Magic Floors: Disney’s Inventor Strikes Again!
Lanny Smoot is famous for making inventions that seem like magic tricks to most people who aren’t experts in engineering. He’s made floating heads, a lightsaber that can expand, retract, and glow, and now, he’s transformed the way floors work.
At 68 years old, Smoot is the top inventor at Walt Disney Co. in Burbank. He works in Imagineering, the part of Disney that creates theme park experiences, where he designs scientific wonders that look like magic to visitors. With over 106 patents in his career, and more to come, Smoot believes that applying science can be just as creative as it is technical.
His new floor, which he worked on for many years, was recently revealed to people at Imagineering’s research and development center in Glendale. Even though it’s not being used in Disney’s theme parks or other places yet, it’s very adaptable, and there are many possibilities for how it could be used.
Imagine a treadmill, but instead of moving against you, it moves with you, turning and twisting according to your body’s movements without any usual boundaries. Disney calls it the HoloTile Floor, and it interacts with you, letting you move in any direction without falling off. One useful application is in virtual reality, where you won’t accidentally bump into things while wearing a headset. However, it’s not just for games; it has many other uses too.
Smoot’s HoloTile
On Smoot’s HoloTile, several people can walk or even dance, making it perfect for creative choreography in a stage show, for example. Smoot mentions that anyone can do a “moonwalk” on the HoloTile. Objects can also be directed to roll in a specific direction chosen by a guest, showing off abilities similar to the magnetic powers seen in the “Star Wars” movies. If you place a chair on the HoloTile, it instantly becomes a ride, as an operator can spin it or move it forward. I imagined how the furniture in “Encanto’s” Casa Madrigal could come to life once guests are seated.
Like many of Smoot’s famous inventions, the HoloTile isn’t just about technology; it’s also about bringing joy. Smoot recently joined the National Inventors Hall of Fame, along with others like Asad Madni, known for safety advancements in cars and used by NASA, and Andrea Goldsmith, a leader in fast wireless communications. Smoot’s induction shows how entertainment can lead to amazing innovations, especially in places like theme parks that bring people together and spark wonder that can make life better.
How Everything Started
“I know many electrical engineers now, and I ask them how they started. They say, ‘Oh, I kept taking things apart,'” says Smoot, sitting in a small office at Disney’s research and development center. Just outside his office, there’s a training pod for robots being developed, where Imagineers have been testing robots that can move like pets.
“I did things a little differently,” Smoot adds. “I figured out how things worked before taking them apart, and I looked for parts inside that I could use to make my own creations. That’s part of being creative. I don’t just want to see someone else’s creation; I want to make my own.”
When it came to the HoloTile, Smoot wanted to bring something from his favorite TV show to life. He talks excitedly about “Star Trek,” which was important to him when he was growing up in Brooklyn. Smoot mentions how Nichelle Nichols’ character Uhura inspired him, especially because she was a Black character doing technical things on the show.
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