Tsutenkaku Tower Slider Delivers Instant Ride Videos with the VPC-5000
- Customer
- Tsutenkaku Kanko Co., Ltd.
- Industry
- Construction & Buildings
- Contec products
- VPC-5000-G FA computer
- Goals
- Enhanced customer service, Work efficiency improvement
Osaka’s Tsutenkaku tower gives every Tower Slider rider a video of their ride within about 30 seconds. The VPC-5000 industrial computer processes more than 500 videos a day with zero errors.
Overview
Tsutenkaku, a landmark in Osaka’s Shinsekai district, is a tangible cultural property of Osaka Prefecture; the second-generation tower was rebuilt by local residents in 1956. On May 9, 2022, Tsutenkaku Kanko Co., Ltd. opened the Tower Slider, a tube slide that starts 22 meters up on the third-floor observation deck, wraps around the elevator tower and ends in the first basement. Contec’s VPC-5000 processes the ride’s video service.
Challenge
COVID-19 sharply reduced visitors, especially inbound tourists. “I realized that we couldn’t just stand idly by,” said President Ryuko Takai. Planners felt a slide alone would not be enough: each rider should get a shareable video, which meant producing every clip quickly and reliably with high image quality.
Solution
The ride lasts about 10 seconds over 60 meters, with a 26.5-meter drop at nearly 30 degrees. Cameras record clips at the entrance and exit, and the system adds a standard sliding scene to create one video in about 30 seconds. Each file, over 30 MB in full HD, appears on monitors at the exit, where riders scan a QR code and download it over dedicated Wi-Fi. The VPC-5000-G handles merging and processing across four monitors and two screens.
Dealer Toa Musendenki Co., Ltd. worked with Contec to select the VPC-5000. Daiki Tokushige of Toa Musendenki said it “was the only possible choice” for processing a video within 30 seconds.
Results
The Tower Slider serves more than 500 riders a day, about one every 1 minute 10 seconds, with zero video errors and no problems from the VPC-5000 since opening. Monthly visitors have topped 10,000 and are recovering. Because videos are instant and included in the ticket, many riders share them on social media, attracting new and repeat visitors. “Tsutenkaku isn’t about selling items, it’s about selling an experience,” said President Takai.
Contec products used
Originally published by Contec Co., Ltd. at contec.com.