New Strobelight Tech Gadget Excites Paranormal Community
Written By: Buck Bannister
Posted: 7/16/2008
Paul Bradford & the IR/UV Strobe
A fleeting glimpse out of the corner of the eye, a darting shadow form moving impossibly fast, a flickering apparition that seems to jump from place to place; all these are phenomena reported by clients and paranormal groups.
For a number of years the paranormal investigation community has theorized that apparitions or spirits move at a rate much faster than normal human locomotion. This idea has even captured the popular imagination and been incorporated into Hollywood thrillers and horror movies whose special effects show "ghosts" moving at impossibly fast speeds as they haunt the victims in the films.
Does this theory have any validity in the real world? Paranormal investigators have never been able to test the theory because no technique existed to capture fast moving apparitions on camera.
Enter Paul Bradford, a co-founder of Sonoran Paranormal Investigations, Inc. in Arizona (http://sonoranparanormalinvestigations.org). Bradford, known by his colleagues as the "Paranormal MacGyver" has worked for several years developing tools to help paranormal investigators better utilize infrared cameras to capture paranormal activity in the dark.
Recently, Bradford began development of an infrared strobe system that when used in conjunction with infrared cameras may capture any fast moving activity in a darkened room. According to Bradford, "Strobe lights also have an industrial application for example; strobe lights (or stroboscopes) have been used to study the behavior of rotating machinery, oscillating vibration of components or structures and for balancing for a number of years."
According to Bradford, his plan for developing the device revolved around the desire in most investigations to "go dark" that is, use as little light as possible in order to capture phenomena that might not happen when investigators light a room fully or a number of people are moving about. He also had safety concerns about using strobe lighting in the visible light spectrums because of its effect on people with epilepsy as well as the disorientation of those exposed to only strobe lighting for long periods.
However, his main theoretical reasoning centered around the fact that spirits are not visible normally except in the infrared or other ranges. "We have devices now that will allow us to see in the dark, something that some animals have always been able to do. There's the theory that animals can see spirits and that's why they react to something rather unexpectedly or bark at what appears to be nothing." Bradford says of his rationale.
Combining this application with prevailing paranormal theories Bradford has also theorized that if ghosts exist in other dimensions, as many have believed it would not be farfetched to think they move at much different rates of speed than our own dimension.
Adapting a regular party strobe light, Bradford originally replaced the regular bulbs with Infrared LEDs. This allows him to adjust the rate of the strobe to experiment with different speeds. "By using something like a Sony Night Shot camcorder you can cover its built in IR illumination very simply either by placing an object in front of the LED's or by using a small piece of electrical tape. You then use the strobe as the light source." Bradford explains.
After a discussion with Barry Fitzgerald of Sci-Fi Channel's Ghost Hunters International who has been experimenting with full spectrum cameras, Bradford made another change to his original design and added ultraviolet (UV) bulbs to the device. This allows investigators using the newer full spectrum cameras to capture not only the infrared spectrum but the ultraviolet spectrum as well.
According to Bradford, "Barry and I discussed my project and he told me he was getting more positive results on the ultraviolet end of the spectrum and asked if I might be able to adapt the strobe for a range of 300nm."
Bradford immediately began working on the ultraviolet version and Fitzgerald has agreed to test the device on his investigations in conjunction with his full spectrum cameras.
The theories behind Bradford's work are complex and highly technical, yet in typical modest fashion, he states, "Don't get me wrong I don't claim to know or understand Quantum Physics." Yet his devices may actually help investigators document and further catalog the range of paranormal activity experienced.
"There still isn't really anything out there specifically for the use of ghost hunting, what we do is take a tool or object intended for something else and adapt it to our need. This tool that I've built is specifically for Ghost Hunting." Bradford explains regarding the applications for his device.
However, does this modest native of Meopham, Kent UK, think this will change the field? "This is just another tool, it's not the next step in ghost hunting its not going to change the world, but it's an idea, something based on a few other ideas that have been floating about."
Bradford operates Creepy Hollow Ghost Hunting Gear that provides the new IR/UV strobe as well as other custom-made gadgets. His work can be found on the web at: http://www.creepyhollowgear.com
To read more of Bradford's ideas behind the IR Strobe you can visit the research site run by Sonoran Paranormal Investigations, Inc which goes by the name of "S.P.I.D.E.R web" which stands of Sonoran Paranormal Investigations Development, Education and Research Web where you'll also find other ideas and theories on the paranormal: http://spider.sonoranparanormalinvestigations.org
Additional Information:
* IR LEDs
* 6V Battery operated 4xAA
* Light weight durable design
* 850nm (Sony Nightshot IR Compatible)
Introductory price of : $25 plus p&p
