely the holo tile is the ultimate exercise treadmill space saver. The applications for this could be huge, imagine a warehouse moving goods across the floor. Those robots are incredible, surely it's time to get them in the home to assist with day to day jobs!

[@punkdigerati]

Ah, so it's Disney that starts Westworld

[@getoutside2854]

We are learning that they are creepy enough. Story checks out

[@mrandmrsbeetravels]

And they must be responsible for bringing Ready Player One to us.

[@williamelewis464]

@@mrandmrsbeetravels Have you played Disney games? LMFAO nah it will be Microsoft

[@microstreams]

Galaxy's Edge had the codename Delos when it was being built!

[@lukeahead6055]

They were basically doing that till Florida said they could no longer be a no-governed entity within the state.

[@supertalaria]

Please more of this!!

[@TheOneInYellow]

Lanny Smoot is a genius inventor and beautiful human being; his contributions to the world of entertainment and joy are almost unparalleled, and I truly hope he is discussed more, as he is a landmark person and a cultural heritage! Holo Tiles are game changer technology that can be used in a plethora of industries and use cases. As much as I hope they are deployed and succeed in the entertainment industries, at Disney parks/resorts and theater, I hope they also get used for TV and film production too! More so, the benefits to VR at home and at installed venues would be mind blowing, and can further increase immersion. Yet, going much further, I hope to see Holo Tiles used within the health and workout industries, especially for those who are differently abled, have disabilities, and/or suffer health issues such as neurological diseases or age-related issues. To give people powerful new tools to help their health, or be able to move easier, would be close to miraculous to current solutions available. I also think holo tiles would be a brilliant replacement of treadmills, Depending on how the technology can be adapted (if necessary). More Lanny Smoot and Disney Imagineering content please!

[@exquizit_d]

Thats actually pretty cool.

[@peglegkangaroo]

moving walkways that increase your speed no matter what direction you wanna go

[@KoreyThatcher]

Brilliant!

[@capslfern2555]

Yea

[@DivineRedwood]

*This is the first time in a long time Disney has earned the public's attention. Bravo!*

[@raemill4089]

Yeah, AR/VR would be amazing with this! The ability to move safely about means you can move in those environments Apple Vision Pro has. Make them able to be explored a bit. It could also be used for exercise like a treadmill but far more portable and easier to handle. Imagine jogging or walking thru any imagined or real environment with a AR/VR device on.

[@HuntLabByAiscool]

Love the extra detail on the HoloTiles i've been waiting to hear how they work. That's so cool!

[@Scott_C]

Flip the tiles upside down and make a new form of transportation. Put them on my shoes so I can glide across the floor. Could also be used on a warehouse floor.

[@Zebra.Lionfish]

this is already used in recycling plants and most likely in packing too, not sure if this is a 'new invention' but they're just using spinning disks on the floor instead of a conveyer belt

[@pierrotA]

​@@Zebra.LionfishThis is different because conveyors have programmed paterns, but this need to adapt in real time. When you take a step, your foot stay in place and you push yourself forward. If you feel your foot sliding, you lose your balance. Imagine how hard it is to calculate how to move the foot exactly as you push to feel as if your foot never leave the ground... It's very hard.

[@freedomofmotion]

The Holo-tiles would be good in warehouses for picking jobs. You scan a location code on the shelf, put the box down on the tiles it goes to where it needs to go.

[@derapiditoMX]

Can't be the only one appreciating the news caster.

[@digitalstock1]

I don’t know what the obsession with a holotile and VR is- I’m just excited that the home treadmill just got a massive upgrade.

[@e.v.k.3632]

This HoloTiles are a game changer for VR

[@3DJapan]

Sorry to say, MKBHD got to film himself walking on the tiles inside.

[@jordanwhite352]

"Disney invented a way that you could walk forever in the same place." Yeah its called their creative decisions for the past 10 years.

[@cedricatmoore]

Great Video Bridgete Carey! Thanks Cnet!

[@---David---]

While it looks cool, it's probably not a mat or pad that you can just lay down in your home. Every little spinning disk probably needs to have a seperate motor and mechanism under it to control it, making the underlying mechanism huge. So you probably won't be just buying a mat/pad, but the entire elevated stage that you see around it, which is huge and would be hard to get through the doorway of any home. I'm guessing it's probably not meant for homes, but for theme parks.

[@Copperyfoxx]

“Disney invented a way you can walk forever and stay in the same place” is an incredibly dystopian sentence. 😅

[@ronv.6461]

I think they are going to revolutionize the VR experience to be able to walk or run!! Can't wait!!

[@ly2]

This is what running feels like in my dreams

[@blacknoir2404]

Same

[@UberHowie]

Star Trek Holodeck 🥰

[@icegiant1000]

Couldn't you have taken 30 seconds and explained how some round piece of plastic is moving people around? From your short clip, I am assuming that when the circles tilt, they raise up the edge of the spinning disk, putting that edge in contact with your shoe. So you go that direction. Tilt the other way, and now you are going the other direction. Because obviously the issue is if they are flat the would just sand little swirls into your shoes. This is just my guess, since you talked about moving luke around, lidar, holodecks, but not how spinning plastic moves people.

[@Aem2512]

2:42 imagine Freddy and it’s friends in random spot in Disneyland like this. But they belong there. So....

[@strikeforcealpha9343]

Hi I'm Chief Master Sergeant William Candy and I was honored to be selected by CRS in ongoing effort to save American lives, it is now within our power to make Wars safe and that is truly priceless, CIS brings you the face of the future.

[@simonkovacic2585]

Now this is a deal you can't walk away from.

[@kweku1on1]

The Ready Player set is gradually coming to life. We’ve got the AR glasses and the HoloTile. All we’re left with is the suit to feel stuff from the game.

[@Woodkin007]

You dirty bird!

[@smittyvanjagermanjenson182]

They already have those too. It's called a "tesla suit". 10 years until all of this tech is mainstream

[@ricardohnn]

While people thinking about vr... Imagine this for a paraplegic person, moving around the house

[@thegiddyjoy]

But they wouldn't move? They would stay in the same place?

[@FloatingOer]

@@thegiddyjoy He probably was referring to the part where the floor is moving objects around, so if you're paraplegic you could just slide around your house without the need to move yourself. Though this seems unrealistic as it would require the whole house to be covered in these things. AI Robot wheelchair would be more cost effective

[@kairi4640]

I mean obviously holotiles would probably be used for simulation room rides. But I could also see more practical applications, like them being used around the park to possibly aid in walking etc. There's a lot of possible applications. I'm looking forward to the holo decks myself.

[@Hklbrries]

I would LOVE to have holotiles just to be able to easily exercise in my home, especially during the Winter. Wonder if they’ll actually ever be affordable.

[@SumitRana-life314]

Boston Dynamics and Disney is apparently the only 2 places where I am seeing the most interesting developments in Robotics happen. They definitely fill very different niches. One is more practical and dynamic capability oriented in nature while the other is more performative and specific. P.S:- I do know that there other places that are cooking some interesting stuff as well but those places are either keeping it low profile in the hood or I am not interested in what they are doing (Whatever that Chat GPT robot demo was about)

[@Steve56179]

Imagineers are amazing. Their work is so inspiring.

[@sonik3406]

Thanks for sharing your visit. I hope this crazy treadmill will make it to VR consumers.

[@rayjones1455]

This holotile tech would make golf simulators even more immersive. With the current/existing technology, you can hit realistic golf shots into real life courses, which is already deeply immersive. With a small patch of these holotiles, you could walk to your shots and take different looks at your putts on the green.

[@jaybanzia]

Golf doesn't need anymore innovation, it is already a large waste of land, go golf there.

[@FloatingOer]

@@jaybanzia But this would waste practically no land, and it can be used for other things to. If you think golf is wasting a lot of land then surely you wouldn't be against innovation that could reduce that waste?

[@jaybanzia]

@@FloatingOer I would be all for an innovation that reverts golf courses into recreational parks for public use.

[@dechrysen]

0:00 Treadmill

[@cas9564]

Can't wait for this tech to get to the point of being available to everyone, I want actually need to *sprint* and *run* in VR

[@damonhicks5776]

this may be the beginning of an actual holodeck especially with Disney behind it, exciting

[@Thoriumplatypus5263]

That is an incredibly clever omnidirectional treadmill mechanism.

[@Monkiesuncle]

I drive around the Disney Creative Campus and it's satellite buildings often. This was an amazing look into the windows! Thanks!!!

[@IshScout]

And most of this may never be seen by your average guest so I'll only get excited over tech when I know it's actually being place into a spot we can all visit/see/use it. (& not for a super limited time like that droid) In fact one of the major things you talked about (the saber) just got taken away from us because the Starcruiser closed so who knows if we'll ever see that again.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

I'm sure they'll find some way to incorporate the lightsaber into Galaxy's Edge.

[@evelinecarolinelienhuaming1184]

Wow I Like that Cute Small Wall-E Robo!!! 💖😳💝

[@mindstormzhub]

There is no surprise that HoloTile will revolutionize VR experiences and create some truly next-level realism in VR. I can’t wait to see what new rides are invented using this technology!

[@nemonomen3340]

When I first saw this my thoughts were "How does this thing even work? It doesn't look like rotating spheres. I don't understand." But also, "This isn't that big of a deal. The Omnideck look far more practical and it's been worked on for longer so it will undoubtably be the future of VR treadmills." However, the fact that you can move different objects around on the same pad of tiles independently of one another is _insanely_ undersold. It means you could have a room full of physical props that are also represented in the VR space that you can interact with. No need for expensive, semi-realistic haptics! Of course, this is somewhat diminished by the large space and large number of tiles you would need to be resting a large number of props on. But still, very cool.

[@Franklin_Araujo]

Holotile walk pad could be used with that led panel and made more easy adventure with background scenes.

[@Lurkily_Esh]

Definitely a game changer, but still going to require different habits and movements than real motion. One thing a lot of people forget is momentum. If we turn a corner quickly, we lean into the turn to keep our balance, and without the actual motion of going around a corner, this is a counterproductive instinct. Absolutely an evolution in VR/AR technology, but I don't think it'll be possible, in the forseeable future, to get movement indistinguishable from reality. That just requires a full volume to move in, because you can't really fake momentum without pushing and pulling on a person's body.

[@FloatingOer]

It's definitely very cool, but it does look a little like he needs the toilet when walking on it, movement doesn't look very relaxed so far from the clips. Even though momentum relative to the earth would be 0, momentum is relative to the "treadmill" in this case though. If you are sitting on a plane you will have a very high amount of momentum relative to earth but relative to the plane it's 0 (Filming a scene taking place on a plane in a studio would look completely natural even without the plane's "momentum" being present). The real issue I think would be the lack of deceleration from air pressure, as when running normally (even with no wind) your clothes and your body will have to fight against the surrounding air pressure (reason why you slow down when jumping forward). This "treadmill" would look very unnatural as your clothes and body aren't affected by any decelerating force other than gravity. Maybe if they surrounded the actor with fans that could simulate the relative air pressure between speed vs air. Regarding your point on leaning into curves when turning you have a fair point, we lean into corners to counteract the centrifugal force pulling us toward our average momentum. But as momentum is relative to the treadmill making a turn would still cause this effect and still require leaning into curves, though I don't know if this effect would be negated/affected if the disks keep changing their spin direction when you are turning (not to mention the lack of deceleration from air pressure). Lots of precise details to figure out if you want this to look natural.

[@smittyvanjagermanjenson182]

The future of VR gaming is going to be insanely cool! First time hearing that it can handle a sprinting husein bolt and thats excellent news!

[@Willibeolder]

Disney will prob never release these holotiles outside of theme parks. Don’t look forward to buying one for the house.

[@waynelynch1]

Disappointing to hear! What makes you say?

[@Willibeolder]

@@waynelynch1 I would think by keeping it only in the theme parks, this would help push ticket sales.

[@angrygreek1985]

I KNEW IT! I knew those little robots weren't autonomously walking around the park. I had a hunch they were being controlled by people and you just confirmed it. Nothing I'd seen until now really talked about that. I've been following AI model news and tech for a while now and figured there's no way they're good enough yet for those things to be wandering around autonomously and reacting to guests by themselves. I knew it right from the moment nVidia had one of them on stage and Jensen was talking to it like it was autonomous. I just thought "there's no way." Its action of walking may be autonomous, like how Boston Dynamics made Spot to be able to figure out how to walk around without the controlling having to specify how it should walk, not that's really useful, but for its behaviour to be automated...yeah, I just thought "there's no way." So thanks for confirming!

[@petros6013]

They could make some awesome Muppet animatronics with this technology.

[@cheezyfriez12]

A home version of holotiles for vr applications would be incredible!

[@rothn2]

Wow, it's so cool that there are RL agents walking around somewhere! Kind of makes me want to visit Disneyland (not something I've ever said before since I was a kid).

[@懶先生]

Time for player one

[@cryora]

The movie Tomorrowland was a missed opportunity at some serious worldbuilding, but I guess with all the different IPs disney has, it wasn't necessary.

[@Supernerdyhuman]

This was awesome!

[@FreezeStixx]

What if someone makes an entire room of this.. You ain’t leaving that room

[@Nanobits]

I am interested in the holotiles for home use.

[@MakersAcres]

I knew you looked familiar! I wish I would have remembered that you did the LightSaber video as well.

[@travelchoice89]

Wow, stepping into the world of Disney magic! 🏰✨ Those HoloTile floors are straight out of a fairy tale! 🤩👏

[@Grrreeeeeeeeeeeew]

For your supermarket. HoloTiles at your supermarket.

[@OrganicGreens]

I get it now. I didn't realize they tilted before. They can detect pressure and make contact with your foot when they want to by tilting. Can probably detect where your heel is by pressure also to keep the platforms moving you in the correct direction.

[@CouchCit]

"...but how do you get a robot to interact with an unpredictable guest?" Answer: You don't, because it's a friggin baaaad idea.

[@EasyEV]

Disney really does some amazing work IRL

[@Antenox]

I expect this to be implemented in Disney's future live shows and musicals. I doubt guests will ever be allowed to step on these in theme parks. Too many liability issues; all but the slowest, simplest rides have safety restraints for a reason.

[@Eramidas]

I just want to play Skyrim VR on an omnidirectional treadmill, or this, whatever works

[@jeffsmith9384]

Like exactly how BIG is the Holotile setup? is it the whole stage? It is coming out of the floor, it isn't sitting on top of it. I doubt it is just the wheels

[@kotor610]

I would love to see how responsive the holo tile is to a rapid change in direction. A treadmill can go at a ridiculous speech but if you stop there is still a lot of inertia.

[@uuuu260]

I hope they license the holotile to other companies, this would make VR so much more immersive if I can walk in real life to move in game

[@codyeasonBGR]

I wonder if we will get this on film sets

[@milou66]

Disney already shoots shows in THE VOLUME, so I imagine that's exactly why they're developing it.

[@codyeasonBGR]

@@milou66 i have worked on the shows in the volume. Thats why I was wondering if thires any hard talk on it. No one has said for sure at work.

[@milou66]

@@codyeasonBGR Cool! That must be fun! 🙂 One thing they say about the Volume is that it has a tendency to make the actors look like they are bound by an invisible room because of the way they move. Hopefully this might go a ways to fixing that.

[@codyeasonBGR]

@@milou66 its true. It dose look limit some of our camrea language as well. I wonder how this will change that now they are still in a space that the are on the same spot if we get this floor.

[@joelface]

My guess is the holotiles are EXTREMELY expensive right now. Get it down to something affordable and it could be a huge deal for VR. But, I will say as great as it looks, it seems like people DO have to walk differently than real life on it. My guess is that because it has to work to counteract your movements, you can feel it pulling you around, and it probably feels a little bit sloppy when you change directions on the fly. STILL... I'm really excited about omni-directional treadmill tech, and hope this is a sign that we might be making progress in that area... but I bet it's still a long way off from a consumer product.

[@2pedroandrade]

It is impossible to make VR Screens look like real life, and all of our solutions are not good for our eyes. The same contradiction apply to those treadmills, instead, not good for our legs. I think, afterall, we just shouldn't spend hours immersed anyway...

[@Psmitty97]

But let's say you can dedicate a huge room to it. So instead of that small area he was walking around, you could have a 20' x 20' area. Or even 30' x 30'. I'd imagine you could walk more naturally, and it'd still work good, if you had a larger area to work with

[@joelface]

@@Psmitty97 certainly it could make adjustments much more subtly in that case, which seems like it would improve things. Plus i imagine in the future they could probably monitor your movements and recognize when you were about to change directions and counter-act the "pull in the wrong direction" in various ways. I do think there is room for this tech to improve significantly, but at the moment it seems EXTREMELY expensive for something that's just not quite compelling enough for the price point.

[@edgare.decastro7700]

Next Holodeck, love it!!!

[@vaporizel]

every treadmil company : heavy sweating

[@jacksonseyl5255]

I think this would be perfect for a new DisneyQuest style arcade chain.

[@Aerospace_Education]

Would have liked to see someone in a full run on the tiles. Seems like folks were taking small strides. It's a first gen dev kit so pretty awesome they are were they are. But ya, VR with AI driving graphics engines in real life is really going to move this forward.

[@richardburton6182]

Spinning disks! I get it now. That's brilliant.

[@cryora]

Problem is if you want to do a pirouette on a single disc.

[@FloatingOer]

@@cryora Just stand still and let the disk spin you for the pirouette lol

[@jadawson1]

I need to sync the holo tiles to my quest immediately. So first they need to be in my living room. 😂

[@Pennysam]

WOW, Revolutionary, want the holotile floor ❤ when will we see these in the gym!!!

[@jbmiller3280]

These floor tiles should be installed in the cell floors of supermax prisons.

[@elphive42]

Is it weird that I find all these innovations legitimately a bit frustrating? Like, it’s cool that you have a lot of these in experimental stages, but there is so much more use for some of this tech than entertainment - especially with that moving floor technology. The fact it’s stuck in a Disney R&D lab is downright infuriating, because the industrial uses for that could be huge. Also, the fact that the droids are controlled by a Steam Deck is hilarious and amazing. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

[@rmerrida]

Now this HoloTile floor and untethered robots stuff are some cool classic Disney. If Disney would just stick to stuff like this that made them great, entertaining, and fun and stop with the forcing anti-family woke agenda politics down their paying customer's throats then maybe they (especially their movies) would start making money again, and their CEO wouldn't have to fight for his life in the board room.

[@alexrodriguez6373]

2:30 why are you so close to the camera

[@timf5613]

future of prison: just a guy on a holocell in a remote location

[@BaritoneUkeBeast4Life]

I just hope that a consumer level version of the HoloTile can make its way into our homes soon, before I die due to lack of exercise and obesity. I am disabled and overweight with Diabetes and high blood pressure, and have no room in my small apartment for a large treadmill. The HoloTile would be a Godsend and literal lifesaver for me so I could exercise at home, in a small area, without needing an expensive treadmill that requires constant maintenance.

[@jasondaigle9852]

Good to see that the new ride is not going to use projection on the animatronics!

[@benchatfield3529]

My new irrational fear is being being stuck on one of these like if they make them into detainment pads that you can’t outrun

[@ArynWellspring]

We are getting closer to developing the Holodeck

[@250Rem]

That hollow tile they would be really good for accessibility and Disney World and land for wheelchair user and it would need more assessable as well

[@Dimaz42]

I've seen similar tech used in advanced warehouse (probably Amazon?) to sort out packages, but forgot the name 😅

[@devonkev1018]

It will definitely make the parks feel bigger with little investment.

[@sorryitookthisname2]

Wow, Disney should make a frontier Western themed park with these… they could call it something like “West World”

[@waynelynch1]

Do the holotiles make noise/clanky as you step on them, or is the machinery driving them noisy?

[@bradleybrietzke5944]

The interactive robots while cute there is a Simpsons episode where those bots go evil.

[@mogdor]

Yeah... there's one or two movies where robots go evil too.