IN A HOUSE OF MAGIC

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11493, 21 November 1931, Page 9

IN A HOUSE OF MAGIC

MODERN ELECTRICAL MARVELS

The following breezy account of

some modern electrical marvels was written by a staff correspondent of the United Press:—

It is now ] possible. to talk back to wireless, to drink at- a fountain without pressing a button, and to knock the socks off of an atom with an 51ray. AH the available tricks of electricity—tricks that would make old Ren Franklin throw away his kite and take up the new humanism—were displayed in Schenectady (State of New York) for the edification of 400 residents of New' York City, who canto to Sclmectady to look at the “House of Magic” of General Electric Corporation. The feature of the exhibition, apart from technical matters, was the wireless which starts and stops by ■ vocal "Command. You walk up to it and say, “Go ahead now.” and you get immediate action from the loud speaker. The visiting scientists. • ' including members of the Illuminating Engineering Society and the New Electrical Society, found that the trick "'-as worked by sound impulses. “’Go ahead now” has four syllables, and some of the guests discovered that they shouted “Schenectady’” or “My feet sure hurt.” at the machine effectually.

The drinking of water, ordinarily a, problem, has been solved. An ‘electric eye is attached to the drinking fountain. and when the drinker’s head passes the eye in its .downward descent. The wafer i's automatically switched on. "What inav lie the largest X-ray machine in the world was demonstrated by Dr. Vi. D. Coolidge. who is known as the father of the X-rav. This machine resembles a loin, gun with two bulges. Dr. Coolidge explained that after the rays leave the machine they become converted. in some manner, into electrons, and that theSe electrons, once turned loose in a free country. do everything but gambol on the greensward. ’ Dr. Coolidge drew some diagrams of’ brass millimeters, tunstens, and Indian arrowheads which do not do much to curb the sportive leanings of liis electrons. He said also that his machine could' take a Lottie of castor oil and turn it into sand, or perhaps oats. He is going to . give the machine to a New Y° r k hospital in the hope that something may be done to cure eapeer. Another instrument is tlie voids register- 1 ?- device ' which easily could eliminate the evil of judges in an lowa hogcalling contest, This machine registers the power of the voice, and it is said that a matron of Schenectady put it out of action for a couple of weeks L!y accidentally shouting “Junior” at her young sou- within rang® of its recording powers.