TPED Projects is a standing committee led by the TPED Project Chair. This committee is a subgroup of TPED and is responsible for creating and developing projects relevant to themed entertainment. More specifically, we make a collaborative effort to apply knowledge learned in both meetings and classroom to yield a physical deliverable or experience. We strive to work on projects that the entire Projects Team is interested in.

Projects meetings occur separately from general body meetings with a flexible schedule dependent on those currently involved. To be involved, you must be a member of TPED, however members of TPED do not have to participate in Projects.

TPED Projects does welcome collaboration.

If the right opportunity exists, we would love to partner with other organizations, on or off campus!

If you are interested in joining or collaborating with TPED Projects, please email us at drexeltped@gmail.com or talk to one of the Drexel TPED Officers at a general body meeting.

On Campus

Check Out Past Work

VR Bike v2.0

The VR Bike is a portable motion base that acts as a controller for virtual reality video games. Dubbed "Project VROOM", V.R.O.O.M standing for Virtual Reality On Our Machine, this specific iteration was created over the course of 6 months by 20 undergraduate students, spanning 8 different majors.

VR Bike v1.0

In Drexel TPED's first major collaboration on a project, we worked with faculty members and students from various disciplines to create a mobile motion base that acts as a controller to a virtual reality video game! This project challenged us to invent a new attraction while working with the emerging technologies of virtual reality on a limited budget.

Scale Enterprise Ride

HUSS Amusement Rides began manufacturing Enterprise rides in the 1970's.
In 2016, we set out to recreate a scale model of that ride! We wanted to design and fabricate a scale amusement ride that could be built within a small budget. Utilizing specific parts as well as those purchasable from manufacturers, the amusement ride was created.

NoLimits Design Sessions

Companies such as Premier Rides and GCI use NoLimits to design their coasters before they're constructed, and many of the coasters found in parks owned by Six Flags, Cedar Fair, Universal, and Hershey were first designed in this program. To prepare ourselves for the industry, we like to educate ourselves on how roller coasters are designed, and we specifically like to design in NoLimits, as it is one of the many softwares that are used in the industry.

Scholarween HauntedHouse

Haunted houses and attractions are unique in that they are highly-themed experiences (often including animatronics, live performers, and detailed scenic design) that are only active for a small portion of the year. Still, the execution of such attractions requires in-depth engineering and design work. For Halloween 2012, Drexel TPED transformed a hallway of the North Hall dormitory into a haunted house.

Light Interactive Technology (LITe)

Light displays are products found within the Themed Entertainment Industry that have been installed all around the world. However, many of them do not include interactive elements that give the user a unique experience every time. The Light Interactive Technology (LITe) aims to put a new spin on typical light displays.

Read More Here: Light Interactive Tech (LITe)

Animatronic Dragon

Since their invention by Walt Disney Imagineering, animatronics have been a staple in the themed entertainment industry. From attractions like Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room to motion pictures and even museums, these robotic characters are pervasive in today’s entertainment. Drexel TPED decided to embark upon the design and creation of an animatronic dragon!

Drift Car Ride Model

Inspired by the classic ride The Whip, the drift car is a conceptual ride design targeted to replicate the swinging motions experienced on this classic ride. The mechanical design of The Whip limits the motion to only one-direction turns. Drexel TPED saw this as a limitation and set forth to improve upon those mechanical designs by conceptualizing a drift car that allows both left and right turns.

Drexel University TPED

Theme Park Engineering & Design Group