Target assembly system and method

Abstract

A system includes a nozzle configured to eject a liquid. The system also includes a wall having a surface facing the nozzle, and a thickness extending from the surface. The system also includes one or more capacitance sensors configured to detect, through the thickness of the wall, a presence of the liquid at or adjacent to the surface.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a nozzle configured to eject a liquid;   a wall having a surface facing the nozzle, and a thickness extending from the surface; and   one or more capacitance sensors configured to detect, through the thickness of the wall, a presence of the liquid at or adjacent to the surface.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wall comprises an additional surface opposing the surface such that the thickness extends from the surface to the additional surface, and the one or more capacitance sensors are disposed on the additional surface. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more capacitance sensors are configured to detect the presence of the liquid in response to a threshold quantity of the liquid being within a detection distance of the one or more capacitance sensors. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wall comprises a plastic or ceramic material. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the wall comprises a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic coating configured to repel the liquid. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the hydrophobic or superhydrophobic coating comprises acrylic. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a dimension of the thickness of the wall is about 10 millimeters or less. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising an actuator configured to move the wall. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising one or more effects configured to be operated based on the one or more capacitance sensors detecting, through the thickness of the wall, the presence of the liquid at or adjacent to the surface. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more effects comprises a light, a water feature, a speaker configured to emit audio, a pyrotechnic effect, a flame effect, a bubble effect, a confetti effect, an animated figure actuation, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more capacitance sensors, a dimension of the thickness of the wall, a material of the wall, or any combination thereof is configured such that the one or more capacitance sensors does not detect, through the thickness of the wall, an additional presence of rain at or adjacent to the surface. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising an enclosure defining an enclosure interior in which the one or more capacitance sensors are disposed, wherein the enclosure is configured to shield the enclosure interior from an external environment. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises an inner diameter defining a flow path of the liquid through the nozzle, and a dimension of the inner diameter at or adjacent to an outlet of the nozzle is within a range of about 5 millimeters (mm) to about 7 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is configured to eject the liquid such that a jet of the liquid ejected by the nozzle includes a pressure between about 140 kilopascal (kPa) and about 280 kPa. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more capacitance sensors comprise:
 a first capacitance sensor configured to detect the presence of the liquid in response to a first threshold quantity of the liquid at or adjacent the surface; and   a second capacitance sensor configured to detect the presence of the liquid, an additional presence of an additional liquid, or both in response to a second threshold quantity of the liquid, the additional liquid, or both at or adjacent to the surface.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , comprising:
 a first effect configured to be operated based on first sensor feedback from the first capacitance sensor; and   a second effect configured to be operated based on the first sensor feedback and second sensor feedback from the second capacitance sensor.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is configured to eject a laminar flow of the liquid. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is configured to eject a non-laminar flow of the liquid. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a first target corresponding to a first capacitance sensor; and   a second target corresponding to a second capacitance sensor, wherein the one or more capacitance sensors comprise the first capacitance sensor, the second capacitance sensor, or both.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , comprising a control system configured to:
 determine, based on sensor feedback from the first capacitance sensor, the second capacitance sensor, or both, an order in which the liquid is present at the first target and the second target; and   instruct one or more effects of the system based on the order.   
     
     
         21 . A target assembly for an amusement attraction, comprising:
 a wall having a surface and a thickness extending from the surface; and   one or more capacitance sensors configured to detect, through the thickness of the wall, a presence of a liquid at or adjacent to the surface.   
     
     
         22 . The target assembly of  claim 21 , wherein a dimension of the thickness of the wall is 10 millimeters (mm) or less, and wherein the wall comprises a plastic or ceramic material. 
     
     
         23 . The target assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the surface of the wall comprises a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic coating configured to repel the liquid. 
     
     
         24 . The target assembly of  claim 21 , comprising:
 an additional surface of the wall opposite the surface such that the thickness extends from the surface to the additional surface; and   an enclosure engaged with the additional surface of the wall to define an enclosure interior in which the one or more capacitance sensors are disposed, wherein the enclosure and the additional surface of the wall are configured to shield the enclosure interior from an external environment.   
     
     
         25 . An amusement system, comprising:
 a first nozzle operatable by a first guest to eject a first liquid;   a second nozzle operatable by a second guest to eject a second liquid;   a target facing the first nozzle and the second nozzle;   one or more capacitance sensors configured to detect, through a thickness of the target, a presence of the first liquid, the second liquid, or both at the target; and   a control system configured to:
 receive sensor feedback from the one or more capacitance sensors; and 
 determine, based at least in part on the sensor feedback, a first game score corresponding to the first guest, a second game score corresponding to the second guest, a team score corresponding to the first guest and the second guest, or any combination thereof. 
   
     
     
         26 . The amusement system of  claim 25 , comprising:
 an additional target facing the first nozzle and the second nozzle; and   one or more additional capacitance sensors configured to detect, through a thickness of the additional target, an additional presence of the first liquid, the second liquid, or both at the target, wherein the control system is configured to:
 receive additional sensor feedback from the one or more additional capacitance sensors; and 
 determine, based at least in part on the sensor feedback and the additional sensor feedback, the first game score, the second game score, the team score, or any combination thereof. 
   
     
     
         27 . The amusement system of  claim 26 , wherein the target and the additional target are disposed on shared wall or surface. 
     
     
         28 . The amusement system of  claim 26 , wherein the target is disposed on a first wall and the additional target is disposed on a second wall physically separate from the first wall. 
     
     
         29 . The amusement system of  claim 26 , wherein the control system is configured to determine, based at least in part on the sensor feedback, the additional sensor feedback, and a scoring algorithm, the first game score, the second game score, the team score, or any combination thereof, wherein the scoring algorithm assigns points to the first game score, the second game score, the team score, or any combination thereof based on:
 a total number of targets hit by the first liquid corresponding to the first nozzle, the second liquid corresponding to the second nozzle, or both;   a first order in which the target is hit by the first liquid and the second liquid;   a second order in which the target and the additional target are hit by the first liquid;   a third order in which the target and the additional target are hit by the second liquid; or   any combination thereof.   
     
     
         30 . The amusement system of  claim 26 , wherein the control system is configured to instruct one or more lighting or water effects of the amusement system based at least in part on the sensor feedback.