A project that exemplifies all three branches of our Critical Characteristic Crest, Range, Longevity, and Depth of Knowledge, is the Entech Innovative Engineering-branded SkyCycle™, a thrilling experience suspended as much as 100 feet (in Taiwan) above the ground on a counterweighted bicycle. It features a hands-on exploration of the scientific principles behind the center of gravity, balance and counterweight systems. Working with a team of educators and representatives from several science centers, Entech created the SkyCycle™ and its educational manuals to teach guests about how gravity works, by allowing them to experience it for themselves. See the SkyCycle™ in action at The Discovery Center in Springfield Missouri below!
Demonstrating the range of our expertise as well as Depth of Knowledge, the SkyCycle™ has become the standard for full-body immersive educational exhibits for almost a dozen science centers throughout the United States and Asia. Originally the generic high-wire or high-rail bike, Entech’s engineers standardized the design to provide comfort and safety, yet, by permitting riders to sway back and forth within defined limits, simultaneously offering a white-knuckle thrill to first time riders. The first SkyCycle™ dates back to the late 90’s, and we have continued to improve upon the design since that time. Referring back to our longevity, the SkyCycle™ is still active in multiple museums and science centers decades later!
The SkyCycle™ exhibit provides guests the opportunity to learn about certain principals of physics such as balance, counterweight, counterbalance, and gravity by participating in riding the bike The exhibit provides people with an opportunity to mount and ride a counterweighted bicycle on a rope stretched between two locations. The rider mounts the Bike from the Launching Platform and is harnessed into the Bike. The person then pedals himself or herself out onto the wire rope until they reach the end stop mounted upon the wire rope. At that point they pedal themselves in the opposite direction from which they come back to the launching platform.
Still displayed at multiple museums and science center's permanently, Entech Innovative also offers the option for a traveling version of the SkyCycle™, which comes with four additional interactive activities. The SeeSaw™ Bench teaches guests how a pivot point achieves balance. The Paddle Box Mystery displays how different counterweights affect force. Limbo Time introduces visitors to the principles of gravity and balance by encouraging them to set the bar, lean back and limbo. The Balance Rail determines how a weighted pole helps you to walk on a narrow beam. Together these exhibits provide a true whole-body experience in the discovery of counterbalance and center of gravity and have been used across the United States and Asia for decades, standing the test of time.
Producing a permanent and traveling interactive exhibit using our engineering, fabrication and creative skills serves to highlight how our Depth of Knowledge and Range of projects go hand in hand, as we would not be able to dive into so many markets without our extensive knowledge base to support us. SkyCycle's are still operating throughout the world today, and are available to be built for interested centers. Whether it be immersive exhibits, brand experiences, show action equipment or beyond, Entech's next level engineering and design skills will deliver beyond expectation every time.
