Swedish tech company INNTQ is proud to announce ROCO, the world’s first interactive roller coaster experience. Designed to bring the thrill of the amusement park to shopping centers and transit hubs, ROCO is more than just a crowd-pleasing simulation.
“ROCO is unique in two major ways, says Petter Hegnelius, Co-Founder & CEO of INNTQ. “Its interactive component allows for a distinctive experience so no two rides are ever the same, while its supporting business model generates a creative source of passive income for those who control wherever it’s located.”
While a physical roller coaster requires a vast amount of space and leaves people knowing exactly what to expect after their first ride, ROCO packs an immersive adventure in a 43 square foot space that’s totally different each time whether it’s a person’s second, third, or fifteenth ride.
Up to two riders can sit in the ROCO machine’s side-by-side seats and, after paying to activate, use a touchscreen to draw the routes and shapes of their roller-coaster track. ROCO compiles the user-created tracks with randomized heights and loops, which riders then experience through the machine’s 75-inch ultra high-definition screen, convincing motion system, and enveloping sound and wind effects.
ROCO re-creates the sensation of riding a roller coaster, right down to the clicks of the car as it ascends the track.
According to Daniel Johansson, INNTQ Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, the idea for ROCO came from his years spent designing VR-experiences that required an attendant to help users understand and familiarize themselves with the system.
“I wanted to make something that would work without a person standing there,” he explains. “I also wanted it to appeal to as broad an audience as possible and that’s why it ended up as a roller coaster. Everyone understands a roller coaster. ROCO is designed to give the sensations, the feelings that the roller coaster gives you.”
But INNTQ’s innovation goes beyond an immersive experience. Designed for easy installation, mobility, and hands-off maintenance, ROCO was created with the needs and wants of venue operators in mind.
As soon as a ROCO machine is plugged in, it can start generating income. It’s a standalone unit with no attendant necessary. The 1,620-lb machine is also made with portability as priority. It can be moved with just a manual pallet jack to optimize different locations, like for capitalizing on foot traffic or driving attention to specific storefronts.
In terms of upkeep, all venue operators have to do is ensure the machine is cleaned regularly. INNTQ equips each ROCO machine with a built-in 4G modem to monitor for any service or repair issues and update software. Any machine that needs service is removed and replaced by INNTQ.
And most important of all, venue operators don’t need to purchase ROCO. INNTQ partners with the owners and management companies of places like shopping centers and airports to place ROCO machines in their venues.
“All that’s needed is space and an outlet. They can take the machine, plug it in and just leave it,” says Hegnelius. “Or they can be really involved — using the revenue dashboard to test different placements, they can call us if they want advertising on the screen. There are so many possibilities.”
