WALTHAM, Mass. and LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Oct. 14, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) today unveiled the Sum of all Thrills™ at INNOVENTIONS at Epcot® at the Walt Disney World® Resort.

This new ride is a unique experience that lets park guests custom-design their own thrill ride using mathematical tools, an innovative touch-screen table and a robotic simulator. As the first ride to be located within INNOVENTIONS at Epcot®, Sum of all Thrills™ is the latest example of Raytheon's innovative approach to help educate and inspire young students about the power of math and math-related activities.

"Sum of all Thrills™ is an example of how Raytheon is using innovation to encourage students to develop and sustain an interest in math and science," said William H. Swanson, Chairman and CEO of Raytheon Company. "By experiencing the 'thrill' of math in this environment, students have the opportunity first hand to feel the excitement and possibilities of careers that are possible with math and science. We hope young people and adults alike will enjoy this innovative experience."

Interactive and customizable, Sum of all Thrills™ lets guests of all ages create their own experience by first choosing a ride theme, including a roller coaster, bobsled or jet plane. Using multitouch, object recognition tables with instructions available in six languages, guests use math and engineering-based tools, such as rulers and speed dials, to design and customize their ride by adding corkscrews, inversions or steep hills. Guests learn and apply mathematical and engineering principles to determine how much energy is needed for a jet to take off or for a roller coaster or bobsled to make it up its first climb.

When the design of the ride is complete, it is saved on a personal card with a unique bar code. The card is then used to allow each guest to experience his or her custom ride from beginning to end on the robotic KUKA RoboSim 4-D simulator. Inside the simulator, guests experience their ride on immersive high definition video combined with stereo sound and controlled air motion for a complete sensory experience. The KUKA RoboSim 4-D simulator creates a four-dimensional experience through 3-D robotic motion and "wind" that controls air movement to stimulate the senses, providing a more realistic simulation experience.

"Disney parks are well known for their creativity and innovation. Raytheon's Sum of all Thrills™ is a perfect addition to INNOVENTIONS, which was built in part to showcase cutting-edge technology," said Dan Cockerell, vice president of Epcot®. "This immersive experience, our first-ever INNOVENTIONS ride, will inspire young guests to embrace math and science and the important role these subjects play in our lives."

In addition to the experience at INNOVENTIONS at Epcot®, Raytheon today unveiled a virtual Sum of all Thrills™ experience on-line at MathMovesU.com. The Sum of all Thrills™ world, aimed at middle school students, combines the three ride elements of the theme park experience into one multidimensional ride. Students answer math-related questions to unlock elements that enable them to build their own ride online.

Sum of all Thrills™ is the latest initiative in Raytheon's MathMovesU program, which is committed to increasing students' interest in math and engineering by engaging them with activities they enjoy most, such as sports, fashion and music. Sum of all Thrills™ joins Raytheon's other MathMovesU programs including the "In the Numbers" game, partnership with the New England Patriots on display at The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon, the company's three year sponsorship of the National MATHCOUNTS competition and the MathMovesU scholarship and grant program, which provides more than $1 million in funding to students and teachers each year.

Raytheon also announced today the findings from a study of U.S. middle school students revealing their feelings about math and the need for more innovative approaches to help motivate them around the subject. An executive summary of the survey findings is available at www.raytheon.com/responsibility/stem.

More information on Sum of all Thrills™ can be found at www.raytheon.com.

Raytheon Company, with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 87 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.

About INNOVENTIONS at Epcot®

INNOVENTIONS is located in the heart of Epcot® at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Creativity and imagination abound as guests celebrate inspiration and the innovations that improve their lives and expand their horizons. Hands-on, interactive exhibits allow children and adults to be immersed into ideas that inform, entertain and inspire. For more information, visit www.innoventions.disney.com

    Contacts:
    Kristin Hilf             Tim Inthirakoth
    Raytheon Company         InkHouse (for Raytheon)
    781-522-5822             781.916.9090 ext. 805
                             mailto:tim@inkhousepr.com

SOURCE Raytheon Company

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

Web site: http://www.raytheon.com/

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