Gizmo Quiz - January 2, 2006

[john_k]

Here is this week's gizmo.

Need to know what it is used for. If nobody gets that by the time my bowl game starts, then "broader" answers will be strongly considered.

This Weeks Gizmo [decades.com]

[jecasc]

Looks like some kind of electric motor to me. Or a dynamo.

[pmkpmk]

Read/Write head for magnetic tapes?

[georgeek]

Is it gyroscopic in some way?

[lawman]

Does it kick in at 88 mph?

[mack]

You thinking it's a supercharger?

:)

It is related to cars, looks as if it could be mounted under the hood?

Mack.

[Liane]

Does it have any medical applications?

[jetboy]

Does it kick in at 88 mph?

LOL

I second the magnetic tape idea. Doesn't look a million miles away from a VCR head.

[Liane]

I think it is built too sturdily for a magnetic head thingy. That looks like some serious bit of stainless steel ... but maybe its aluminum? I was wondering if it had either medical or marine applications? Like a marine compass mount maybe?

[pmkpmk]

I didn't specifiy WHAT magnetic tapes. Maybe it's military grade or space grade magnetic tape equipment...

[mack]

I notice the flage has a key cut into it.. does something mount on there or is the gizmo a stand alone type item?

Mack.

[Liane]

Well, I'd go with something to do with magnetism ... but not sure about tapes!

[Liane]

An electro magnetic device of some sort? Is it a partical accelerator?

Come on then ... give us a clue!

[john_k]

Sorry about the long delay on responding... Someone needed to talk to me for "just a minute" :)

Looks like some kind of electric motor to me. Or a dynamo.

Nope, not a motor or a dynamo.

Read/Write head for magnetic tapes?

No, not a read/write head. But that is "warmer" than motor or dynamo.

Is it gyroscopic in some way?

Not a gyroscope.

Does it kick in at 88 mph?

Doesn't kick in at 88mph. (And doesn't take 1.21 giga-watts of power)

You thinking it's a supercharger?
:)

It is related to cars, looks as if it could be mounted under the hood?

Mack.

Doesn't have anything to do with cars.

Does it have any medical applications?

Nope.

I second the magnetic tape idea. Doesn't look a million miles away from a VCR head.

Not a vcr or other tape head.

I think it is built too sturdily for a magnetic head thingy. That looks like some serious bit of stainless steel ... but maybe its aluminum? I was wondering if it had either medical or marine applications? Like a marine compass mount maybe?

I believe (but am not certain) that is aluminum, and not steel of any type.

I notice the flage has a key cut into it.. does something mount on there or is the gizmo a stand alone type item?

I do not believe that the keyway is critical to the operation. (but I might be wrong)

An electro magnetic device of some sort? Is it a partical accelerator?
Come on then ... give us a clue!

Not a particle accelerator.

Clues coming up...

[edited by: john_k at 2:41 pm (utc) on Jan. 2, 2006]

[john_k]

Okay, I added another view to the gizmo page [decades.com]. You might need to refresh the page.

I will post another clue in a few minutes.

[john_k]

It is not a vcr or tape head. But the guesses like "magnetic thingy" are getting warm.

[Liane]

Is it a magnetic lock for a bank vault or something similar involving a locking device?

[john_k]

Is it a magnetic lock for a bank vault or something similar involving a locking device?

No, not a locking device.

[john_k]

Okay - I added an image clue to the gizmo page. (refresh if you don't see it)

[Liane]

Does it read electromagnetic density? Does it have military uses such as targeting? Is it thermosensitive?

Sorry ... gotta go! Have fun

[edited by: Liane at 3:04 pm (utc) on Jan. 2, 2006]

[john_k]

Does it read electromagnetic density?

Very warm. It does measure something, but not electromagnetic density.

Does it have military uses such as targeting?

This device would not be used for targeting.

[john_k]

Is it thermosensitive?

Nope.

[Liane]

OK. I'm back but it seems I am the only one playing! Does it read/measure depth or distance? Magnetic resonance imaging ... that sort of thing? Is it used by the military?

[pmkpmk]

Hall sensor?

[en.wikipedia.org...]

[john_k]

OK. I'm back but it seems I am the only one playing! Does it read/measure depth or distance? Magnetic resonance imaging ... that sort of thing? Is it used by the military?

It doesn't measure depth or distance, but what it measures, it measures at a great distance. It doesn't do magnetic resonance imaging, although once again, that answer is getting warmer. The military doesn't use it - but they eventually use everything, right?

Your previous guess of "Does it read electromagnetic density" is very close.

[john_k]

Hall sensor?

Very close also. Hall effect sensors measure changes in magnetic field density, so that is essentially what Liane guessed.

[jetboy]

A gravity sensor?

[john_k]

A gravity sensor?

Yes - We have a winner! Congratulations!

The gizmo is the prototype Advanced LIGO device. It measures gravitational waves from distant sources.

Here are some links to more information about the gizmo:
Overview of the Advanced LIGO device
[ligo.caltech.edu...]

Directory with image files of the device
[sr.bham.ac.uk...]

Directory with schematics and technical description document
[sr.bham.ac.uk...]

[pmkpmk]

Didn't we had something like this in a Gizmo Quiz already? Looked way bigger though...

[john_k]

Before I posted it, I tried searching back through past quizzes and didn't find it. But I could have easily missed it.

Maybe we need a special "Webmaster World Gizmo Quiz Archive."

hint hint.