What is This?

[[email protected]]

Friends,

A buddy of mine found an unusual electronic device in his van.

http://www.misanthropia.com/blog/index.php?/archives/15-What-the-Hell-is-That.html

any ideas what it is?

thanks,

b.

 

[Don Bruder]

Even clicking on the image for a larger view, its hard to see any detail -
but your description sounds suspiciously like a bug!

It's a piece of "eye candy". About as sinister as a Hershey bar. Having
them appear is a sure sign that grade-school age kids have been
in/around the area where they're being found.

Around this area, the ones like in the picture can be had out of those
"put in 50 cents and turn the handle to get a plastic egg-like thing
with a prize inside" gumball-type machines. The catch is that they don't
usually look exactly like the pictured one - Usually the item in the
picture is press-fit into the back of some sort of image (think a
"Hello, Kitty" head, ferinstance, or at halloween last year, they used
small plastic jack-o-lanterns, and the flashing gizmos made the eyes
light up), or similar kiddie-fare to add some pizzazz to an otherwise
"Why should I put my quarters in the machine for something *THAT*
stupid?" item. Knock the flasher loose from the item it's supposed to be
jazzing up, and you have exactly what you show in the picture.

Kids often clip 'em to an ear, a bit of clothing, or whatever. (by
pulling the magnet off the back, then sandwiching the "target item"
between the magnet and the base)

Dunno what the name for them is, but twist the base tight to mash
against the batteries, and if the batteries aren't dead already,
depending on the precise variant involved, it'll sit there for a couple
hours flashing anywhere from 3 to 10 tiny LEDs, usually in a "chaser
lights" pattern of some sort.

(I've got a variation on the usual version that's pictured - Mine has a
"bezel" of sorts stuck to it to make it an oval about an inch and a half
long by 3/4 inch tall, and is printed with the name/logo of a band -
When the base is screwed down tight, it powers up, and the LEDs "chase"
through the band logo. )

 

[[email protected]]

It's a piece of "eye candy". About as sinister as a Hershey bar. Having
them appear is a sure sign that grade-school age kids have been
in/around the area where they're being found.

Around this area, the ones like in the picture can be had out of those
"put in 50 cents and turn the handle to get a plastic egg-like thing
with a prize inside" gumball-type machines. The catch is that they don't
usually look exactly like the pictured one - Usually the item in the
picture is press-fit into the back of some sort of image (think a
"Hello, Kitty" head, ferinstance, or at halloween last year, they used
small plastic jack-o-lanterns, and the flashing gizmos made the eyes
light up), or similar kiddie-fare to add some pizzazz to an otherwise
"Why should I put my quarters in the machine for something *THAT*
stupid?" item. Knock the flasher loose from the item it's supposed to be
jazzing up, and you have exactly what you show in the picture.

Kids often clip 'em to an ear, a bit of clothing, or whatever. (by
pulling the magnet off the back, then sandwiching the "target item"
between the magnet and the base)

Dunno what the name for them is, but twist the base tight to mash
against the batteries, and if the batteries aren't dead already,
depending on the precise variant involved, it'll sit there for a couple
hours flashing anywhere from 3 to 10 tiny LEDs, usually in a "chaser
lights" pattern of some sort.

(I've got a variation on the usual version that's pictured - Mine has a
"bezel" of sorts stuck to it to make it an oval about an inch and a half
long by 3/4 inch tall, and is printed with the name/logo of a band -
When the base is screwed down tight, it powers up, and the LEDs "chase"
through the band logo. )

--
Don Bruder - [email protected] - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
or the subject of the message doesn't contain the exact text "PopperAndShadow"
somewhere, any message sent to this address will go in the garbage without my
ever knowing it arrived. Sorry... <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd> for more info

Thank you for the reply.

But the thing doesnt light up. It doesnt seem to do anything. It's
mostly made of metal (except for that cap or resin / plastic / glass)
and I cant really see something like that put in a quarter vending
machine. Also, although the components are really small to these old
eyes, none of them look like LEDs to me.

thanks again,

b.

 

[Don Bruder]

Thank you for the reply.

But the thing doesnt light up. It doesnt seem to do anything.

Then the batteries are dead. They're built *CHEAP* - As in a lot of 10K
of the things can be had for a price that works out to something like 8
cents each - They're designed to be "giveaway"-level novelty items.
You're not going to put a dollar battery in a device you intend to sell
for a dime or less, are you? Neither is the outfit that makes them. Not
surprisingly, the best "on time" I've seen out of one of them was about
4 hours.

Waste the money to put a fresh set of batteries in it (or rig yourself
up some method of feeding it about 4.5 to 6 volts of DC) and it *WILL*
light up exactly as described.

It's mostly made of metal (except for that cap or resin / plastic /
glass) and I cant really see something like that put in a quarter
vending machine. Also, although the components are really small to
these old eyes, none of them look like LEDs to me.

Whether you can "see it being put in a quarter machine" or not, they are
- routinely. Despite your (incorrect) doubts about the visible widgets
being LEDs, that's what they are. They're just in a package you aren't
familiar with.

 

[[email protected]]

Then the batteries are dead. They're built *CHEAP* - As in a lot of 10K
of the things can be had for a price that works out to something like 8
cents each - They're designed to be "giveaway"-level novelty items.
You're not going to put a dollar battery in a device you intend to sell
for a dime or less, are you? Neither is the outfit that makes them. Not
surprisingly, the best "on time" I've seen out of one of them was about
4 hours.

Waste the money to put a fresh set of batteries in it (or rig yourself
up some method of feeding it about 4.5 to 6 volts of DC) and it *WILL*
light up exactly as described.


Whether you can "see it being put in a quarter machine" or not, they are
- routinely. Despite your (incorrect) doubts about the visible widgets
being LEDs, that's what they are. They're just in a package you aren't
familiar with.

--
Don Bruder - [email protected] - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
or the subject of the message doesn't contain the exact text "PopperAndShadow"
somewhere, any message sent to this address will go in the garbage without my
ever knowing it arrived. Sorry... <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd> for more info

thanks again. I'll give it a try. I happen to (indirectly) work for a
major consumer battery manufacturer. I'm sure I can get some freebies.

b.

 

[Clint Sharp]

Even clicking on the image for a larger view, its hard to see any detail -
but your description sounds suspiciously like a bug!

It's a flashing body ornament, nothing sinister at all the two halves
are probably magnetic.