Dravenstar is always looking for tools and gear that will make our job run smoother and give us that edge. Years ago I had set about building a device that would in itself monitor a room while being completely out of the way of researchers and home owners. I needed this device to measure more than just video and audio. I decided to build what we often refer to as a teaser, but add more to it. A teaser is a device that prompts a spirit to move or interact with something, and D.A.R.I.N would need to do just that. First a standard wooden box was built with one corner left blank for cables and wires to run through. (DPRT does not have the funding for all wireless gear as of yet) Foam was added to the bottom to better support the gear inside.
Next I added small screw eyes to the sides to support a series of jingle bells. These would act as an inexpensive means to detect movement as we could easily hear these bells from other rooms. After adding the bells I inserted a screw that would serve to mount a wireless thermometer. This would allow us to detect any sudden temperature changes that may take place within D.A.R.I.N. Along with the thermometer and bells I inserted a tape recorder, web cam, and some smaller teaser items into D.A.R.I.N to add to the possibility of contact.
One item we used that really was effective in my view is a compass attached to a suction cub and than needled down with a mirror. This allowed the camera to see the compass through the mirror and us to document any fluxes in EMF readings. The compass was a secondary device to an ELF meter that could be placed inside as well.
I mentioned teasers and I am sure you are curious. Using a suction cub like the one used to mount our ball compass I placed a rubber ball on the top. This was balanced enough that wind would not move it but a touch could cause the ball to fall. I also added a set of dice, and several labeled poker chips. These served to detect movement within the box. I added an hourglass and a battery pack. This was in hopes of attracting ghosts a little better. Finally on the teaser front I decided to add a pencil and tablet of paper, in hopes the spirit would contact us through that method. D.a.r.i.n can be lit with any source really but we chose a light taken from inside a Christmas outside decoration. It was very bright and mounted to it's own extension chord so it was ideal for this application.
Now box devices like D.A.R.I.N are not new to the field but we like to think we eliminated the one thing used in other similar devices that keep spirits away. That one thing is a plexiglass lid. This was added to most of these devices to keep human contact out, but seeing as we have no proof that ghosts can move through solid matter, this may serve to keep them out as well. DPRT quickly decided that we did not want a top. The camera would serve enough to keep human contact out as we could see if it was made.
I added a power strip to the outside to allow me to use less extension chords with the device. D.A.R.I.N has not been
fully tested but we look forward to what it may accomplish for us within the field. Below are pictures of what the finished product looks like. Happy
hunting!!!!
