The popularity of ghosts and the paranormal has grown greatly over the past several years, making its way to hit shows such as Ghost Whisperer, Medium, and Supernatural. Even reality television has jumped on board, with programs such as Ghost Hunters, Haunting Evidence, and Paranormal State. With all the exposure, more and more people are interested in breaking into the field, whether professionally or as a hobby. But what exactly are those odd electronic devices paranormal investigators tote around, and how do they work? This article will give a brief overview of the gadgets and gizmos at the forefront of the field.

EMF Meter

One of the most frequently used devices out there. It's designed to read Electro-Magnetic Fields, a type of radiation that all electronic devices emit, from a refrigerator, to the underground power lines beneath foundations of homes. Manmade electronics emit a very steady EMF, and thus the theory is, any odd, sudden, unaccountable variations in EMF may be a sign of paranormal activity. This further backs up the theory that ghosts are reliant on energy, and tend to mess with electronics. These fields are dangerous to health if they are too high, and even at medium range can effect mood, so even if an EMF Meter doesn't detect spiritual activity, the meter could always be used to simply survey how much exposure to EMF one is getting.

EVP Devices

An EVP Device is a fancy way of saying a voice recorder. EVP, Electronic Voice Phenomenon, occurs when a recording is played and an unexplainable noise is present. It's theorized that ghostly voices operate on a frequency hard for human ears to detect, but audible enough to be picked up by sensitive electronic equipment, and can be heard when played back. It may be a thud, or singing, or even a clear sentence. The device chosen should be sensitive, and preferably transferable to a computer for closer sound analysis. But in a pinch, even a recorder on a cell phone or MP3 player could be used.

Thermometers and Thermal Cameras

A widely held theory amongst paranormal investigators is that a spirit entity needs energy in order to make itself manifest, and even support its existence. Because of this, it's thought that a ghost pulls energy from its surroundings. Since energy is felt as heat, this would mean a drop in the temperature of the air around the ghost. A simple thermometer might not work, since these "cold spots" are usually pretty concentrated. The tool most often used is an infrared thermal scanner, that can scan the temperature at more precise locations, via an infrared laser. This allows the investigator to compare the temperature of a small radius to that of surrounding areas. Alternatively, thermal cameras can give visual feedback instead of just numbers like a thermometer. A quick scan of an area can indicate warm and cold spots, and interpret them into visual form.

These are three of the basic tools used by both novice and professional paranormal investigators. Understandably, there are many makes and models of these electronics, and it takes research and an awareness of what exactly one wants to get out of it in order to commit. An EMF meter can be found for twenty dollars, to several hundred dollars. Same goes for temperature-scanning devices and recorders. It's best to do research based on your own needs, and read plenty of customer reviews before making a purchase.

http://www.lessemf.com/ghost.html
http://angelsghosts.com/ghost_hunting_equipment.html
http://www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/