'The Smiler' - the new GBP18 million roller coaster due to open
at Alton Towers. These are the hilarious facial expressions of the first thrill-seekers to try out Britain's newest roller-coaster - which includes a record breaking FOURTEEN LOOPS. The stomach-churning ride - called 'The Smiler' - hits speeds
of up to 53mph and will open to the public at Alton Towers on May 23.
But technicians at the theme park were given a sneak preview on Monday
(13) and became the first to test the 18 million mega ride. Using a
video camera attached to a helmet, designers used facial recognition
technology to identify what emotions the rider goes through whilst on
the coaster. The footage has then been run through a complex set of
algorithms which track subtle changes in muscle group activation on
the rider's face. The final video features the rider's face overlaid
with a graphical representation showing fluctuations in the mixture
emotions they were experiencing at different points on the ride.