The Coolidge examiner., 1931-07-31
/ Machines That Are
Almost Human
B v E. C. TAYL 0 K
The Wireless Light


1T WILL not be many years, sci
entiStS predict, before we will
90 home, press a button, and a cryS-
tai globe, having no wires inside or
out, will cast a pleasant light in
our homes.
This wireless light is now a fact,
and is used in several robots that
surprise US by their human-like
performances.
The new wireless light looks
like a crystal sphere when not
lighted. 1t has no filament inside it
to burn up and break, and has no
metal inside or out. 1t contains
gases rendered highly luminous by
ii high-frequency electric current
in a nearby coil of wire. In homes
Of the future mechanical age, these
coils could be placed in the walls
and no lighting apparatus or wires.
only crystal lighting globes, would
be exposed.
One of these wireless lights, a
huge one, operated by radio, re-
Gently was mounted on a tower iD
Schenectady, n. Y, and it threw off
sufficient light to read a newspaper
two miles away. These wonder
lights cost little and give off almost
no heat.
The new magic lights are similar
to the neon tubes used for the new
type of outdoor advertising lights.
but cast soft glow instead of the
glaring red or blue of the neon
outdoor tubes. The neon tubes
need wires, but the magic light has
no wires, and the crystal globes
could be carried from one place t.
another and set down where one
wants it.
This magic wireless light utilizes
the principle of the ordinary elec-
trio dOorbell, where by pressing a
button, a current of electricity is
sent through a coil which repeat
edly pulls hammer that rings the
bell.
Scientists discovered that in the
neighborhood of a rapidly chang
ing magnetic field, electrons in a
as-charged bulb started first one
way and then another. thus pro-
ducing light.
The wireless light can be used
only in proximity to changing mag
netic coils. For home lighting
these coils would be placed In
walls, and they could be started
agitating by pressing a button, just
as the dOorbell is made to ring.
This principle of magnetic coils
is used to make a robot work In
the United States government as
say office in New York city. That
robot literally picks gold out of the
air.
A considerable quantity of gold
formerly was lost in the fumes that
passed off during the smelling
process in the assay office.
Now these fumes are forced to
rise between two metal plates
These plates are charged with a
high voltage electric current. The
gold particles in the fumes become
electrified and settle on the nearby
into a collecting chamber below
Hundreds of ounces of gold.
worth many thousands OF dollars,
have been recovered in this way by
the robot.
Another electric robot now used
by railroads detects broken rails
and prevents accidents.
The robot is housed on a small
car resembling handcar, that is
t0wed slowly over the rails. AS
it passes along the rails it sends
an electric current through the
rails directly beneath the car.
When break in a rail is en-
countered, the current Is interrupt
ed. and the robot squirts a dab of
paint on the spot where the break
is indicated.
This device detects flaws of so
minute a nature that they could
not be seen by the human eye.
Countless railroad accidents have
been averted by the use of the
robot.
The magic light is helping to per
feet televisiOn, that remarkable de-
vice that brings pictures Of actual
events along with sound over the
radio. Scientists have progressed
so far in this. that siX-fnot screens
have replaced the fourteen-incb
screens of a short time ago, and
many more persons now can see
the radio talkies and movies than
formerly. With a development of
the new magic light, it is predict.
ed that two-way television will he
speeded Demonstrations already
have been made, showing both par
ties to a telephone conversation.
and it will not be long. say scien-
lists, before you can see the person
YOU are talking to over the tele-
phone. You also will be seen,
though.
(G 1881, Western Newspaper Union.)
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