Instrumented firefighter's nozzle and method

This invention relates to real-time data acquisition for purposes of measuring the operation of a fire hose nozzle. Mechanical and electronic components have been designed and attached to a nozzle for purposes of instrumentation. The field in which the invention is currently used is that of virtual reality and augmented reality. The invention is used as an input device to control a computer-generated water stream and align that stream with the actual nozzle in a manner consistent with its operation. Method and apparatus are presented for instrumentation of a firefighter's vari-nozzle for motion tracking and measurement of pattern selector and bail handle positions. In the embodiment presented here, brackets and associated hardware attach (1) a position tracking device to the nozzle to measure its 6-DOF (Degrees of Freedom) position and orientation, and (2) potentiometers to measure the angular positions of the two main, moving components (the bail handle and the pattern selector) of the nozzle. The mounts are attached to the brass nozzle with holes drilled into the main body of the nozzle.One application of this instrumentation is control of an augmented reality or virtual reality water stream, or other extinguishing agent. The electronic signals from potentiometers in the instrumentation permit a computer to calculate and display graphical representations of water flow from the nozzle for virtual reality and augmented reality applications. This virtual flow is responsive to the motions of the user with the nozzle, including operation of the bail handle (on/off of water flow) and the nozzle pattern selector (straight stream, narrow angle fog, and wide angle fog). The position tracking information is used to align a computer graphical representation of a water stream with the real nozzle.