mz webbanner alexrider Alex Rider's radio mouth brace, a Dream Gadget Contest preview

alexridermouthbrace Alex Rider's radio mouth brace, a Dream Gadget Contest preview



alexriderscorpia Alex Rider's radio mouth brace, a Dream Gadget Contest preview

In preparation for the contest, we’re offering excerpts from the Alex Rider books, highlighting the fantastic, clever (and entirely fictional) gadgets used by Alex. Up this week is the Radio Mouth Brace from Scorpia.

Radio mouth brace:This brace is a simple and easy-to-use tracking device. The radio transmitter is held on a circuit board printed over the top of the brace so that it lies against the roof of the mouth. The metal loops that hold it in place act as an antenna.

When it is worn, the brace transmits a steady and powerful signal, which is constantly monitored by MI6â€™s network of radio towers. Each tower analyzes the direction and strength of the signal, and by putting this information together, the location of the wearer can be pinpointed. The accuracy of the system depends on the amount of information available, but it is usually as close as one hundred feet.

A tiny switch built into the underside of the brace changes the frequency of the radio signal being produced. This is often used as a distress call.

The brace operates on kinetic power, in the same way as some modern watches. At the back of the device, in a hollow molded to the roof of the wearerâ€™s mouth, is a small, flat box containing a capacitor, a small weight, and a microgenerator. As the wearerâ€™s head moves, the weight moves back and forth, causing the generator to spin. This produces enough current to keep the capacitor charged and the radio signal transmitting.

You can download the high-res schematic for the bike pump and download a sample chapter from Scorpia to see how Alex uses it to get out of trouble.



becky stern headshot Alex Rider's radio mouth brace, a Dream Gadget Contest preview

Becky Stern


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