James Bond gadgets that work

[Blowfeld]

Bond Gadgets that work
By JOSE MA FERNANDEZ
January 16, 2012, 11:25am

MANILA, Philippines — Just before Christmas in the previous year, we were treated to a veritable fiesta of the entire range of James Bond movies, starting with those of the venerable Sean Connery to Roger Moore to Pierce Brosnan (my three favorites) to the current Daniel Craig (am still making up my mind if I prefer the traditional suave Bond to the current rugged but coarse version). The others who were cast to play Bond in between, of course, were mostly forgettable.

But one cannot forget the panoply of gadgets put into play by the hero of the British Secret Service – all made possible by a spymaster’s version of a gadget factory managed by Q, who had to give way to age and natural means, of course, in the last few movies. This spy gadget dream factory would be shown testing many devices, some of which would make their way in to 007’s hands, to both be very useful in subsequent events and also to be totaled – as in the case of vehicles or other valuable spy gear. The one question we never asked is why Q always managed to come up with just the right gadget that would save 007’s neck in the process. But then, this is what makes movies such splendid entertainment fare.

In other movies, we have also been treated to more modern spy-craft gear, especially those that make use of GPS systems and ultra-powerful cameras out in space – which we now find being used in the handling and use of drone aircraft that have significantly changed the way wars are being fought. Now, one (usually an Air Force person trained for the job) can wake up 6,000 miles away, go to work after bringing the kids to school, enter a room with monitors and drone aircraft controls that monitor and maneuver a UAV located close to the combat zone, use it to locate and zap a terrorist cell, and then pack up to go home to a cozy dinner.

But do the old and new tools that we see featured in the Bond movies really make sense and, better yet, have real world applications? Well, the interesting thing is that if one googles this fact properly, one can find many serious pages devoted to the analysis of spy gear showed in the Bond movies that have been actually used or are in use today. Not just by spies, but even by everyday Joes like you and me.

We know that a lot of research is still being conducted in the area of laser technology, especially trying to get the beams from scattering after a certain distance, and being able to do their worst like those laser guns we see mounted in space craft in the movies.

Well, in one Bond movie, our hero used a laser hidden in a watch to cut through metal. Now, in the real world, there are lasers available using pen-like gadgets that focus a beam so bright (and in any color you want) and so strong that it actually cuts through metal just like in the movie. Perfect for those who get into situations that need a handy tool like this, although, this would also be a crazy gadget to end up in the hands of crooks or people who have only malice in mind. Remember, such a beam could also be used to incapacitate or blind people!

However, if one merely desires to have a powerful laser beam that can be used in emergency situations like signaling for help or attracting attention, one can contact groups like <WickedLasers> or <LaserGlow> for more information.

Remember one thing though, never use the laser pointer to check if pilots in aircraft will be blinded (they will!) or if others – or even pets -- will also be similarly incapacitated (they certainly will!). Safety is always the best policy even in the use of Bond-type gadgets.