Lanny Smoot recently made history as the first Disney Imagineer to be inducted into the
National Inventors Hall of Fame. Smoot’s educational background in electrical engineering at
Columbia University propelled him into a 45-year career as an inventor, engineer, researcher,
and scientist (The Walt Disney Company, 2024).
In an interview with CNET (2022), Smoot
shared that he was recruited from his job at Bell Communications Research for creating video-
on-demand technology. His ingenuity attracted the Disney corporation as they were building
their technological edge in the film industry. Since then, he has worked with Disney for the last
25 years.
Smoot’s contributions have been instrumental to Disney’s success of bringing park attractions
and theatrical storytelling to life. Of the engineer’s 100 plus patents, 75 were created while he
has worked at Disney (The Walt Disney Company, 2024).
Lanny Smoot, age 69, makes history as the second person at Disney to be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The first was Walt Disney himself!
Photo credit: Disney
Some of his creations include: the realistic extendable light sabers, 3D displays that function without glasses, as well as classic Disney EPCOT Park attractions like the Kim Possible: World Showcase Adventure, the Haunted Mansion’s holographic special effects, and the “interactive koi ponds found at the Crystal Lotus Restaurant and Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel” (The Walt Disney Company, 2024).
On January 17, 2024, the inventor announced his launch of the HoloTile floor, which is the first
multi-person, omni-directional VR censored floor. This technology provides limitless
opportunities for theatrical performances and will enhance group experiences with virtual reality
simulation (Disney, 2024).
The Themed Entertainment Association, which recognizes elite developers in the theme park
industry, honored Lanny Smoot with “three Thea Awards from the Themed Entertainment
Association (TEA)” along with the 2020 TEA Master title (Disney Parks Blog, 2021).
Smoot will be adding his newest award to his collection, following the formal National Inventors
Hall of Fame Induction ceremony that will be held in Washington D.C. on May 9, 2024 (The
Walt Disney Company, 2024).
For More Information:
https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/journeys-innovation/audio-stories/if-magic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68YMEmaF0rs
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