Staking a claim
Taiwan’s renown as a “technology island” suggests that we have almost unlimited potential within the field of digital art.
The Brogent Group’s i-Ride Experience Center, which opened this year at Breeze NanShan, is just one example.
Once the lights dim on the science-fictiony theater, visitors’ seats rise and slowly move towards a giant screen. Riders are then “launched” into the sky as a journey through the air unfolds. They not only see the terrain, but also experience the wind, humidity and even scents of their trip.
The ride tightly integrates software and hardware. Its patented webbed seats possess six degrees of freedom and hold riders comfortably in position without swaying. Its safety belts, originally designed for high-end sports cars, can be fully tightened on the fly. Interestingly, its curved projection screen is made by a company that used to produce steel sculptures. And all of these components were made in Taiwan.
The design of the daring ride required some clever multidisciplinary work. That the company was able to continuously advance its plans, fix problems and resolve issues, while also linking up and coordinating with “hidden champion” manufacturers all over Taiwan, comes down to CEO C.H. Ouyang.
Ouyang is an engineer by training, and cofounded the company as a maker of cellphone software. But when the E-DA theme park decided ten years ago to build a Disney-style flying theater, he ignored the prevailing skepticism about the project and spent heavily on the necessary R&D. That development work ultimately propelled the company to a leading position in the entertainment equipment manufacturing space.
Their products now rival Disney’s flying theaters, and can be found in theme parks around the world. In fact, the company holds a roughly 60% share in its market segment and is viewed as a serious competitor by many well-established European and American entertainment equipment brands.
The company’s rise suggests that there’s no conflict between technology and culture.
Even though he’s been in business for many years, Jay Tseng still gets excited about working with others on new projects.