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I used to work at Disney Research. This is a great example of the kinds of problems that get explored there. The constraints are totally different than the norm

I used to work at Disney Research. This is a great example of the kinds of problems that get explored there. The constraints are totally different than the normal consumer-focused engineering you find elsewhere, because the creative conceits are simultaneously a challenge and a get-out-of-jail-free card. The impossible parts of problems could be solved by visual sleight of hand or some artistic trick, leaving you open to explore and solve some really interesting application specific problems with technology. The much, much harder part is making any of this research work robust and compelling enough to actually show in the parks.

rbanffy 3y ago
Disney is something special. For a while, Smalltalk lived there.
madrox 3y ago
I was part of the pipeline at Disney that looked into operationalizing some of the ideas coming out of Research. I agree that I can't think of any place quite like it. It should also be worth noting that Disney Research is not the same as Imagineering. Research works across all kinds of problems and not just those in the parks. I was at Disney for close to a decade, and I don't think I could've gotten a better education in how engineering acts in service of the experience the user is having. Disney is really a master of this. Maybe Apple comes close, but I wouldn't know.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- btown 3y ago
  That must have been an incredible experience! Do you have any projects (that you’re allowed to share) that you’re particularly proud of, or that particularly inspired you from your time there?
101008 3y ago
I'd love to apply to work at Disney Research. Any suggestions or advice?
devjab 3y ago
It’s kind of funny that it gets explored less in real world applications. Like, if that robot was somehow an automated vacuum cleaner, or if someone made a vacuum bot with wall-e “emotions”, I’d buy that over its high-end (and it would probably need to be high-end to justify cost) competition in a heartbeat. Of course the “easier” solution was to put those funky eye stickers that move on ours. (Sorry I’m not sure what they are called, jiggly eyes?) My daughter also painted little hearths on it and gave it a name. Not for any particular reason, just for the heck of it.
- hoseja 3y ago
  I'm sorry but I'd rather a better vacuum, not one that can make kitten eyes at me.
  - rbanffy 3y ago
    Meet Henry and his family. https://www.myhenry.com/machines https://www.myhenry.com/machines
knicholes 3y ago
You don't happen to know how someone could get access to some amazing research, do you? They released Autoconnect, and it blew my mind. I needed it just yesterday, but I couldn't find it. https://la.disneyresearch.com/publication/autoconnect/ https://la.disneyresearch.com/publication/autoconnect/
throwawayqqq11 3y ago
> the kinds of problems that get explored The uncanny valley problem? This intrigues me even more.
tomcam 3y ago
Why did you leave?
- crooked-v 3y ago
  It may not apply in this case, but a lot of people left rather than get moved from California to Florida during Chapek's tenure as CEO.
  - xarope 3y ago
    A friend left when Iger left. I wonder if she'll go back, now that Iger is back on board.
  - mozman 3y ago
    Cost of living is lower, no state income tax. What were the perceived negatives?
    - DonnyV 3y ago
      Florida is a cesspool of deregulation and crazy right wing nut jobs.
      - deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
- sproketboy 3y ago
  [dead]
- dylan604 3y ago
  With some of the nicknames for one of their buildings in Burbank, I could definitely think of some possible reasons. Hopefully, the reasons for the GP are different than my ideas, and they are much less depressing.
  - mkl 3y ago

rbanffy 3y ago

Disney is something special. For a while, Smalltalk lived there.

madrox 3y ago

I was part of the pipeline at Disney that looked into operationalizing some of the ideas coming out of Research. I agree that I can't think of any place quite like it. It should also be worth noting that Disney Research is not the same as Imagineering. Research works across all kinds of problems and not just those in the parks. I was at Disney for close to a decade, and I don't think I could've gotten a better education in how engineering acts in service of the experience the user is having. Disney is really a master of this. Maybe Apple comes close, but I wouldn't know.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
btown 3y ago
That must have been an incredible experience! Do you have any projects (that you’re allowed to share) that you’re particularly proud of, or that particularly inspired you from your time there?

101008 3y ago

I'd love to apply to work at Disney Research. Any suggestions or advice?

devjab 3y ago

It’s kind of funny that it gets explored less in real world applications. Like, if that robot was somehow an automated vacuum cleaner, or if someone made a vacuum bot with wall-e “emotions”, I’d buy that over its high-end (and it would probably need to be high-end to justify cost) competition in a heartbeat. Of course the “easier” solution was to put those funky eye stickers that move on ours. (Sorry I’m not sure what they are called, jiggly eyes?) My daughter also painted little hearths on it and gave it a name. Not for any particular reason, just for the heck of it.

hoseja 3y ago
I'm sorry but I'd rather a better vacuum, not one that can make kitten eyes at me.
- rbanffy 3y ago
  Meet Henry and his family. https://www.myhenry.com/machines https://www.myhenry.com/machines

knicholes 3y ago

You don't happen to know how someone could get access to some amazing research, do you? They released Autoconnect, and it blew my mind. I needed it just yesterday, but I couldn't find it. https://la.disneyresearch.com/publication/autoconnect/ https://la.disneyresearch.com/publication/autoconnect/

throwawayqqq11 3y ago

> the kinds of problems that get explored The uncanny valley problem? This intrigues me even more.

tomcam 3y ago

Why did you leave?

crooked-v 3y ago
It may not apply in this case, but a lot of people left rather than get moved from California to Florida during Chapek's tenure as CEO.
- xarope 3y ago
  A friend left when Iger left. I wonder if she'll go back, now that Iger is back on board.
- mozman 3y ago
  Cost of living is lower, no state income tax. What were the perceived negatives?
  - DonnyV 3y ago
    Florida is a cesspool of deregulation and crazy right wing nut jobs.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
sproketboy 3y ago
[dead]
dylan604 3y ago
With some of the nicknames for one of their buildings in Burbank, I could definitely think of some possible reasons. Hopefully, the reasons for the GP are different than my ideas, and they are much less depressing.
- mkl 3y ago