Michigan's Otherside Paranormal Forums

I found this article from Paranormalnews.com on our news blog interesting because when I first started out, we were talking about experimenting with strobe lights. Here's the article:


New Strobelight Tech Gadget Excites Paranormal Community

Written By: Buck Bannister
Posted: 7/16/2008

Paul Bradford & the IR/UV Strobe

A fleeting glimpse out of the corner of the eye, a darting shadow form moving impossibly fast, a flickering apparition that seems to jump from place to place; all these are phenomena reported by clients and paranormal groups.

For a number of years the paranormal investigation community has theorized that apparitions or spirits move at a rate much faster than normal human locomotion. This idea has even captured the popular imagination and been incorporated into Hollywood thrillers and horror movies whose special effects show "ghosts" moving at impossibly fast speeds as they haunt the victims in the films.

Does this theory have any validity in the real world? Paranormal investigators have never been able to test the theory because no technique existed to capture fast moving apparitions on camera.

Enter Paul Bradford, a co-founder of Sonoran Paranormal Investigations, Inc. in Arizona (http://sonoranparanormalinvestigations.org). Bradford, known by his colleagues as the "Paranormal MacGyver" has worked for several years developing tools to help paranormal investigators better utilize infrared cameras to capture paranormal activity in the dark.

Recently, Bradford began development of an infrared strobe system that when used in conjunction with infrared cameras may capture any fast moving activity in a darkened room. According to Bradford, "Strobe lights also have an industrial application for example; strobe lights (or stroboscopes) have been used to study the behavior of rotating machinery, oscillating vibration of components or structures and for balancing for a number of years."

According to Bradford, his plan for developing the device revolved around the desire in most investigations to "go dark" that is, use as little light as possible in order to capture phenomena that might not happen when investigators light a room fully or a number of people are moving about. He also had safety concerns about using strobe lighting in the visible light spectrums because of its effect on people with epilepsy as well as the disorientation of those exposed to only strobe lighting for long periods.

However, his main theoretical reasoning centered around the fact that spirits are not visible normally except in the infrared or other ranges. "We have devices now that will allow us to see in the dark, something that some animals have always been able to do. There’s the theory that animals can see spirits and that’s why they react to something rather unexpectedly or bark at what appears to be nothing." Bradford says of his rationale.

Combining this application with prevailing paranormal theories Bradford has also theorized that if ghosts exist in other dimensions, as many have believed it would not be farfetched to think they move at much different rates of speed than our own dimension.

Adapting a regular party strobe light, Bradford originally replaced the regular bulbs with Infrared LEDs. This allows him to adjust the rate of the strobe to experiment with different speeds. "By using something like a Sony Night Shot camcorder you can cover its built in IR illumination very simply either by placing an object in front of the LED’s or by using a small piece of electrical tape. You then use the strobe as the light source." Bradford explains.

After a discussion with Barry Fitzgerald of Sci-Fi Channel’s Ghost Hunters International who has been experimenting with full spectrum cameras, Bradford made another change to his original design and added ultraviolet (UV) bulbs to the device. This allows investigators using the newer full spectrum cameras to capture not only the infrared spectrum but the ultraviolet spectrum as well.

According to Bradford, "Barry and I discussed my project and he told me he was getting more positive results on the ultraviolet end of the spectrum and asked if I might be able to adapt the strobe for a range of 300nm."
Bradford immediately began working on the ultraviolet version and Fitzgerald has agreed to test the device on his investigations in conjunction with his full spectrum cameras.

The theories behind Bradford’s work are complex and highly technical, yet in typical modest fashion, he states, "Don’t get me wrong I don’t claim to know or understand Quantum Physics." Yet his devices may actually help investigators document and further catalog the range of paranormal activity experienced.

"There still isn’t really anything out there specifically for the use of ghost hunting, what we do is take a tool or object intended for something else and adapt it to our need. This tool that I’ve built is specifically for Ghost Hunting." Bradford explains regarding the applications for his device.

However, does this modest native of Meopham, Kent UK, think this will change the field? "This is just another tool, it’s not the next step in ghost hunting its not going to change the world, but it’s an idea, something based on a few other ideas that have been floating about."

Bradford operates Creepy Hollow Ghost Hunting Gear that provides the new IR/UV strobe as well as other custom-made gadgets. His work can be found on the web at: http://www.creepyhollowgear.com

To read more of Bradford’s ideas behind the IR Strobe you can visit the research site run by Sonoran Paranormal Investigations, Inc which goes by the name of "S.P.I.D.E.R web" which stands of Sonoran Paranormal Investigations Development, Education and Research Web where you’ll also find other ideas and theories on the paranormal: http://spider.sonoranparanormalinvestigations.org

In theory the idea could have merit. The cost of the experimental tool is really good too. I would like to have seen some positive results posted, but you can never have enough toys. That is the one good thing about the tv shows, beside opening peoples eyes towards the paranormal, it may bring better ghost hunting tools. I was looking at a page where you hook up the equipment and let your computer do the work for you. I thought about something similar, about sending your results to a person at home monitoring video and evp's . This takes it a step .... or a couple steps forward. This also, if it truly works would put teams on a similar field. You could have a team monitoring at home while you do your investigation.
http://www.paranormal-investigation.com ... uct_16.htm
I am in no way affliliated with this page, just thought it interesting. Maybe if they loaned a few out to different ghost hunting teams to field test they might get some sales.

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I heard something about using a black or a blue lens on a flashlight could make you somethings more clearly. I wish I could remember where I read the article. I'll try looking for it and let you all know.
THanks for the info on the strobe light. Very interesting.

Heres the Theory behind the Strobe:


Infrared Strobe Theory


By Paul Bradford on July 9th, 2008


OK Im not really very good at writing so please forgive me if this isnt particularly well written but Ive been working on a theory that Spirits or Ghosts actually move at a different pace than we do. Like for example they move considerably faster than us and on that basis this might explain the reasons why people see flashes of a figure in a door way or as they pass a mirror they see someone behind them thats just not there when they go for the double take. Or the darting shadow in the corner of the eye….

Now after I mention this to people some say they’ve heard the same thing, I have no idea where from but as far as theories go this could be plausible I mean you hear so many nowadays its hard to take some people seriously. Anyhow on the basis that this theory actually holds some water I modified a standard household party strobe light to work infrared…. Now this hit upon another theory, Ive had people approach me asking WHY I modified the Strobe for IR use and I reply with a couple of rather simply answers 1. So that if we do “Go Dark” it dosnt effect the investigation, 2. So theres no accidental Epileptic fits caused or brought on by the rapid flashing light and 3. Because I have a theory that thats another reason why we dont necessarily see spirits with our own eyes, IR light is invisible BUT we have devices now that will allow us to see in the dark, something that some animals have always been able to do, theres the theory that animals can see spirits and thats why they react to something rather unexpectedly or bark at a what appears to be nothing. I believe this is another reason for “Going Dark” as this would enable us to use the Infrared Illumination. But anyway back to the strobe light, Why use a strobe in the first place I hear you ask, and how would it help you to see spirits if they do infact move at a different pace to that of the world we know? Well strobe lights arnt just for parties and night clubs they also have an industrial application for example, Strobe lights (or stroboscopes) have been used to study the behavior of rotating machinery, oscillating vibration of components or structures and for balancing for a number of years. If you happen to have a strobe light you can test this by using a normal household fan. Turn on the Strobe and the fan, direct the Strobe at the fan and ‘Go Dark’ (do this at our own risk, I dont want to be held accountable for someone having a fit) what you will see is the blades of the fan appear to move at a rate visible to the naked eye, pretty cool huh? Well this is the same kind of application Im using to attempt to identify ghosts or spirits. By using something like a Sony Night Shot camcorder you can cover its built in IR illumination very simply either by placing an object in front of the LEDs or by using a small piece of electrical tape, you then use the strobe as the light source (for this however you will need to turn off the auto focus function of the camcorder and manually focus it prior to covering the built in IR illumination). Ive been discussing this with other groups who also agree the theory is plausible. Others have heard of similar theories and other have heard about the use of strobes but as of yet no one has heard of the use of IR Strobes when it comes to Ghost Hunting.

It uses different aspects of what we already do and brings in the element of industrial application. This is just another tool, its not the next step in Ghost Hunting its not gonna change the world but its an idea, something based on a few other ideas that have been floating about.

There still isnt really anything out there specifically for the use of Ghost Hunting, what we do is take a tool or object intended for something else and adapt it to our need. This tool that Ive built IS specifically for Ghost Hunting. I have read that the army uses IR Strobes to land choppers in areas where they couldnt use normal light and where they need to remain invisible (type thing) you know what I mean. But other then that the IR Strobe seems to be a new thing.

I truly believe that some of the answers we seek as paranormal investigators may eventually be found in the realm of Physics and Quantum Mechanics. Thats where you’ll find yourself talking about teleportation, time traveling, alternate worlds, and a universe of ten, eleven or perhaps fifteen dimensions, depending on the weather of the day. This type of science is no longer limited to your Sci-Fi Dr Who or Star Trek, these things are becoming a reality, much like the way Sci-Fi has brought new ideas and technologies that we use today for example, automatic sliding doors or the flip phone, even video phones (sorry wondered again) Back to dimensions, the theory is that these 4, 10 or even 15 dimensions co-exist in the universe. If the activities that we identify as being paranormal are, in fact, some type of interaction between these dimensions, then it seems entirely possible that an entity from an alternate dimension could operate at a different “rate” of the passage of time. It’s all theoretical, of course, but science has discovered some very strange things occurring at the quantum level, where particles appear to teleport, travel through time, be at two different places at the same time, and behave differently when they are being observed than when they are not. It’s fascinating stuff. Don’t get me wrong I don’t claim to know or understand Quantum Physics but as far as scientific studies are concerned we’ve just scratched the surface of all there is to know.

Read the latest on this theory here: http://sonoranparanormalinvestigations. ... chives/243


Additionally, it was also featured in Ghost Hunters International which aired 7th Jan '09

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea ... d=49948883