Systems and methods for thrust-vectored practical fluid flow effects

1. An amusement park attraction effects system, comprising:

a dynamic display configured for viewing by a user traveling through an attraction;

a display monitor configured to monitor changes to the dynamic display and provide status data indicative of a status of the dynamic display;

a location identification system configured to determine a location of the user;

a thrust-vectoring flow effect generator configured to generate and direct a fluid flow toward any particular target location of a range of target locations within the attraction; and

an automation controller communicatively coupled to the display monitor, the location identification system, and the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator, wherein the automation controller is configured to:

receive the status data provided by the display monitor;

receive the location of the user provided by the location identification system;

set a target location based on the location of the user, wherein the target location is within the range of target locations;

instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the fluid flow based on the target location; and

instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to control the fluid flow based on the status data.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to adjust a temperature of the fluid flow or a shape of the fluid flow in response to instructions from the automation controller based on the status data.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to adjust a speed and direction of the fluid flow by modifying a configuration of a nozzle of the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator in response to instructions from the automation controller based on the status data.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location identification system is configured to determine the location as including a location of a portion of the user and the automation controller is configured to adjust the target location based on the location of the portion of the user.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the location of the portion of the user corresponds to an area of exposed skin or a body part of the user.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to generate one or more pulses of compressed air as the fluid flow.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location identification system comprises a camera configured to capture an image of a user, and wherein the location identification system is configured to determine an orientation of the user based on the image.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the automation controller is configured to instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the fluid flow based on the orientation of the user.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to control the fluid flow by including one or more of fog, smoke, or water droplets.

10. The system of claim 1 , comprising a portable device configured to be carried by the user and configured to generate a signal, wherein the location identification system comprises a sensor configured to sense the location of the user based on the signal.

11. An amusement park attraction effects system, comprising:

a dynamic display configured for viewing by a plurality of users;

a display monitor configured to monitor changes to the dynamic display and provide status data indicative of a status of the dynamic display;

a location identification system configured to determine a plurality of locations of the plurality of users;

an array of thrust-vectoring flow effect generators comprising a first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator and a second thrust-vectoring flow effect generator, the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator configured to generate and direct a first fluid flow toward a first target location of a range of target locations and the second thrust-vectoring flow effect generator configured to generate and direct a second fluid flow toward a second target location of the range of target locations; and

an automation controller communicatively coupled to the display monitor, the location identification system, and the array, wherein the automation controller is configured to:

receive the status data provided by the display monitor;

receive the plurality of locations of the plurality of users provided by the location identification system;

set the first target location and the second target location based on the plurality of locations of the plurality of users; and

instruct the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the first fluid flow based on the first target location; and

instruct the second thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the second fluid flow based on the second target location.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the automation controller is configured to instruct the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the first fluid flow based on the status data.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the automation controller is configured to instruct the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to control the first fluid flow based on the first target location.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first target location and the second target location are the same.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator comprises a nozzle configured to direct the first fluid flow via asymmetric or symmetric modification to a shape of the nozzle.

16. An amusement park attraction effects system, comprising:

a head-mounted virtual reality (VR) device comprising an electronic display configured to display an image to a user of the head-mounted VR device;

a user sensing system of the head-mounted VR device, the user sensing system configured to detect a location and orientation of the user and output data indicative of the location and orientation;

an directed airflow generator configured to generate an air effect and direct the air effect to a target location; and

an automation controller communicatively coupled to the user sensing system and the directed airflow generator, wherein the automation controller is configured to:

receive the data output by the user sensing system;

determine, based on the location and the orientation indicated by the data, the target location for directing the air effect; and

control the directed airflow generator to direct the air effect towards the target location.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the automation controller is configured to control the directed airflow generator to coordinate a timing of providing the airflow with a VR presentation being provided by the head-mounted VR device.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the automation controller is configured to control a heating element or a cooling element to change a temperature of the air effect based on a VR presentation being provided by the head-mounted VR device.

19. The system of claim 16 , comprising a plurality of directed airflow generators each configured to direct a corresponding airflow to a respective target location within a respective range of locations.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein:

the directed airflow generator comprises a matrix of smaller directed airflow generators, each of the smaller directed airflow generators configured to produce a pulse of compressed air as the air effect; and

the automation controller is configured to change a pattern of the air effect.