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From: josephc@cco.caltech.edu (Joseph Chiu)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: ^^ Phosphorescent pads ...
Date: 27 Apr 1993 16:32:32 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Lines: 27
Message-ID: <1rjn70INN1ip@gap.caltech.edu>
References: <9TkN3B6w165w@sys6626.bison.mb.ca>
NNTP-Posting-Host: sandman.caltech.edu

baden@sys6626.bison.mb.ca (baden de bari) writes:

> 
>         A while ago I saw some translucent pads, about 6"x8" or so that 
>could be plugged into (something) and they would glow.  One was red, 
>another green, another blue.  Interresting.  I was wondering if anyone 
>would have a feed on anything of this nature, and of the price.
>   oh, the pads were rubber-like and were floppy like, about 1cm thick or 
>so.

The curiosities that you speak of are EL (Electro-Luminescent) pads.  They
are mostly used as backlights for LCD's, and as you pointed out, comes
in several different colors.  Many of them emit white-ish colors ("true"
white, and blue-whiteis-blue are the ones that I've personally encountered
the most often.)

They vary in their input requirements, however, they tend to operate at 
about 100 Vrms, and at much higher than 60 Hz.  (400 Hz to 1 kHz, if I 
recall correctly.)   You can get them to work at 120 Vrms, 60 Hz (i.e.,
line) but they don't glow as brightly, and they will degrade much faster.
(Oh yes, almost forgot, EL's have this tendency to wear out over time...)

-- 
Joseph Chiu        | josephc@cco.caltech.edu  "OS/2: You gotta get this thing!" 
MSC 380 - Caltech  |        
Pasadena, CA 91126 | Dear IBM: Hire bunch of technically incompetent people
+1 818 449 5457    | (like my brother) to test OS/2 installation procedures.
