Pictured from left to right: Geophone, EMF Detector, Ultrasonic Receiver, and Thermal Imaging Camera.
With the exception of the camera, all of these were assembled by me from kits. Each one, in different ways, reveals ever-present phenomena normally hidden from us.
I purchased the geophone for $19.95 during a sale from BG Micro. It was just a bare board, loose components, and the sensor itself. It did not come with a power supply or case. I had on hand the NOS Radio Shack project box and the power jack. The power switch came out of the junk parts box. I did a CAD drawing for the red replacement lid with holes for the LEDs and integrated mounts for the circuit board and the sensors. The switch and jack disconnect from the board and everything else comes out as one unit. I assembled the LEDs onto the wrong side of the board so they could protrude from the lid as seen in the photo. The lid was 3D printed and the power supply was sourced from the stockpile of discarded plug-in wall transformers.
The geophone sensor is single axis – vertical. It is very sensitive and easily detects someone walking across the floor. I had it on while construction dynamiting was taking place across the road from me and it didn’t detect anything. The shock wave came rolling through on the horizontal axis. BG Micro has since closed, but you can purchase a brand new sensor with a ground spike and weathertight case from rtclark.com for $35 and the same electronics I used from eBay for $29.90 while they last.
The next item shown is the Ultra-RX1 Ultrasonic Receiver from the Xtal Set Society. The Xtal Set Society is a group of crystal radio receiver enthusiasts. Ultrasonic receivers are an offshoot area of interest to them. I purchased this kit at the Dayton Hamvention, from the fellow who designed it I believe. Their website, midnightscience.com, is still up, but I am not certain you can purchase items there or not. The Curious Electronic Company (more about them later) sells a nice kit for $26, but shipping is from the United Kingdom. They also provide the design files, so you could make your own kit or even tweak the design to your liking.
This device downconverts 35 to 45 kHz ultrasonic audio to within the human range of hearing with a 10 kHz wide audio bandwidth. Ultrasonic Receivers can be used to locate gas leaks and electrical arcing. I have listened to bats, insects, and automotive backup sensors with this.
To the right of the Ultra-RX1 in the photo is an EMF detector from The Curious Electronic Company that was given to me by operative Why8. It lets me listen to electric fields created by various devices. I have listened to the plasma displays of microwave ovens and high frequency signals inside of smartphones.
The remaining human perception extender shown is the Seek XR thermal imaging camera; a smartphone USB add-on given to me by Mrs. Mayhem. I now carry a smartphone that has this as an integrated feature. With this, I can see shorted or defective components on circuit boards, perhaps how much propane is remaining in a tank of propane, people lurking in the dark, where a pipe is frozen, if someone has a fever, or detecting heat losses from a building.
No metaphysically challenged entities were harmed while using these devices.
-Prof. Mayhem
