Glasses Ray X

X-Ray Specs are an American novelty item, purported to allow the user to see through or into solid objects. In reality the glasses merely create an optical illusion; no X-rays are involved. The current version is sold under the name X-Ray Spex ; an essentially identical product is sold under the name X-Ray Gogs .

Description

X-Ray Specs consist of an outsized pair of glasses with plastic frames and white cardboard "lenses" printed with concentric red circles, and emblazoned with the legend "X-RAY VISION".

The lenses consist of two layers of cardboard with a small hole about 6 mm (.25 inch) in diameter punched through both layers. The user views objects through the holes. A feather is embedded between the layers of each lens. The vanes of the feathers are so close together that light is diffracted, causing the user to receive two slightly offset images. For instance, if viewing a pencil, one would see two offset images of the pencil. Where the images overlap, a darker image is obtained, supposedly giving the illusion that one is seeing the graphite embedded within the body of the pencil. As may be imagined, the illusion is not particularly sustainable.

Novelty value

X-Ray Specs were long advertised with the slogan "See the bones in your hand, see through clothes!" Some versions of the advertisement featured an illustration of a young man using the X-Ray Specs to examine the bones in his hand while a voluptuous (but fully-dressed) woman stood in the background, as though awaiting her turn to be "x-rayed."

The claim is untrue, of course; besides the unlikelihood of a safe and functional x-ray device selling for about a dollar, x-ray detectors require an x-ray source .

Part or even most of the novelty value lies in provoking the object of the wearer's attentions. These subjects, if unable to be entirely sure that the device did not indeed allow the wearer to compromise their modesty, were liable to respond with a variety of amusing reactions.

History

X-Ray Specs were invented by Harold von Braunhut, also the inventor of Amazing Sea-Monkeys.

A previous product called the Wonder Tube worked in a similar way. Instead of glasses, the device was in the form of a small telescope.

Their name was used as the inspiration for the UK punk band The X-Ray Spex.

Actual see-through devices

• Thermal imaging goggles are used by various military and police organizations. They are intended for night use, but the longer wavelength of infrared light allows the user to see images through some materials that are impervious to visible light.

• Devices currently in development for airport security are able to see through clothing quite well. These are true X-ray devices, using backscatter X-rays. The devices are not portable and use a typical X-ray display screen, not goggles.

• Terahertz imaging uses electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz or far infrared range to see through objects in a similar manner to X-rays. It is currently a very expensive new technology, and is being tested for use in customs inspection, firefighting, search and rescue and medical imaging.

See also

• X-ray vision
• Night vision goggles

Notes

1. ^ Strip search: camera that sees through clothes from 80ft away - Times Online

Laminated Leaded Glass | Lead X-Ray Glass | Radiation Shielding Glass

Laminated Leaded Glass (leaded x-ray glass, radiation shielding glass) is specifically designed to meet CAT 1 & CAT II architectural requirements.

...

X-Ray Specs (novelty) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

X-Ray Specs are an American novelty item, purported to allow the user to see through or into solid objects. In reality the glasses merely create an optical illusion; no X-rays are ...

...

x-ray glasses xray specs glasses xray spectacles glasses xreflect xray ...

xreflect x-ray glasses, the most powerful x-ray (see through clothes) camera ever built, the world's first xray glasses wear these glasses and see through clothes

...

X-Ray Glasses – FREE X-Ray Glasses information | Encyclopedia.com ...

X-Ray Glasses – Encyclopedia.com has X-Ray Glasses articles, X-Ray Glasses pictures, video and information at Encyclopedia.com - a FREE online library

...

X-Ray - X-Ray Shielding Glass

X-Ray - X-Ray Shielding Glass from Technical Glass Products (TGP)

...

XRD Glass X-ray Tube | PANalytical

The XRD Glass X-ray Tube is the standard in XRD tubes. Designed and optimized for PANalytical's older generation of XRD diffractometers, as well as the new SAXSess systems, these X ...

...

X-ray lead radiation shielding glass: Kaufman Glass Company

X-RAY LEAD RADIATION SHIELDING GLASS. This glass is used for anti-radiation equipment, portholes, and observation ...

...

Leaded X Ray Glass Barriers | Industrial Lead Products

Radiation Protection Products (RPP) manufactures and distributes a full line of radiation shielding building materials, including doors, lead lined gypsum board and plywood, leaded ...

...

X-ray Glasses - DC Comics Database

Hamilton gave a pair of these glasses to the young hero known as Superboy as a means of compensating for the hero's lack of true x-ray vision. Superboy briefly wore these red ...

...

X-RAY shieLding gLAss

LX-57b X-RAY shieLding gLAss LX-57b X-RAY shieLding gLAss LX-57B X-Ray shielding lead glass offers excellent radiation protection and superb visual clarity.

...