Haunted Smelter: Descent into Madness

Year:
2025

Producing Organization:
Michigan Technological University

Production Manager:
Kent Cyr

Role:
Effects Designer / Pneumatic Systems Designer

Sound Designers:
Caleb Faust, Zach Ballard

Technical Director:
Kent Cyr

This effect was created for the departments yearly collaboration with the Quincy Mine Hoist Association and the Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission with the task of transforming a historical site into a haunted attraction.

As the effects designer my goal was to design an effect that would blast puffs of air at the audience to create ambient creepiness for the rest of the attraction.

Choosing a narrow walkway on the tour through one of the retired engine rooms I had to design the effect within the safety parameters to ensure no accidental injuries.

To achieve these goals the air blasts where all placed at a low enough level to ensure there was no risks of accidental eye injuries.

The system worked by using an IR motion sensor to trigger an Arduino connected to a solenoid driver. When the normally closed motion detector was triggered it stopped sending a signal to the Arduino causing a program to run that was responsible for triggering all 3 air blasts timed for average walking speeds of the audience.

Compressed air was supplied from air tanks that could be used for ~15 walk through without noticeable diminishing in air pressure