Coming next, manually powered word processers (AKA typewriters)

[jeriendhal]

So just for giggles (and to get some idea about daily life in Iraq for the common grunt), I like to download the monthly update to Preventive Maintenence, which I've commented on before. Aside from bunches of maintenences tips on equipment I didn't even know existed, it also has annoucements about new gadgets coming on the line. This month's big draw was a war ready laptop, usable in the field, with a touchscreen and loads of information on board for routine maintence. Also featured was the introduction of battery powered glowsticks.

Let me repeat that. The US Army, in it's infinite wisdom, decided to make a battery powered version of the common chemical glowstick.

God I love the military-industrial complex...

Comments

[jvowles.livejournal.com]

Actually, if memory serves, the idea was to avoid leaving thousands of glowsticks behind, and get something that was more re-usable.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

But, but, you'd still have the batteries...

[pmrabble.livejournal.com]

They're sold as Krill lights. We use 'em for night kayaking when we're out in a group so we can find each other - 50 hours or so usable battery life vs. a whole lot less for ye olde basic glowstick. The led plus diffuser trick gets used too.

[glenbarnett.livejournal.com]

We've had them for thousands of years. They're called lamps. (It's different from a flashlight, which is directional - a glowstick lights up a small area around it, like a lamp.)

A small battery and a handful of LEDs would be the modern version (okay, you probably want a resistor in there as well, and an off switch). They could be made for a few cents each.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Put it that way it sounds fairly nifty. But how would the lumens produced by the LED stick compare to a kerosene lamp? IIRC the battery powered lamps I've seen all had fairly hefty battery packs.

[sabledrake.livejournal.com]

... the Russians used a pencil.

-- C.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

They had glow in the dark pencils?

(dodges thrown Selectric)