ABSTRACT
This chapter is about chemical pyrotechnics: flash pots, sparkle devices, concussion mortarsthings that go boom. Pyrotechnic systems, because of the danger involved, have traditionally been run manually and separately from other show elements. However, the introduction of dedicated computer-based pyro controllers has allowed these systems to be integrated and computerized for synchronization purposes, with safety overrides and enables, of course, still resident in the downstream systems. Pyro substitutes such as air cannons would go into other categories, depending on their construction.
