DID YOU KNOW?
A Game Boy made it into space with cosmonaut Aleksandr Serebrov on a mission to the Mir space station in 1993
CLAP ON, CLAP OFF
Long before Alexa could take control of your home gadgets, the 1980s welcomed the Clapper, a compact device that could remotely switch on appliances. With the catchphrase “clap on, clap off, it’s the Clapper”, the function of this device isn’t difficult to grasp. Simply plug in a lamp, radio or TV to the Clapper and the sound of a clap would either turn it on or off. The device worked using a small microphone connected to a sound filter. When the microphone picked up a clapping sound, typically between 2,220 and 2,800 hertz, the sound filter triggered an electrical signal to the power switch, turning the connected appliance on. Two claps in succession triggered an electrical signal that turned the power outlet off.
Along with improving home convenience, the Clapper also came with a security ‘away’ feature. When switched to away mode, the sensitivity of the microphone was increased, making the slightest noise detectable. The idea was
